2004 SUBARU BAJA Complaints

MY 2004 BAJA TURBO HAS THE GAS LEAK PROBLEM IN THE MANIFOLD AREA. HAVE REPLACED HOSES AND CLAMPS 3 TIMES ON THE TWO THAT ARE VISIBLE. GAS POOLS ON THE MANIFOLD FROM A SLOW LEAK, FUMES IN THE CABIN, MUST DRIVE WITH WINDOWS DOWN. THIS HAPPENS DURING COLDER TEMPS, PROBABLY 20 AND BELOW. FUMES UPON STARTUP AND LASTS ABOUT AN HOUR WHEN FIRST OCCURRED. NOW WHEN OCCURS FUMES DO NOT DIMINISH. HAVE CLEANED MANIFOLD WITH ENGINE CLEANER TO REMOVE RESIDUAL FUEL SMELL. DEALER HAD MENTIONED THAT SOMETHING WAS INCORRECT ABOUT FUEL LINES WHEN CAR WAS IN FOR UNRELATED REPAIR DURING WARMER TEMPS. A NOTE WAS ON THE REPAIR INVOICE BUT SERVICE ADVISOR HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT MEANT AS THE MECHANICS HAD ALREADY GONE FOR THE DAY. I DECIDED TO ENTER THIS AFTER FINDING SIMILAR PROBLEMS REPORTED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUBARU BAJA. WHEN THE TEMPERATURES GREW COLDER, THERE WAS A VERY STRONG GAS SMELL AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING. THE STRONG GAS SMELL WOULD PERSIST FOR AN HOUR OR O AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL ODOR WAS SO STRONG, THE CONSUMER HAS TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE LEAKING RAW FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, SO MUCH THAT THE RAW GAS WAS POOLING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE FUEL LINES AND TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. WHEN THE NEXT COLD TEMPERATURE RETURNED, THE CONSUMER SMELLED THE RAW GAS AGAIN. RAW GAS WAS POOLING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THE FUEL LINES WERE STILL LEAKING BUT IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED AT A COST OF MORE THAN $300.00. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC MANAGED TO FIX THE WORST PART OF THE LEAK, BUT SEVERAL LINES LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD COULD NOT BE REACHED. WHILE MUCH IMPROVED, THE VEHICLE IS STILL LEAKING GAS INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 20 DEGREES. THE LEAK PERSISTS UNTIL THE ENGINE WARMS UP. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM DUE TO A RECENT RECALL THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH A DIFFERENT MODEL, BUT THEY WERE WAITING TO RECEIVE THE PARTS. UPDATED 01/22/10. *LJ UPDATED 01/22/10.*JB

I HAVE A 2004 SUBARU BAJA AND FUEL VAPORS EMIT FROM THE ENGINE. VAPORS WILL FILL CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A RISK OF FIRE AND INTOXICATING FUMES. THESE VEHICLES HAVE A HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. SUBARU HAS NOT AND WILL NOT MAKE A COMMITMENT ON A RECALL. 2005 AND 2006 BAJAS HAVE HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT I CANNOT GET A FIX BECAUSE MINE IS A 2004. *TR

OUR 2004 SUBARU BAJA HAD THOUSANDS IN REPAIRS AND COULD NEVER BE FIXED. WE ARE STUCK 3100 MILES FROM HOME NOW FOR THREE MONTHS BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE WHOLE DRIVELINE AND ALL DAMAGED COMPONENTS AS THIS WAS AND HAD BEEN NEVER NOTED. THEY ADMITTED THESE WERE DEFECTIVE AND THEY CAREFULLY HID THE FACTS BY TAKING ALL DEFECTIVE DRIVELINES TRASHING THEM AND NOW SELLING THE NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION AT A 650 PRICETAG, PLUS THE THOUSANDS IN DAMAGE IT DID TO OTHER PARTS. HOW CAN THESE PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH THIS SINCE IF THAT DRIVELINE BREAKS IN TRAFFIC AND THEY HAVE, IT CAN REALLY HURT THE DRIVER OR OTHERS. THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR OVER ONE MONTH BEFORE THEY ADMITTED THIS WAS A PROBLEM BUT THEY WERE NOT DOING ANYTHING SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY DIDN'T CARE, PROVE IT. WE COULDN'T BECAUSE THE BANK PICKED THE CAR UP SINCE WE HAD TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAS COST US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS NOW AND WILL CONTINUE TO COST US AND WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE IT MAY HURT OR COST AS THEY CONTINUE TO HIDE THE FACTS. *TR

URGENT REQUEST FOR AUTOMOBILE RECALL, TAIL LIGHT PROBLEM. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE SUBARU BAJA'S BRAKE LIGHTS DUE TO THE SOLAR REFLECTIONS IN THE LIGHT COVERINGS. MANUFACTURES HAVE INCORPORATTED A HIGHLY RELECTIVE DESIGN ALONG WITH A SMALL BRAKE LIGHT AREA. *TC

WHEN THE DRIVER PULLED ON THE SEAT BELT LOCATED IN THE REAR THE HEADLINER CAVED IN. *NM