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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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

3 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2026
Lane DeparturePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

I have had my lane assist come on by its self a few times, which is very dangerous because it seems to take over and will pull on the steering wheel. I’ve also brought my car back to the dealership a handful of times to have it hooked up to a computer and also someone ride with me because the car will either hesitate to accelera…

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I have had my lane assist come on by its self a few times, which is very dangerous because it seems to take over and will pull on the steering wheel. I’ve also brought my car back to the dealership a handful of times to have it hooked up to a computer and also someone ride with me because the car will either hesitate to accelerate or stutters and doesn’t seem to want to go when I am between 20-30 miles an hour. Other times when I’m at a light or stop sign it hesitates also. I was told there was nothing wrong with it and they reprogrammed to transmission but it didn’t help at all.

NHTSA ODI #11717228

Mileage unknown · Feb 20, 2024
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

The vehicle hesitates like it doesn’t want to get up to speed, despite pressing the gas pedal to accelerate. The RPM needle bounces. Dealership has not been able to “replicate the hesitation I feel when accelerating.” They originally tried to say I didn’t tell them the problem was happening when it had time to warm up, which is …

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The vehicle hesitates like it doesn’t want to get up to speed, despite pressing the gas pedal to accelerate. The RPM needle bounces. Dealership has not been able to “replicate the hesitation I feel when accelerating.” They originally tried to say I didn’t tell them the problem was happening when it had time to warm up, which is a lie, I have all the scheduling notes made by the employee who set the appointment up. Dealership said it passes diagnostic testing despite my serious concerns as the owner driving it daily. No lights are lit up on the dashboard which is another reason why the dealership is saying everything is fine. It’s already had a firmware update in July and the dealership is very dismissive of my concerns. I made multiple calls before appointment telling them it’s happening more frequently around 20-30 minutes of drive time and to make sure I have them the full picture well enough in advance for them to make adequate time to look at my vehicle

NHTSA ODI #11573056

1,200 miles · Feb 18, 2020
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE EYESIGHT SAFETY SYSTEM (ADAPATIVE CRUISE CONTROL), LANE DEPARTURE AND ANTI COLLISION SYSTEMS DEACTIVATED WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BACKUP CAMERA FAILED WHILE IN REVERSE.

NHTSA ODI #11309903

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.