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2019 Subaru Ascent

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Ascent years

Owner complaints for the 2019 Subaru Ascent are substantially higher than the model-year median of 52.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

239 reports with mileage · 202 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 160 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports6 fire reports4 injury reports

Engine complaints

47 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2026
Air BagsEngineCrashFireInjury

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 75 MPH, a deer ran across the highway and hit the left driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. A grayish smoke began to emit from the vehicle as the contact's wife immediately pulled off to th…

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The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 75 MPH, a deer ran across the highway and hit the left driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. A grayish smoke began to emit from the vehicle as the contact's wife immediately pulled off to the side of the road. Due to the damaged cause by the impact of the deer, the contact's wife had difficulty exiting the vehicle. The contact's wife used excessive force to open a crack in the door, which was enough to slide herself out of the vehicle. The vehicle became engulfed in flames soon after exiting the vehicle, and the authorities were called to the scene. The fire department arrived at the scene and managed to extinguish the fire. The contact's wife sustained bruising to her left shoulder, left leg, and left arm but did not seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent tow yard and was later towed to an insurance holding facility. The contact stated that the vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire, but the insurance adjuster had yet to determine a final ruling on the vehicle. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had yet been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11726659

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion System

My vehicle smokes when starting it. A lot of white smoke that can fill a parking lot. The smoke has a strong chemical smell.

NHTSA ODI #11645828

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 2024
Engine

The Y pipe that connects the exhaust from the engine to the turbo charger, has cracks from poor welds. It happened 8-12 months ago we started to notice that during warm up our Ascent would sound real loud then quiet down once it warmed up. We didn’t know there was an issue as there were no lights that came on and we had no loss …

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The Y pipe that connects the exhaust from the engine to the turbo charger, has cracks from poor welds. It happened 8-12 months ago we started to notice that during warm up our Ascent would sound real loud then quiet down once it warmed up. We didn’t know there was an issue as there were no lights that came on and we had no loss of power or MPG. The safety issue would be that we finally took the car in once we started to smell exhaust fumes coming from the car that we would start to smell from inside the car. We had to start to air out the car after warming up if we couldn’t immediately drive away once started. We contacted Subaru and they offered a partial credit for a repair but after researching I have seen they have had recalls in the past regarding similar cracked Exhaust manifolds on another model car.

NHTSA ODI #11631180

Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2024
Engine

During an inspection at the dealership in December 2023, the tech found the oil pan to be leaking. It was resealed during the same visit. Approximately 8 months later, the same problem was found again at the dealership. It was again resealed. Upon further research, this appears to be a recurring problem on similar vehicles.

NHTSA ODI #11613695

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2024
EnginePower Train

Purchase the car two weeks ago the first night on the way home it was acting up just like it did when I test drove it and was told by the BMW dealership Aristocrat Motors in Topeka Kansas that they would fix anything that was wrong with it. On the way home I realized I didn't think it would make it back the 60 miles so I took it…

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Purchase the car two weeks ago the first night on the way home it was acting up just like it did when I test drove it and was told by the BMW dealership Aristocrat Motors in Topeka Kansas that they would fix anything that was wrong with it. On the way home I realized I didn't think it would make it back the 60 miles so I took it to Olathe Subaru they informed me that it had had transmission problems reported by the previous owners but their technician couldn't get it to do it again so the people just traded it in instead and then I got the car without them getting the transmission fixed or whatever was wrong. They are actually waiting on Subaru of America to respond to tell them what needs to be done to the car and in the process I have been two weeks with little information of what's going on. I feel the recall should have been done and the car is still a good car it just needs to be repaired correctly. Thank you for your response I look forward to hearing from you please help.

NHTSA ODI #11610583

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion SystemFire

Over the course of 5 years, a lot has been mechanically wrong with our vehicle. Each service appointment yielded a 'cannot duplicate' response. Recently, my car has been in the service department a few times. My car had recall work performed on a ground bolt, and my husband advised them that the car had a 'rich fuel' smell when …

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Over the course of 5 years, a lot has been mechanically wrong with our vehicle. Each service appointment yielded a 'cannot duplicate' response. Recently, my car has been in the service department a few times. My car had recall work performed on a ground bolt, and my husband advised them that the car had a 'rich fuel' smell when starting with the hood open. I've complained since 2021 of a smell when pulling up the mountain. The smell is what I described as a perm solution smell. Each time, the response was 'cannot duplicate.' In February, I took the car in to have the exhaust inspected because it was getting louder each passing day. I was advised that the entire exhaust needed to be replaced, and I would be responsible for costs. I brought my car home, unrepaired, and called Subaru of America to file a claim through them. I had repeatedly expressed concerns, and nothing was done, yet I'm expected to foot the bill now. Since February 12th, I have been back and forth with Subaru and just made the appointment to get the exhaust work completed, with a small contribution from Subaru. However, this past Saturday, [XXX] my vehicle caught on fire while driving. I am fine, but my vehicle has now been deemed a total loss. As I was descending the mountain, I smelled the same 'perm solution' smell, and shortly after, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The smoke entered the cabin as I pulled off the road. Upon exiting the vehicle, flames and smoke were visible from the hood. I grabbed my purse and ran, called 911, and watched my vehicle engulfed in flames. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11583533

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2023
EnginePower Train

2019 Subaru Ascent was taken to mechanic due to jolting between 1000RPM and 1500RPM. Car was not throwing any code. Mechanics then did other test and it was determined the transmission is failing. Car only has 70,000 miles on it. Also, when car is started at times, there is a very prominent cloud of smoke that comes from the ex…

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2019 Subaru Ascent was taken to mechanic due to jolting between 1000RPM and 1500RPM. Car was not throwing any code. Mechanics then did other test and it was determined the transmission is failing. Car only has 70,000 miles on it. Also, when car is started at times, there is a very prominent cloud of smoke that comes from the exhaust.

NHTSA ODI #11554715

Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 2023
Engine

Clouds of smoke at startup scince car was new.

NHTSA ODI #11542315

Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2023
Engine

Battery draining problem

NHTSA ODI #11535244

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2023
EngineUnknown Or Other

Oily blue smoke from exhaust upon start

NHTSA ODI #11532887

Official recalls

9

26V436000 · Equipment:other:labels

Jul 7, 2026

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 27, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.

22V907000 · Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash

Dec 8, 2022

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ascent vehicles. The ground bolt that secures the ground terminal of the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater may have been improperly fastened, which could result in melting of the ground terminal and surrounding components.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park their vehicle away from structures and to avoid leaving the vehicle unattended while the engine is running. An owner who notices or smells smoke coming from the dash or driver's footwell area should immediately stop operating the vehicle and turn the ignition switch to the "Off" position. Dealers will replace the PTC heater ground bolts and if necessary, replace the ground wire and the connector holder, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-22.

21V955000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm); Power Train:driveline:chain/belt

Dec 9, 2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:driveline:chain/belt

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.

21V587000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Jul 29, 2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

20V218000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Apr 16, 2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.

19V855000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Dec 2, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Ascent vehicles. The transmission hydraulic sensor may inaccurately measure the hydraulic fluid pressure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the fluid pressure is measured higher than its actual value, the hydraulic pressure will be reduced. If this occurs, the transmission drive chain may not have the proper tension, resulting in a loss of drive power and an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the transmission control unit. The hydraulic sensor harness will be replaced on vehicles with certain stored diagnostic trouble codes. In addition, any vehicle confirmed to have experienced low drive chain tension will have the transmission assembly will be replaced. All repairs will be free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUV-07.

19V856000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:crankcase (pcv)

Dec 2, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.

19V519000 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Jul 10, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Ascent vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, possibly resulting in the front portion of the driveshaft disconnecting.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the front end of the driveshaft separates, it can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft assembly, including the center support brace, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUI-94.

18V508000 · Structure:body:roof And Pillars

Aug 2, 2018

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Subaru Ascent vehicles. These vehicles may be missing spot welds on, or around, the B-Pillar, compromising vehicle strength.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, the missing spot welds may compromise the vehicle's strength, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle to check for missing spot welds. If the welds are missing, the vehicle will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTU-80.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.