Any problems with your Baja????

[Nonstop]

Just a follow up, the tech said no head gasket leak grease from the axel boots must have gotten on the exhaust so thats awesome news! So just replaced the boots and shes been driving like a champ

[Zardoz9]

Can you say,

"Piston Ring Land Failure", in cylinder #4.

112,000 miles.

Ouch!

Tom

UPDATE; Turned out cylinder #4 had a heat related valve problem. Exhaust valve would not completely close/seal.
Thanks to Suby Specialties in Monrovia, CA for diagnosing the real issue and doing an AWESOME job of correcting the problem.

[Subaru nutt 199]

The annoying thing about our baja is that it was in 2 accidents and the 2 Subaru dealers closes to us in Florida don't have a collision center so they had to take it to a Chevy dealer and they didn't do the best job at realigning the doors and so their is a lot of wind noise but isn't too bad. The other annoying thing about ours is that the hard to OEM bed cover use to have locks for the back and have rusted completely and the lock mechanisms isn threir anymore and also that the baja light covers arent being made anymore and so you can't find replacements but everything else about our baja we have had fun with and normal wear and tear but for 135,000 mile it isn't bad. If anyone knows where to get the baja covers or a new OEM bed cover let me know

[theluckyone17]

Just about 59,000 miles on mine; Got a loud howling noise that starts about 30 MPH, transitions to its loudest around 36 MPH, and fades off around 45 MPH. I've been chasing down the problem for a while over on the UltimateSubaru board. I finally gave up and brought it into the local garage this afternoon. They put it up on the lift, and claim the sound is coming directly from the transmission. I suspect one of the input shaft bearings is gone; seems to be a common problem as noted over on UltimateSubaru.

I'll know better in a month or so, after I've either swapped out the transmission or replaced those bearings.

Edit #1: Not the input shaft bearings; probably the output shaft bearings. Could be something in the transfer case, too. Either way, I'll be swapping the transmission.

Edit #2: It's an output shaft bearing. Center diff/transfer case is fine.

Edit #3: Replaced the tranny with one out of an '01 Forester. Loving the fifth gear ratio on the highway.

[Mfrazier]

Sooooo........ My turbo took a squat!! Wont spool up fully and/or create boost. Having it torn apart and being rebuilt. It didnt seem to run up to its potential since i got it just a few months ago! Think its been slowly dying! Sucks to have to spend that money, but im ready to enjoy my Subi again!!!!

[Snorkeled]

I am going to head to the Subaru Dealer to get this problem fixed soon. But figured I would ask what your thoughts are. I have a hard vibration that only happens when my Baja is put into Drive with my foot on the brake, once I let off the brake its gone. Same as when I put it into Reverse, vibrates but let off the brake and its gone. I have no problem with Park. Any thoughts ... ?

[Rizzo]

Engine/trans mount bushings or Drive shaft U-joints.

[Snorkeled]

Engine/trans mount bushings or Drive shaft U-joints.

Thank you I will make sure that's the first thing they look at when I bring my Baja in for repair.

[Wingzero_ac19x]

I'll save everyone the full details of my nightmarish first few days of ownership of my 05 turbo AT. We'll just say hypothetically that I drove 5 hours to buy the truck from a dealer back in November, ran fine for the test drive then 60 miles into the return trip the transmission gives up the ghost. It took the dealer a month and a half to get it fixed and back to me (New torque converter, transmission, belts, tensioners, pulleys, oxygen sensors). Every time they had one issue fixed, something else broke. Every red flag said get rid of the truck... But I love Baja's and had been searching for a long time for it so I stuck it out.

The dealer had already changed the valve cover gaskets, rear strut, trans seal, tires etc. Finally got it home after the dealer had drivers bring it to me, within a week found the coolant was completely empty. Took it to Subaru, radiator was shot, and all the work the previous dealer had done to it was wrong (valve covers leaking again, trans seal seeping, rear strut blown). Had all that fixed. Within two weeks had a horrible fuel smell inside the truck. Dealer found fuel lines leaking around the intake. Then an inlet pipe for the turbo needed to be replaced. While doing all the work the dealer forgot to reconnect the cam position sensor and it threw CEL and also forgot to recharge AC. Anyways... Last few weeks have been great, finally had decent weather so I went and changed the plugs and did some other maintenance.

[theluckyone17]

Onyx threw a P0420 code within the last week. Spark plugs were overdue for a change. Changed 'em. I had slapped on cheap aftermarket plug wires soon after buying her. Exchanged them for NGK.

Code resolved.

Update: Code came back a few days later. Ordered a downstream O2 sensor... a couple days of driving later, the CEL light went off. Still waiting for the sensor to arrive.

Update #2: Still tracking this one down. Swapped both 02 sensors. Swapped a bunch of cracked and possibly leaking vacuum hoses, still got a few to check. Ran a Seafoam treatment through her, to no avail. I'm expecting to buy a new cat soon.

[Killer B]

Mine had several issues when I bought it used that have all been repaired. (Typical head gasket/timing belt stuff with some needed fluid flushes)

The only issue I still have that I discovered last Spring is that my cigarette lighter charger does not work. I checked the fuse in the fuse box (which was fine) and I read up on the dreaded "fuse link" issue that Bajas seem to have where the fuse on the other side of the charger is blown. To fix it the dash panels would have to be removed and I didn't feel like shelling out more money for a fix so I will just have to deal with it not working.

[thesavo]

I have maybe a self inflicted issue on my legacy L. I changed the brake fluid on my 04 legacy and the front and rear left side brakes seem to stick on. I didn't have a syringe to get the old fluid out and they baster wouldn't fit.
I have Bled them over and over, 64 US fluid ounces have been pushed through. I have lubed the slides, checked for runout, replaced the front brackets, replaced slide pins and replaced all the flex hoses.

Sent from Tapa talk. Because SEO.

[johnep]

My new to me 2005 had a #3 cyl missfire code when I bought it. Headgasket was leaking in to that cyl. Replaced the headgasket and timing belt. I just replaced all the brakes. Just normal stuff.

[ATLcple]

I bought my used 04 Baja Turbo, AT, 135K miles back in Jul14. I haven't had any mechanical problems at all with it and I think the previous owner did a good job with maintenance. I was told he did the (dreaded) 100K fix to include the head gaskets, timing belt, water pump. He also had the turbo fail due to banjo-filter blockage (is that right?) - forcing him to buy a new turbo at 120K miles. At that time he also had the Banjo-screen removed (he claimed some/most owners do remove this to avoid oil-starvation to the turbo and turbo failure).
SO...for the 6 months I have owned my red/sil Baja, it has been a great truck. Very smooth in how it drives, engine is smooth and powerful, I get 19.5mpg around town and 24 all-highway. The TWO issues I will address in early 2015 will be a squeaky left rear wheel (or brake?), and the very common torn boot on the left CV axle. I am taking it to the local Subaru dealer for a "used car checkout" (something like most buyers would do BEFORE purchase!) and I will see what other issues might be lurking while I have them address the CV boot and rear wheel squeak. So far I really like my first Subaru and first Baja! It looks great, very unique, and drives great.

[Zombaja]

Bought a used Baja Turbo AT with 160K in April of this year.

Baked an exhaust valve in #1 cylinder two weeks ago. This proceeded to damage the piston

rebuilt motor costs and installation are currently $1K below what I paid for the car.

PO neglected a lot on this car, oil changes, seals, etc. Car survived most of it, but a failing fuel injector was the end of it.

Probably gonna be a lot of parts for sale up soon.