Subaru BAJA problems and owner complaints

TOTAL ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP VEHICLE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC AT LESS THAN 20 MPH ON DRY SURFACE. FIRST ATTEMPT TO BRAKE MET WITH UNDUE BRAKE PEDAL RESISTANCE WITH NO STOPPING ACTION. SECOND ATTEMPT MET WITH UNRESTRICTED PEDAL TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR WITH NO STOPPING ACTION. VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED ON IMPACT. THE DRIVER AND TWO OTHER PEOPLE WERE INJURED. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 6,802 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043567 at NHTSA ↗

THIS VEHICLE'S BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE. THE ABS IS TOO EASILY ACTIVATED BY BUMPS OR DEBRIS ON THE ROAD DURING ROUTINE STOPS UNDER NORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN LOSS OF DECELARATION OF VARYING DEGREES OF SEVERITY. THIS HAS CAUSED ONE ACCIDENT ALREADY AND ALMOST CAUSED ANOTHER ONE ON 12MAR04. WE HAVE NOTIFIED SUBARU OF AMERICA AFTER THE FIRST ACCIDENT, WHO REFUSED ASSISTANCE. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE THEN, WHO MAINTAINS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE'S ABS. STILL, THE FAILURES CONTINUE. WE ARE BEING …

Owner-reported narrative. 7,672 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062598 at NHTSA ↗

EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY 2003 BAJA IN COLD WEATHER IT SMELLS LIKE RAW FUEL. IT MAKES ME FEEL LIGHT HEADED AND DIZZY. THE SELL COMES IN THRU THE VENTS AND FILLS THE CAB WITH FUMES. THE FUEL LEAKS OUT ONTO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE BLOCK FROM THE FUEL LINE CREATING A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. WE'VE SEEN SIMILAR ISSUES OF FUEL LEAKING FROM FUEL LINES UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DURING COLD CONDITIONS ON NUMEROUS OTHER SUBARU MODELS INCLUDING THE OUTBACK AND FORESTER. SUBARU RECALL NO. WVK-21 FOR 2002-2003 SUBARU WRX MODELS RESOLVES A FUEL LEAK FROM THE FU…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10933878 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU BAJA. WHEN THE TEMPERATURES GREW COLDER, THERE WAS A VERY STRONG GAS SMELL AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING. THE STRONG GAS SMELL WOULD PERSIST FOR AN HOUR OR O AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL ODOR WAS SO STRONG, THE CONSUMER HAS TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE LEAKING RAW FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, SO MUCH THAT THE RAW GAS WAS POOLING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE FUEL LINES AND TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLE…

Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10295002 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING, AN ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE VENT AREA. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB THE CONSUMBER STATED THAT WHEN VEHICLE IS CUT OFF AND THE KEY IS TAKEN OUT THE ENGINE COMES ON…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091500 at NHTSA ↗

STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT, WITH LOUD BANGING/POPPING NOISES WHILE TURNING STEERING WHEEL...WORSENED AS VEHICLE WARMED UP...WOULD FEEL AS THOUGH STEERING WHEEL WAS BEING JERKED OUT OF MY HANDS. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING VISCOUS CLUTCH IN CENTER DIFFERENTIAL (AT TRANSMISSION)...WAS TOLD THAT MANY SIMILAR CASES ARE APPEARING ON THESE VEHICLES...DO NOT KNOW WHETHER OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 88,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10326281 at NHTSA ↗

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 4,382 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047100 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A WINDING MOUNTAIN ROAD THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKING POWER. SHE TRIED TO SLOW IT BY DOWN SHIFTING THE GEARS, AND THEN SHE USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND SHE DROVE INTO A DITCH. THE BRAKES HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THERE WAS BODY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT YET INSPECTED THE VE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10145969 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER/REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND REPLACED THE ECU, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIMING BELT WAS ALSO REPLACED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE STALLED TWICE.*JB *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 2,575 miles reported. Look up ODI 10042505 at NHTSA ↗

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2003 SUBARU BAJA WITH JUST OVER 4,000 MILES. WHILE THE CAR IS AT IDLE, FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, IT STALLS OUT. THIS OCCURRED 4 TIMES IN TWO-AND-A-HALF DAYS STARTING ON THURSDAY 4-15-04 AND THE LAST TIME ON 4-17-04. THE THREE PREVIOUS TIMES, I WAS ABLE TO RE-START THE VEHICLE. THE LAST TIME, IT WOULD NOT START AND I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP, CLASSIC SUBARU-CADILLAC IN ATLANTA, GA. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT I WAS THE 8TH PERSON TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AND THAT SUBARU IS AWARE OF IT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN VE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10067653 at NHTSA ↗

My cars abs light came on and the speedometer, rpm gauge, and electrical system started failing while driving. I immediately pulled over. The car caught fire around the alternator. The fire was minor, as I found the damage after towing the car home. If it had been worse, I could’ve been injured and burned. When I went to fix the car, we found that the wires were taped together with electrical tape and the other end had a form of glue on it. After we bought the car, the dealership kept calling checking on the vehicle, making me believe it was …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11747690 at NHTSA ↗