Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2005 Subaru Baja
NHTSA data on file today
The 2005 Subaru Baja has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 37 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #20V002000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V001000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V003000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V026000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V016000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V014000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V359000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V358000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V763000 Passenger Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13E065000 Fuel Pump may Leak Fuel NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V277000 FUEL PUMP NIPPLE CRACK NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 7 complaints
- Fuel System, Gasoline 6 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 6 complaints
- Engine 5 complaints
- Structure 4 complaints
- Suspension 3 complaints
Of the 37 complaints on file, 2 report a crash; across all 37 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2005 Subaru Baja faces numerous recalls, primarily focused on airbag inflator issues, and a significant number of complaints related to the fuel system. These issues suggest a below-average reliability, especially given the somewhat frequent and costly nature of potential failures.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag inflator | 50,000–100,000 miles | $700–$1,000 | very common |
| Fuel pump | 60,000–120,000 miles | $400–$600 | common |
| Engine cooling system | 80,000–140,000 miles | $450–$800 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change
- Brake fluid replacement
- Spark plug replacement
- Tire rotation and balance
- Transmission fluid check
- Coolant system flush
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Frequent airbag warning lights
- Fuel smell or leakage
- Overheating in traffic
- Unusual noises from suspension
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2005 Subaru Baja at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.