2006 Subaru Baja Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
No verdict The 2006 Subaru Baja has 24 NHTSA complaints and 9 recall campaigns, with Engine problems making up 38% of complaints. It ranks 2nd out of 2 model years by complaint volume, with a complaint index of 0 compared to 100 for the 2005 model.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 0/100
- #2 of 2 Baja years
- Verdict
- No verdict
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 24
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 9
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 3
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Engine
- Best nearby year
- —
- no alternative with data
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 20
- 18 city / 24 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
Top 2006 Subaru Baja problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine9 (38%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (25%)
- Airbags3 (13%)
- Brakes3 (13%)
- Fuel System3 (13%)
- Other2 (8%)
- Steering2 (8%)
- Structure & Body2 (8%)
- Transmission & Powertrain2 (8%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report the engine knocking on startup, sometimes requiring piston replacement that did not fix the issue.
- Some describe the vehicle losing all power and shutting off at highway speed, with one owner reporting this happened 25 times.
- Others report lunging forward, sputtering, hesitating, and loss of throttle response along with a check engine light that stayed on.
- Rear brake rotors were reported as rusted and pitted at low mileage, with one owner linking this to a crash after brake failure.
- A steering tie rod reportedly failed during a low-speed turn, and another owner described a persistent pull to the right despite repeated alignments.
- One owner reported a rusted-through rear subframe that caused tire wobble and rubbing against the wheel well.
2006 Subaru Baja recalls
9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
- NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
- NHTSA 20V002000Jan 2, 2020Airbags127,547 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
2006 Subaru Baja fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 24 MPG
- Combined
- 20 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,650
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2006 compared with other Baja years
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Recalls | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | No verdict | 100 | 37 | 10 | 20 |
| 2006 | No verdict | 0 | 24 | 9 | 20 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 Subaru Baja reliable?
- NHTSA lists 24 complaints and 9 recall campaigns for the 2006 Baja, with Engine issues the top problem area at 38% of complaints. Its complaint index of 0 is lower than the 2005 model's index of 100.
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Subaru Baja?
- Engine problems lead with 9 complaints (38%), followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires with 6 complaints (25%). Brakes, Airbags, and Fuel System each account for 3 complaints.
- Does the 2006 Subaru Baja have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2006 Baja, all related to Airbags, mainly involving replacement of the passenger front air bag inflator.
- How does the 2006 Baja compare to the 2005 Baja?
- The 2006 Baja has fewer complaints (24 vs. 37) and one fewer recall (9 vs. 10) than the 2005 Baja, and its complaint index of 0 is lower than the 2005 model's 100.
- At what mileage do 2006 Baja engine problems typically show up?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 56,770 miles at failure for Engine-related complaints on the 2006 Baja.