PlainCars

SUBARU · vehicle model

SUBARU BAJA

145 NHTSA complaints and 16 safety recalls across model years 2003–2006.

Complaints
145
Recalls
16
Model years
4

The SUBARUBAJA appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 145 consumer safety complaints and 16 recall campaigns across 4 model years (2003–2006). That averages roughly 36 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 14 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
200633
200544
200422
200346

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 28 in 2017-2021 to 9 in 2022-2026, a fall of 67.9%. That is the 28th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

6
’03
11
’04
6
’05
6
’06
5
’07
12
’08
3
’09
6
’10
1
’11
2
’12
13
’14
15
’15
22
’16
11
’17
6
’18
5
’19
4
’20
2
’21
4
’22
1
’23
3
’24
1
’25

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare SUBARUBAJA to Similar Vehicles

SUBARUBAJA vs SUZUKIAERIO → SUBARUBAJA vs LAND ROVERRANGE ROVER VELAR → SUBARUBAJA vs MINICOUNTRYMAN → SUBARUBAJA vs BMWM5 →

NHTSA Investigations

PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed2019-08-06

Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure

PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed2015-04-10

Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression

PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed2011-04-07

Front suspension control arm failure

EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed2009-05-21

FUEL PUMP LEAKS

PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed2009-03-10

FUEL LINE LEAK

PE08064Preliminary EvaluationClosed2008-11-14

FUEL PUMP LEAK

PE04002Preliminary EvaluationClosed2004-01-07

FUEL LINE LEAKAGE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT

EA03024Engineering AnalysisClosed2003-11-19

EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES

PE03029Preliminary EvaluationClosed2003-07-08

BRAKING SYSTEM/ABS

PE99020Preliminary EvaluationClosed1999-03-05

SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE SEPARATION

View all 14 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the SUBARU BAJA?▼
The SUBARU BAJA has received 145 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 2003 to 2006, with 16 recalls. That averages about 36 complaints per model year.
What years of SUBARU BAJA are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the SUBARU BAJA from 2003 to 2006 (4 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the SUBARU BAJA have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many SUBARU BAJA model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common SUBARU BAJA complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the SUBARU BAJA are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my SUBARU BAJA has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. SUBARU BAJA totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.