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2020 Subaru Ascent

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Ascent years

Owner complaints for the 2020 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

140 reports with mileage · 182 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 101 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

101 reports
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2,743 miles · Sep 26, 2020
Electrical System

THE AUDIO FOR ALL FUNCTIONS AND RADIO STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS WORKING, PARKED IT FOR 1.5 HOURS IN GARAGE, STARTED VEHICLE AND NO AUDIO. STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR STILL NO AUDIO. FOLLOWED MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS TO RESET THE AUDIO/NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND STILL NO AUDIO. LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT AND IT STILL DOESN'T HAVE ANY AUD…

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THE AUDIO FOR ALL FUNCTIONS AND RADIO STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS WORKING, PARKED IT FOR 1.5 HOURS IN GARAGE, STARTED VEHICLE AND NO AUDIO. STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR STILL NO AUDIO. FOLLOWED MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS TO RESET THE AUDIO/NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND STILL NO AUDIO. LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT AND IT STILL DOESN'T HAVE ANY AUDIO. TRYING TO GET AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI #11361265

3,400 miles · Sep 22, 2020
Electrical System

AFTER DRIVING CAR, PARKED TO GO INTO A STORE. WHEN I RETURNED BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH BATTERY. CAR HAS ABOUT 3,400 MILES ON IT. NOTHING HAS BEEN LEFT ON FOR EXTENDED PERIODS WITH ENGINE OFF. BEEPING COMING FROM REAR AREA BY LIFT GATE. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY CHARGED BATTERY AND I DROPPED …

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AFTER DRIVING CAR, PARKED TO GO INTO A STORE. WHEN I RETURNED BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH BATTERY. CAR HAS ABOUT 3,400 MILES ON IT. NOTHING HAS BEEN LEFT ON FOR EXTENDED PERIODS WITH ENGINE OFF. BEEPING COMING FROM REAR AREA BY LIFT GATE. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY CHARGED BATTERY AND I DROPPED CAR OFF AT CAR DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. I HAVE SEEN OTHER ASCENT OWNERS HAVING SAME ISSUES. THETE ARE CLASS ACTION SUITS FOR THIS ISSUE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH ENGINE OFF WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI #11360591

4,500 miles · Sep 22, 2020
Electrical System

THE BATTERY DIED WHEN MY ASCENT KEPT BEEPING 3 TIMES AFTER I CLOSED THE TRUNK WITH THE REMOTE. IT BEEPS 3 TIMES EVERY 20 SECONDS IN AN HOUR. THE BATTERY DIED

NHTSA ODI #11360364

10,000 miles · Sep 6, 2020
Electrical System

BATTERY HAS UNEXPECTEDLY REPEATEDLY DRAINED LEAVING UNABLE TO START. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BATTERY, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.

NHTSA ODI #11353391

1,866 miles · Sep 4, 2020
Electrical System

BATTERY KEEPS GOING DEAD. I HAVE ENSURED NOTHING IS LEFT ON AND IT KEEPS HAPPENING. I ONLY HAVE 1866 MILES ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI #11353178

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2020
Electrical System

BATTERY HAS DIED TWICE WITHIN THE FIRST 12,000 MILES WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ODI #11353035

7,200 miles · Sep 1, 2020
Electrical System

TWICE MY 2020 SUBARU ASCENT'S BATTERY HAS BEEN DEAD. IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN EVERY DAY FOR AT LEAST 20-30 MINUTES. NOTHING WAS LEFT ON, OR OPEN. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY AN ELECRICAL ISSUE DRAINING THE BATTERY.

NHTSA ODI #11352457

12,000 miles · Aug 31, 2020
Electrical System

MY 2020 SUBARU ASCENT HAS HAD A DEAD BATTERY ON MORE THAN 3 TIMES, JUST IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THEY TOLD ME THAT MY BATTERY WAS FINE AND THAT IF YOU LEAVE THE DOME LIGHTS, OR RADIO ON WHILE THE CAR IS STOPPED, THE BATTERY WILL GO DEAD, EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD…

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MY 2020 SUBARU ASCENT HAS HAD A DEAD BATTERY ON MORE THAN 3 TIMES, JUST IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THEY TOLD ME THAT MY BATTERY WAS FINE AND THAT IF YOU LEAVE THE DOME LIGHTS, OR RADIO ON WHILE THE CAR IS STOPPED, THE BATTERY WILL GO DEAD, EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND HAS JUST 12000 MILES. THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID IF THE LIGHTS ARE LEFT ON AUTO, THAT WILL DRAIN THE BATTERY. THEY ALSO TOLD ME TODAY WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER,THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WITH THE ASCENT.

NHTSA ODI #11352356

2,000 miles · Jul 28, 2020
Electrical System

I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE LATE MAY 2020, AND I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 2,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON 7/25/20, I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NO SOUND AT ALL FROM THE AUDIO SYSTEM - RADIO, NAVIGATION, VOICE COMMANDS, ETC. WERE ALL MUTE. I REBOOTED THE RADIO BY HOLDING DOWN THE POWER BUTTON UNTIL IT RESTARTED, BUT THIS DID…

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I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE LATE MAY 2020, AND I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 2,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON 7/25/20, I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NO SOUND AT ALL FROM THE AUDIO SYSTEM - RADIO, NAVIGATION, VOICE COMMANDS, ETC. WERE ALL MUTE. I REBOOTED THE RADIO BY HOLDING DOWN THE POWER BUTTON UNTIL IT RESTARTED, BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE, DESPITE MULTIPLE REBOOTS. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE EACH DAY ON 7/26 AND 7/27, AND THE AUDIO DID NOT COME BACK. ON 7/29/20, I PLANNED TO CALL THE DEALER TO REPORT THE ISSUE. WHEN I WENT TO START MY VEHICLE, WHICH IS KEPT IN MY GARAGE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. AS SOON AS I TRIED TO START THE CAR, THE TAILGATE BEGAN BEEPING, AND THEN THE HEADLAMPS FLICKERED RANDOMLY FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE. THERE IS NO POWER AT ALL IN THE VEHICLE, AND I AM UNABLE TO LOCK/UNLOCK THE CAR OR OPEN THE TAILGATE, EVEN MANUALLY. THERE WERE NO DOORS LEFT OPEN, NO LIGHTS LEFT ON - THE BATTERY SIMPLY DIED.

NHTSA ODI #11341879

2,000 miles · Jul 22, 2020
Electrical System

THE CAR HAS HAD A DEAD BATTERY TWICE THROUGH THREE MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR WAS A MONTH AND A HALF OLD AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ONE MONTH LATER BUT BATTERY WAS RECHARGED INSTEAD OF REPLACED. THREE MONTHS LATER AT A REGULAR SERVICE THE DEALER ADV…

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THE CAR HAS HAD A DEAD BATTERY TWICE THROUGH THREE MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR WAS A MONTH AND A HALF OLD AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ONE MONTH LATER BUT BATTERY WAS RECHARGED INSTEAD OF REPLACED. THREE MONTHS LATER AT A REGULAR SERVICE THE DEALER ADVISED BATTERY CAPACITY WAS ONLY 75% INDICATING CONTINUED ABOVE NORMAL DRAINAGE.

NHTSA ODI #11341025

Official recalls

5

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.

21V954000 · Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly

Dec 9, 2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Ascent vehicles. Due to an incorrect tapered hole in the housing, the front tie rod ends may not fit properly. The improper fit can result in the tie rods and housings being deformed during assembly and service replacement if excessive torque is applied.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The tie rods may separate from the housing, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right front tie rod ends and housings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-21.

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.

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.