What breaks most · 2003 to 2006 model years
Subaru Baja problems by year
Owners have filed 103 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Subaru Baja across model years 2003 to 2006. Three years stand out: 2005 for fuel system complaints, 2003 for powertrain and transmission complaints and 2006 for suspension complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2005, 2003, 2006
- Complaints on file
- 1032003 to 2006, all trims
- Worst year
- 200534 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 102 fires · 9 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 65kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 41Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 5 | 10 | Powertrain and transmission (6) | |
| 18 | 0 | 10 | Fuel system (6) | |
| 34 | 2 | 11 | Fuel system (6) | |
| 20 | 3 | 10 | Suspension (4) |
What fails on the 2005 Subaru Baja
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 18% |
6 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2005 Subaru Baja |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 18% |
6 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2005 Subaru Baja |
| Air bags | 18% |
6 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 15% |
5 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2005 Subaru Baja |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 9% |
3 | 1 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2005 Subaru Baja |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 9% |
3 | 1 | Shop suspension parts for the 2005 Subaru Baja |
| Unknown or other | 6% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 6% |
2 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2005 Subaru Baja |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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The vehicle is leaking fuel. When tank is full the presence of the fumes are overwhelming. Other 2005 baja's have been repaired under a recall, but mine has not been fixed. I can't park in a garage due to life threatening reasons and it could ignite right now. Please help me.
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Hesitation, no power on acceleration. Computer has been reprogrammed by subaru in nj.. Trans engaging hard from a dead stop on acceleration. *nlm
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Sub frame on drivers side rear rusted through and broke at upper support main arm resulting making tire wobble and rubbing on strut spring.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Subaru Baja years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2005, 2003, 2006 carry the most filings on the Subaru Baja. The 2005 alone has 34 complaints, led by fuel system.
What is the most common Subaru Baja problem?
On the 2005 model year, the most-reported component is fuel system with 6 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Subaru Baja problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Subaru Baja complaints that include mileage is about 65,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.