IllustrationTHE BATTERY ON MY 2020 ASCENT DIES UNEXPECTANTLY AND FREQUENTLY. IT'S HAPPENED SIX TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THREE TIMES ON EACH OF THE BATTERIES IT'S HAD. PERIODICALLY THE CAR JUST WON'T START.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Ascent years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1240–25K
925–50K
350–75K
175–100K
3100–150K
0150K+
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
What owners actually said
322 reportsI STARTED HAVING ISSUES WHEN TRYING TO TURN THE CAR ON - IT WOULD APPEAR THE BATTERY WAS DEAD DESPITE NO REASON FOR IT TO BE. THIS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR A WEEK. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS AND THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP SAID THE BATTERY WAS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS BARELY A YEAR OLD WITH ONL…
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I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WHEN TRYING TO TURN THE CAR ON - IT WOULD APPEAR THE BATTERY WAS DEAD DESPITE NO REASON FOR IT TO BE. THIS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES FOR A WEEK. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS AND THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP SAID THE BATTERY WAS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS BARELY A YEAR OLD WITH ONLY 11,000 MILES ON IT.
BATTERY GOES DEAD AFTER SITTING A FEW DAYS. IT HAS DIED TWICE IN 2 WEEKS. HAVE TO CARRY A EMERGENCY JUMP SYSTEM DEALER REPLACED BATTERY
THE AUDIO DIED TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ENTIRE CAR DYING COMPLETELY. WE CHARGED THE BATTERY, AND MOST OF THE CAR BEGAN WORKING EXCEPT FOR A FEW RANDOM ELECTRICAL AREAS. SEEMS TO BE A SHORT SOMEWHERE. I HAVE UNDER 10,000 MILES AND A DEAD BATTERY... HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC.
18 INCH CRACK IN WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE, HAPPENED SPONTANEOUSLY, NOTHING STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD AT ANY TIME.. JUST NOTICED IT TODAY 4/7/21 AT 0930
FRONT ROTORS AND FRONT BRAKE PADS HEAT UP CAUSING ROTORS TO WARP CAUSING A PULSING AND LOAD NOISE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ,VEHICLE HARD TO STOP.
BATTERY IS COMPLETELY DISCHARGING. I MAKE SURE I'M DRIVING IT REGULARLY BECAUSE I'M AWARE THAT A CAR LEFT SITTING CAN DISCHARGE A BATTERY.
A HORIZONTAL CRACK APPEARED IN THE TOP 3/4 OF THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD. CRACK BEGINS ON LEFT MOST EDGE OF WINDSHIELD AND HAS SPREAD APPROXIMATELY 6' HORIZONTAL AND THEN 8' DOWNWARD. CRACK CONTINUES TO GET WORSE AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT ASAP. NO IMPACTS TO THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACK WAS FOUND AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT.
ON MARCH 19, 2021, WHILE PARKED, A HORIZONTAL CRACK WAS NOTICED ON THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD, DRIVER'S SIDE. I ESTIMATE THE CRACK WAS 4-8 INCHES LONG. ON MARCH 21, 2021, A VERTICAL CRACK WAS NOTICED, WHICH EXTENDED FROM THE HORIZONTAL CRACK (PLEASE SEE PHOTOS).
THE VEHICLE HAS 19,000 MILES AND ABOUT 1 WEEK AGO THE BRAKES STARTED MAKING AN ABNORMAL NOISE ALMOST LIKE GRINDING. THE CAR ALSO WOULD VIBRATE AND YOU COULD FEEL IT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND TURNS OUT THE BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPED. THEIR SOLUTION IS TO RESURFACE THE ROTORS AND ALSO RESURFACE THE BRA…
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THE VEHICLE HAS 19,000 MILES AND ABOUT 1 WEEK AGO THE BRAKES STARTED MAKING AN ABNORMAL NOISE ALMOST LIKE GRINDING. THE CAR ALSO WOULD VIBRATE AND YOU COULD FEEL IT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND TURNS OUT THE BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPED. THEIR SOLUTION IS TO RESURFACE THE ROTORS AND ALSO RESURFACE THE BRAKE PADS. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS THIS REPAIR DOES NOT SEEM TO BE PROPER DUE THEY HAVE NOT FOUND THE ROOT CAUSE FOR BRAKE ROTOR WARPING. THERE IS ALSO A SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN ON BRAKE ISSUES. HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2020/MC-10179409-0001.PDF. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. SUBARU PREFERS TO JUST RESURFACE THE BRAKE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS AS THIS IS THE LOWEST COST REPAIR FOR THEM, THOUGH THE CAR IS STILL UNDER FULL BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY.
Official recalls
526V436000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.