Failty ECU on '05 Baja, looking for replacement. Any advice?

[Gevorg]

Recently acquired a '05 Baja (manual, 2.5 non-turbo) and weird engine issue started soon after. Long story short, the ECU was determined to be faulty by a couple mechanics and looks like I need to replace it.

To my surprise, its code D4 and the part number 22611-Aj99A proved very hard to find on or offline. Saw a couple "new" items for $500 or more, which seems unreasonably high. I was hoping to get a used part for under $100 or so.

Here's my question:
Is there a way to check if other ECU codes will work with my vehicle? After looking at most likely every used ECU listing on Ebay, I am convinced every other code is available for centuries to come.

[idosubaru]

Shirt answer: get a 00-04 Outback ECU 

Subaru changes ECU part numbers ALL the time, they’re almost pointless for determining compatability.

All 2000-2004 Outback/legacy 4 cylinder non turbo, and all non turbo bajas, ECUs swap and plug and play.

Yours is an outlier   Subaru went CANBUS in 2005 with OB legacy which are notoriously NOT interchangebe plug and play ECU   The components are married and need done at a Subaru dealer. You can’t even swap a 2005 legacy GT ECU with another identical 2005 legacy GT unless you take it to Subaru and ask them to wave their magic sorcery electronic sauce at it.

But since the Baja was just a 00-04 Outback castrated in the rear, the later 05-06 models are just 00-04 outback’s.  they didn’t redesign the Baja to later Gen aesthetics or components. 

this will confuse online listings and information which doesn’t have the fidelity or experience to parse all that  

At least that’s my understanding. 05+ are off years as Subaru rolled out CANBUS technology piecemeal across models. But it’s fairly safe to say your 05 baja is just a 00-04 OBW and you can use any 00-04 Outback or legacy non turbo 4 cylinder ECU  

 

 

[Gevorg]

11 hours ago, idosubaru said:

Shirt answer: get a 00-04 Outback ECU 

Subaru changes ECU part numbers ALL the time, they’re almost pointless for determining compatability.

All 2000-2004 Outback/legacy 4 cylinder non turbo, and all non turbo bajas, ECUs swap and plug and play.

Yours is an outlier   Subaru went CANBUS in 2005 with OB legacy which are notoriously NOT interchangebe plug and play ECU   The components are married and need done at a Subaru dealer. You can’t even swap a 2005 legacy GT ECU with another identical 2005 legacy GT unless you take it to Subaru and ask them to wave their magic sorcery electronic sauce at it.

But since the Baja was just a 00-04 Outback castrated in the rear, the later 05-06 models are just 00-04 outback’s.  they didn’t redesign the Baja to later Gen aesthetics or components. 

this will confuse online listings and information which doesn’t have the fidelity or experience to parse all that  

At least that’s my understanding. 05+ are off years as Subaru rolled out CANBUS technology piecemeal across models. But it’s fairly safe to say your 05 baja is just a 00-04 OBW and you can use any 00-04 Outback or legacy non turbo 4 cylinder ECU  

 

 

Thanks for the information! Yes, I am aware than in almost all ways Baja is a castrated 00-04 Outback. But just as you said, part numbers do not suggest in any way that ECUs are among those similarities.

I think I should be able to get my hands on a 00-04 Outback ECU way more easily so I will try that route and see if it works.

Thanks again.

[idosubaru]

6 hours ago, Gevorg said:

Thanks for the information! Yes, I am aware than in almost all ways Baja is a castrated 00-04 Outback. But just as you said, part numbers do not suggest in any way that ECUs are among those similarities.

I think I should be able to get my hands on a 00-04 Outback ECU way more easily so I will try that route and see if it works.

Thanks again.

Even since the introduction of FI engines with ECU's subaru has changed parts numbers rapidly even in what look and function as identical ECU's.  I've swapped tons from the 1980's, 1990's, and 2000's that have different part numbers.  

I'm just now seeing "Georgia" means the country, not the US State of Georgia.  I'm unsure if that means your market/vehicles are different than US offerings.  What's I've told you is true of US markets. 

[Gevorg]

14 hours ago, idosubaru said:

Even since the introduction of FI engines with ECU's subaru has changed parts numbers rapidly even in what look and function as identical ECU's.  I've swapped tons from the 1980's, 1990's, and 2000's that have different part numbers.  

I'm just now seeing "Georgia" means the country, not the US State of Georgia.  I'm unsure if that means your market/vehicles are different than US offerings.  What's I've told you is true of US markets. 

It's exported from the US, like most other subies in GE. I have a newer Legacy as well - also a US export. We don't have an official Subaru representation here so we had to get creative. We also don't have too many regulations when it comes to cars, and so we have lots of weird JDM Subarus (and other brands) on the road

Edited August 8, 2023 by Gevorg

[forester2002s]

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