Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Subaru Baja submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
FUEL SMELL WHEN STARTING VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE REFUSED TO DO CHECK FOR CAUSE, THOUGH THEY WERE PAID TO.
IT IS A COMMONLY KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SUBARUS OF THIS ERA THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE RUBBER FUEL LINES UNDERNEATH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WILL BEGIN TO LOSE THEIR ELASTICITY AS THEY AGE AND LEAK PROFUSELY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 30 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. MECHANICS KNOW THIS AND IT IS DISCUSSED EXTENSIVELY ON THE SUBARU FORUMS. THIS HAPPENED TO MY 2005 SUBARU BAJA WHEN I WAS TRAVELING IN THE MOUNTAINS. WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING, FUEL WOULD BEGIN PUDDLING ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. IT WAS VERY NOTICEABLE DUE TO THE FUEL VAPORS PRODUCED. AS THE ENGINE WARMED THE RUBBER WOULD SWELL AND STOP THE LEAK AFTER A GOOD 30 MINUTES OR LONGER DEPENDING ON THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE. I HAD TO TRAVEL WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AT THE READY AND COULD NOT KEEP ANY VENTS OPEN IN THE CABIN. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND COULD NOT BE REMEDIED UNTIL I WAS BACK FROM MY TRIP. SUBARU ISSUED A RECALL A FEW YEARS AGO FOR A SMALL PART NEAR THE FUEL PUMP AND TANK BECAUSE IT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO LEAK, BUT THEY HAVEN'T ADDRESSED THIS FAR MORE PERVASIVE ISSUE AT ALL. THE REMEDY REQUIRES A DIFFICULT AND COSTLY REMOVAL OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL THE RUBBER LINES THAT RUN BETWEEN THE HARD PIPES ON THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL CIRCUIT. I SUSPECT THIS IS WHY THEY ARE NOT ISSUING A RECALL. IT IS A VERY REAL PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU BAJA. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, A STRONG FUEL ODOR ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09277000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, DEALER CAN NOT LOCATE PROBLEM,PROBLEM PERSISTS. AFRAID CAR WILL CATCH ON FIRE
IT'S BEEN COLD IN MA LIKE PAST WINTERS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED SINCE OWNING MY BAJA FOR 10 YEARS NOW, WHICH I BOUGHT NEW. I NOTICED THAT WHEN I FIRST START UP MY CAR WITH THE HEAT VENTS OPEN TO WARM IT INSIDE, THE CAR FILLS WITH STRONG FUEL/GAS FUMES. I TOOK MY CAR TO BE SERVICED AT A SUBARU DEALER AND THEY CHECKED ALL THE FUEL LINES; TIGHTENED THEM, BUT COULD NOT FIND WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. SO NOW I RECIRCULATE THE CABIN AIR AND DON'T DRAW IN FRESH AIR TO TRY TO KEEP THE FUMES OUT. IT STILL CONTINUES TO EMIT FUMES WHEN IT'S COLD OUT, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED IN THE PAST...10 YEARS OF COLD WINTERS AND NOW THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH GAS FUMES? SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG AND I DO FEAR A FIRE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU BAJA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE, THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR PRESENT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS PRESENT DURING THE WINTER WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS VERY COLD. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS INTERMITTENTLY PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE, COMING FROM THE AIR VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
THIS WINTER WHEN THE TEMPERATURES DROPPED BELOW FREEZING I HAD A STRONG SMELL OF GAS IN MY CAR. MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN WARMING THE VEHICLE UP IN THE MORNING. I NOTICED THE SMELL ON BOTH THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE OF THE CAR. ON THE OUTSIDE IT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE BEHIND THE REAR DOOR I INVESTIGATED BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY FUEL LEAKS OR THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. *TR
DURING COLD WEATHER A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE ENTERS THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *TR
STRONG FUEL SMELL BOTH OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE CAR WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 30 F. FUEL PUMP RECALL DONE BEFORE THE SMELL STARTED. SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE SHOP TO HAVE THE FUEL LINES TIGHTENED. FUMES WORSE THIS YEAR THAN EVER. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN BUT NO RECALL. DEALER TOLD ME TODAY THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM & REQUIRES FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT @ BETWEEN 600 TO 700 DOLLARS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU BAJA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL 09V277000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE DELIVERY, FUEL PUMP). HE TRIED ON FIVE TO SIX OCCASIONS TO HAVE THE REPAIR PERFORMED BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE AND ON BACKORDER. THERE ARE NO FAILURES AT THIS TIME. UPDATED 6/1/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED. UPDATED 06/10/10.*JB
UPON BRINGING MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, THE SUBARU MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT I HAD A FUEL LEAK. THE ELBOW FITTING ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP HAD CRACKED AND A NEW FUEL PUMP WAS REQUIRED TO BE INSTALLED. IN TALKING TO THE MECHANIC AND THE SERVICE MANAGER, THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD INSTANCE OF THIS THEY HAD RECENTLY EXPERIENCED IN THEIR DEALERSHIP. THEY ALL SPECIFICALLY INVOLVED THE SUBARU BAJA TURBO AND ALL THREE VEHICLES HAD APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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