I bought this car brand new from Subaru dealer in Sterling VA. Starting form first week we start having issues with certain parts. (steering, line assist, unexpected breaking, shaky/wobbly brakes, raw fuel smell in the cabin and around the car.) I took the car may times to dealer to get it serviced however every time I was sent…
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I bought this car brand new from Subaru dealer in Sterling VA. Starting form first week we start having issues with certain parts. (steering, line assist, unexpected breaking, shaky/wobbly brakes, raw fuel smell in the cabin and around the car.) I took the car may times to dealer to get it serviced however every time I was sent back as they couldn't replicate the issue. In one instance, they found some errors on the front brakes and changed it. After that car still having issues with breaking noise and also shakiness when breaking during high speeds. One of my biggest concern is the raw fuel smell coming into the cabin during idle or low speeds. I have to use the internal air circulation to avoid to bring raw smell from engine to cabin. I also noticed raw smell is also noticeable if you park. front of the car, front passenger and driver sides also have that raw fuel smell. Dealer couldn't replicate the smell however I have some of my friends and family members noticed it without having expert knowledge on the issue. I am thinking, Subaru ascents turbo system might be causing the fuel smell. Either its dangerous for fumes in the cabin and/or it is fire hazard eventually. I also think break problems are due to wrong sizing of the break parts for the size of the car. You can easily feel breaks are having difficulty stopping car when going down hill over 50 miles hr... It starts wobbling. Per master tech in my Subaru dealer, this is normal Subaru Ascent behavior and there is nothing wrong. I don't believe that. Attaching all the documentation I have.
NHTSA ODI #11418508
1,200 miles · May 3, 2020
Fuel/propulsion System
RAW FUEL SMELL COMING THROUGH VENTS WHEN OUTSIDE AIR IS BEING USED. MORE OFTEN THIS OCCURS WHEN ENGINE IS WARM AND HAS BEEN RESTARTED (I.E. SHORT TRIP). CAN EXPERIENCE THE SMELL WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. SMELL IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE HEADACHE. DEALER COULDN'T REPLICATE BUT THIS HAPPENED AS SOON AS I PICKED UP THE C…
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RAW FUEL SMELL COMING THROUGH VENTS WHEN OUTSIDE AIR IS BEING USED. MORE OFTEN THIS OCCURS WHEN ENGINE IS WARM AND HAS BEEN RESTARTED (I.E. SHORT TRIP). CAN EXPERIENCE THE SMELL WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. SMELL IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE HEADACHE. DEALER COULDN'T REPLICATE BUT THIS HAPPENED AS SOON AS I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALER.
NHTSA ODI #11323106
4,000 miles · Jan 22, 2020
Fuel/propulsion System
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION - CAR WENT THROUGH AUTOMATIC CAR WAS WITH ENGINE RUNNING AND IN NEUTRAL. AFTER WASH WAS COMPLETED CAR WAS PLACED IN DRIVE AND I VERY LIGHTLY TOUCHED ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CAR LURCHED FORWARD AS THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR WAS FLOORED. REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, ENGINE WAS CONTINUING TO RACE AS CAR CONTINUED …
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UNINTENDED ACCELERATION - CAR WENT THROUGH AUTOMATIC CAR WAS WITH ENGINE RUNNING AND IN NEUTRAL. AFTER WASH WAS COMPLETED CAR WAS PLACED IN DRIVE AND I VERY LIGHTLY TOUCHED ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CAR LURCHED FORWARD AS THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR WAS FLOORED. REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, ENGINE WAS CONTINUING TO RACE AS CAR CONTINUED TO PICK UP SPEED AND HEADED OUT ONTO BUSY HIGHWAY. THE EXIT FROM THE CAR WASH WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE HIGHWAY QUICKLY I STEPPED AS FORCEFULLY AS POSSIBLE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUBSEQUENTLY BROUGHT CAR TO A STOP. A VERY CLOSE CALL.
NHTSA ODI #11301164
1,000 miles · Sep 25, 2019
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other
WE ARE ON OUR SECOND SUBARU ASCENT, FIRST ONE BOUGHT BACK FOR THE SAME ISSUE. UPON STARTING THE CAR, THE CABIN WILL FILL WITH A STRONG SMELL OF RAW FUEL (NOT EXHAUST). THE CAR WILL ALSO FILL WITH THE SMELL IF RUNNING WHILE PARKED, REMOTELY STARTED, ETC. THE SMELL IS ALSO NOTICEABLE WHEN TURNING OFF THE CAR AND ON THE OUTSIDE …
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WE ARE ON OUR SECOND SUBARU ASCENT, FIRST ONE BOUGHT BACK FOR THE SAME ISSUE. UPON STARTING THE CAR, THE CABIN WILL FILL WITH A STRONG SMELL OF RAW FUEL (NOT EXHAUST). THE CAR WILL ALSO FILL WITH THE SMELL IF RUNNING WHILE PARKED, REMOTELY STARTED, ETC. THE SMELL IS ALSO NOTICEABLE WHEN TURNING OFF THE CAR AND ON THE OUTSIDE OF IT.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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