2003 SUBARU BAJA Problems & Recalls

Vehicle purchased in NC in April, 2025. Registered the vehicle in VA (where I live) a week later once I received the NC title. On [XXX], I took the vehicle to get it inspected. It failed the Virginia State Safety Inspection for the suspension - rust on the rear subframe near right rear wheel well...

At the beginning of April, I purchased a 2003 Subaru Baja from Roseville Auto Center for $10,500 and was reassured by the salesman that it passed a safety inspection and that there were no leaks in the head gasket. I did my own inspection under the hood and underneath the vehicle. I found there to b...

At the beginning of April, I purchased a 2003 Subaru Baja from Roseville Auto Center for $10,500 and was reassured by the salesman that it passed a safety inspection and that there were no leaks in the head gasket. I did my own inspection under the hood and underneath the vehicle. I found there to b...

At the beginning of April, I purchased a 2003 Subaru Baja from Roseville Auto Center for $10,500 and was reassured by the salesman that it passed a safety inspection and that there were no leaks in the head gasket. I did my own inspection under the hood and underneath the vehicle. I found there to b...

The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Baja. The contact stated that upon inspection the vehicle, the contact discovered severe corrosion to the rear subframe. The contact called the manufacturer and was referred to a specialist. The contact was yet to receive a call back from the specialist. The dealer was...

Mileage: 180,000

Subaru water pump pulley center hole was improperly machined

The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Baja. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the vehicle would move forward inadvertently until the contact applied the parking brake. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not associated with any reca...

Mileage: 165,000

THE CAR HAS BEEN USING OIL A LOT AND IT'S NOT LEAKING OUT AND IT SMELLS LIKE BURNT OIL AND SMOKES

Mileage: 110,000

TAKATA RECALL -- FAILURE TO COMPLY

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU BAJA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V361000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED MID HUDSON SUBARU AT 845-296-1152 (LOCATED AT 1715 U.S. 9, WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY 12590) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE ...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU BAJA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY OR WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE ODOR WAS ONLY NOTICED DURING COLD WEATHER. THE CONTACT CALLED MIKE SHAW SUBARU ...

Mileage: 107,000

THE CAR ACCELARATED FOR NO REASON, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR ON A CITY STREET

Mileage: 112,500

REAR BRAKE LINE HAS CORRODED AT THE 4 WAY CONNECTOR AND FAILED, SIMILAR TO OTHER MODELS AND YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED. VEHICLE IS REGISTERED AND OPERATED IN RHODE ISLAND

Mileage: 113,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU BAJA. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (BUSAM SUBARU, 6195 DIXIE HWY, FAIRFIELD, OH 45014), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIF...

Mileage: 79,000

TAKATA RECALL- I AM STILL WAITING TO RECIEVE THE INFORMATION TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED. THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN EVERYDAY~ WHEN WILL MY VEHICLE BE FIXED. THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS.

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 SIMI...

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 SIMI...

TAMARA RECALL. RECEIVED LETTER OF RECALL IN JULY, 2016. BOLDLY TOLD NOT TO ALLOW PASSENGERS IN FRONT SEAT WHILE SUBARU SAYS PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE? HAVE USED WEBSITE, NO UPDATE. CALLED AND WAITED AND WAITED, RECORDING REPEATEDLY SAYS GO TO WEBSITE. WEBSITE SAYS CALL CUSTOMER SUPPORT FOR MORE INFO...

"TAKATA RECALL" ON FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG - I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN JULY STATING NOT TO LET ANYONE SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OF MY VEHICLE UNTIL THERE IS A REPLACEMENT PART TO FIX THE ISSUE. IT IS NOW 4 MONTHS LATER AND STILL NO FIX. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I HAVE KIDS/FAMILY AND NEED EVERY ...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU BAJA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V399000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NO...

Mileage: 69,500

STARTING DEC 2004 PROBLEMS KEEPING ALIGNMENTS/TIRES (MILEAGE 28,176), ENDING IN MAY 2013 WITH COMPLETE REAR WHEEL CRADLE & DRIVE TRAIN REPLACEMENT (MILEAGE 182,837) AFTER THE DRIVE LINE DROPPED OUT ON TO A BRACE AT APPROX 35 MPH AFTER REPEATED REPAIRS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT DRIVE-FEEL OF VEHICLE. HAD ...

Mileage: 182,837

STARTING DEC 2004 PROBLEMS KEEPING ALIGNMENTS/TIRES (MILEAGE 28,176), ENDING IN MAY 2013 WITH COMPLETE REAR WHEEL CRADLE & DRIVE TRAIN REPLACEMENT (MILEAGE 182,837) AFTER THE DRIVE LINE DROPPED OUT ON TO A BRACE AT APPROX 35 MPH AFTER REPEATED REPAIRS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT DRIVE-FEEL OF VEHICLE. HAD ...

Mileage: 182,837

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU BAJA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING AT 2 MPH, A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER AND THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. UPON EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSEN...

Mileage: 141,000

SUBARU ROTORS, WE HAVE IN OUR FAMILY 6 SUBARUS, 2-2003 BAJAS ,I - 2005 FORESTER, 1-2005 LEGACY, 1-2007 IMPREZA, ALSO SOLD ONE 2004 FORESTER. OUR BAJAS HAVE 48,000 MILES ONE EACH VEHICLE AND WE HAVE HAD OUR ROTORS REPLACED, CUT, AND REPLACED AGAIN. EACH TIME WE TAKE THEM IN FOR INSPECTIONS WE ARE TOL...

Mileage: 5,000

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 ...

Mileage: 88,500

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 ...

Mileage: 88,500

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 ...

Mileage: 88,500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU BAJA. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER CHANGING A FLAT TIRE WITH THE SPARE TIRE THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. THE SMOKE WAS CAUSE BY THE SPARE TIRE DUE TO THE DIFFERENT TREAD AND SIZE CAUSED THE DIFFERENTIAL TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE T...

Mileage: 12,000

I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT LAST APRIL 28, 200) AND WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES, ONLY TO FIND THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO WORK. I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 20 MPH AND GRAVITY SLOWED ME DOWN TO BELOW 18 MPH BECAUSE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, ONLY TO BE STOPPED BY A CAR MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A HIGHWA...

Mileage: 40,000

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 INDEPEN...

I HAVE A 2003 SUBARU BAJA WITH 17,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS CAR CAME FACTORY EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92 HIGH PERFORMANCE ALL SEASON TIRES, SIZE 225/60/R16. THESE TIRES ARE POSITIVELY HAZARDOUS ON SNOW AND ICE: I HAVE TWICE IN THE PAST SIX WEEKS LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE ON SNOW...

Mileage: 17,750

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 DUPLICATE...

VEHICLE PULLS TO LEFT WHEN DRIVING. VEHICLE SHUDDERS WHEN DRIVING IN SNOW, HESITATION WHEN TAKING OFF IN FIRST GEAR, REVERSE LIGHTS STOP WORKING.*AK

Mileage: 11,000

CLUTCH SHUDDER/JUDDER: COOL, COLD AND/OR HIGH HUMIDITY CLUTCH SHAKES DRIVELINE & ENTIRE CAR. DULY DOCUMENTED ON THE ULTIMATE SUBARU MESSAGE BOARD ON THE INTERNET. SOME MODELS COVERED BY MANUFACTURER FOR PARTS AND LABOR BUT MANY SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER NEW CLUTCH IS INSTALLED. SEEMS TO BE...

Mileage: 600

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...

MY SUBARU BAJA HAS AN INTERMITTENT BRAKING PROBLEM. WHEN TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 10 - 20 MILES PER HOUR IT WILL NOT STOP BUT JUST SLOW DOWN EVEN THOUGH PRESSING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I CAN. THE BRAKES DO NOT GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. TWO DAYS AGO I ALMOST HIT A CAR WHEN DOING ABOUT 10 MILES PER HO...

Mileage: 8,135

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 12MA...

Mileage: 7,672

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 12MA...

Mileage: 7,672

MASSIVE PENETRATING RUST THRU-OUT ENGINE COMPARTMENT, STRUT TOWER AND FRAME ON A 2003 SUBARU BAJA. SUBARU HAS TAKEN MONTHS AND HAS DONE NOTHING, EVEN AFTER ADMITTING IN WRITTING THE CAR SHOULD BE IMMED. REPLACED AND HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IT IS A POTENTIAL DRIVING SAFTY HAZARD. *AK

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 O...

Mileage: 6,790

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

Mileage: 2,575

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

Mileage: 2,575

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

Mileage: 4,382

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 O...

Mileage: 6,802

HESITATION, NO POWER ON ACCELERATION. COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED BY SUBARU IN NJ.. TRANS ENGAGING HARD FROM A DEAD STOP ON ACCELERATION. *NLM

Mileage: 5,900

HESITATION, NO POWER ON ACCELERATION. COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED BY SUBARU IN NJ.. TRANS ENGAGING HARD FROM A DEAD STOP ON ACCELERATION. *NLM

Mileage: 5,900