Model year guide

2006 Subaru Baja

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2006 Subaru Baja is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 10 on record.

2006 Subaru Baja — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2006 Subaru Baja at a glance

Safety recalls10
Owner complaints24
Combined18–22 mpg
Typical price$7,980

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2006 Subaru Baja recalls 10

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #20V001000 · manufacturer #TKA-20 · 02/01/2020

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 (Saip…

Fix: 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 …

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #20V002000 · manufacturer #TKB-20 · 02/01/2020

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, O…

Fix: 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 …

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #20V003000 · manufacturer #TKC-20 · 02/01/2020

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…

Fix: 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 …

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #17V026000 · manufacturer #TKB-17 · 11/01/2017

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca 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, Penns…

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-17.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #17V014000 · manufacturer #TKA-17 · 10/01/2017

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX 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 (S…

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-17.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #17V016000 · manufacturer #TKC-17 · 10/01/2017

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2006-2008 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), Tribeca, and 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…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistan…

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #16V358000 · manufacturer #TKA-16 · 25/05/2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru'…

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #16V359000 · manufacturer #TKB-16 · 25/05/2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennes…

Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-16. Note: This…

Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump NHTSA Campaign #13E065000 · 29/11/2013

Airtex Products LP (Airtex) is recalling certain model E8598M, E8518M, E8600M, E8596M, and E8597M fuel pumps manufactured July 26, 2013, and July 29, 2013 and used as aftermarket replacements on Subaru Baja's, Outback's and Legacy's. The affected fuel pumps were sold or installed into the aftermarket applications on or after July 26, 2013, and may may leak fuel from the base of a fuel line connection when the gas ta…

Fix: Airtex will notify owners, and will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Recall is expected to begin on January 2, 2014. Customers may contact Airtex at 1-800-880-3056. The recall is expected to begin during January 2014. This recall is being conducted by Airtex, not by Subaru.

Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump NHTSA Campaign #09V277000 · manufacturer #WVJ-20 · 17/07/2009

SUBARU IS RECALLING 15,761 MY 2005-2006 BAJA VEHICLES. CRACKS MAY DEVELOP IN THE FUEL HOSE CONNECTION ON THE OUTLET PRESSURE SIDE OF THE FUEL PUMP.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP BRACKET INCLUDING ALL NIPPLES WITH A NEW AND STRONGER DESIGN PART. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING SEPTEMBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2006 Subaru Baja common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.
Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Structure
Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.

2006 Subaru Baja MPG & running costs

Combined18–22 mpg
City18 mpg
Highway24 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,788
EPA size classSport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Transmission3 options
Forced inductionTurbocharged
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$6,938 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 4 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

What's a 2006 Subaru Baja worth?

Low
$5,500
Typical price
$7,980
High
$13,200

From 10 comparable 2006 Subaru Baja listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2006 Subaru Baja costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$18,940
Depreciation (5 yrs)$3,750
Total$22,690
Per mile$0.30

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($7,980) with the same model 3 model-years older ($5,717), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Investigations & service bulletins

NHTSA defect investigations 2

FUEL PUMP LEAKS Closed

SUBARU WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (09V-277) ON ALL 15, 633 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005 AND MY 2006 BAJA VEHICLES, INCLUDING TURBO AND NON-TURBO MODELS. SUBARU HAS IDENTIFIED A DEFECT IN WHICH CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE FUEL HOSE CONNECTION (NIPPLE) ON THE OUTLET (PRESSURE) SIDE OF THE FUEL PUMP. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A PRESSURIZED LEAK OF GASOLINE FROM THE FUEL PUMP. SUBARU'S ANALYSIS OF SAMPLE PARTS COLLECTED FROM THE…

NHTSA #EA09007 · Fuel System, Gasoline · opened May 2009 · closed Jul 2009

FUEL PUMP LEAK Closed

CRACKS MAY DEVELOP IN THE FUEL HOSE CONNECTION (NIPPLE) ON THE OUTLET (PRESSURE) SIDE OF THE FUEL PUMP. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE LEAKAGE OF GASOLINE FROM THE FUEL PUMP. AS A RESULT OF ADDITIONAL REPORTS AND OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED BY SUBARU IN RESPONSE TO THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATION, THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO ENGINEERING ANALYSIS EA 09-007.

NHTSA #PE08064 · Fuel System, Gasoline · opened Nov 2008 · closed May 2009

An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.

Manufacturer service bulletins 123

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 123.

This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.

Bulletin SubaruNet Announcement (M · Electrical System · Oct 2026

This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.

Bulletin 13-109-26 · Sep 2026

This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.

Bulletin SubaruNet Announcement (C · Sep 2026

This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.

Bulletin 15-333-25R · Electrical System · Sep 2026

This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.

Bulletin 15-304-22R · Electrical System · Sep 2026

This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts.This is an revised ve…

Bulletin 15-308-23R · Electrical System · Aug 2026

This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)

Bulletin 15-304-22R · Electrical System · Aug 2026

Techtips newsletter locator index.

Bulletin Article Locator · Electrical System · Aug 2026

This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin

Bulletin 15-333-25R · Electrical System · Aug 2026

This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.

Bulletin SubaruNet Annoucement (E · Jun 2026

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the BAJA AWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

Canadian recalls 3

Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2006 Subaru Baja. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.

Airbag

Issue: This recall is for certain vehicles that had an airbag inflator replaced as a part of an earlier recall campaign. This recall provides a final repair. Long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the passenger-front airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy wit…

Transport Canada #2020001 · Jan 2020

Airbag

On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propellant contained in the passenger frontal airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. As a result, if the vehicle were involved in a collision that warrants airbag deployment, fragments could b…

Transport Canada #2017020 · Jan 2017

Fuel System

On certain vehicles, the fuel pump nipple may develop cracks and leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire causing property damage, personal injury or death. Correction: Dealers will replace the fuel pump bracket (including nipple) with an update version.

Transport Canada #2009231 · Aug 2009

Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

About the Subaru Baja

The Subaru Baja is an all-wheel-drive, four passenger coupé utility manufactured from 2002 to 2006 by Subaru and marketed for model years 2003 to 2006. The Baja combines the handling and passenger carrying characteristics of a traditional passenger car with the open-bed versatility and load capacity of a small pickup truck.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

2006 Subaru Baja trims & engines on record

Trims
Sport · Turbo
Engines
2.5L

2006 Subaru Baja vehicles on record

Other Subaru Baja model years

2006 Subaru Baja — frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Subaru Baja have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2006 Subaru Baja. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Subaru Baja?

Across all 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are suspension, engine, engine and engine cooling.

What gas mileage does the 2006 Subaru Baja get?

The 2006 Subaru Baja has U.S. EPA estimates of 18–22 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (4 versions).

How much is a 2006 Subaru Baja worth?

Comparable 2006 Subaru Baja listings run roughly $5,500–$13,200, typically around $7,980 (from 10 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.