DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN PREMATURELY
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
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.
What owners actually said
322 reportsBRAKE PADS NOT REPLACED WHILE AT DEALERSHIP FOR NON-UNIFORM BRAKE ROTORS. I BELIEVE NOT REPLACING THE BRAKE PADS AT THE TIME OF RESURFACING THE BRAKE ROTORS WILL RESULT IN THE BRAKE ROTORS BECOMING NON-UNIFORM AGAIN. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM SUBARU STATING AN BRAKE PAD DESIGN UPDATE, BUT WAS NOT OFFERED IT BECAUSE THE DE…
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BRAKE PADS NOT REPLACED WHILE AT DEALERSHIP FOR NON-UNIFORM BRAKE ROTORS. I BELIEVE NOT REPLACING THE BRAKE PADS AT THE TIME OF RESURFACING THE BRAKE ROTORS WILL RESULT IN THE BRAKE ROTORS BECOMING NON-UNIFORM AGAIN. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM SUBARU STATING AN BRAKE PAD DESIGN UPDATE, BUT WAS NOT OFFERED IT BECAUSE THE DEALER DOES NOT BELIEVE THE NON-UNIFORM ROTOR IS CAUSED BY THE OBSOLETE BRAKE PAD DESIGN. VEHICLE HAS AROUND 8,000 MILES AND VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS PROMPTED SERVICE CALL.
PARKED VEHICLE FOR THE EVENING INSIDE OF GARAGE. NEXT DAY, HAD A LARGE VERTICAL, "S" SHAPED CRACK STARTING FROM THE AREA NEAR THE EYE SIGHT EXTENDING DOWN NEAR THE BOTTOM 3/4 OF THE WINDSHIELD. NO APPARENT CHIP OR DAMAGE AT THE STARTING POINT OF THE CRACK.
TRIED STARTING MY CAR ON MARCH 5 AND WOULD NOT START. TRIED TO JUMP START BUT IT DID NOT WORK. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD BATTERY IS DEAD. DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY BATTERY DIED. DEALER REPLACED OLD BATTERY WITH THE SAME OEM BATTERY. THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX AND I TOLD THEM I'M NOT CONFIDENT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN A…
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TRIED STARTING MY CAR ON MARCH 5 AND WOULD NOT START. TRIED TO JUMP START BUT IT DID NOT WORK. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD BATTERY IS DEAD. DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY BATTERY DIED. DEALER REPLACED OLD BATTERY WITH THE SAME OEM BATTERY. THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX AND I TOLD THEM I'M NOT CONFIDENT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
WHEN I PARKED MY CAR 3 DAYS AGO, MY WINDSHIELD WAS PERFECTLY FINE. SINCE PARKING IT THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN. TONIGHT WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR TO DRIVE TO THE STORE I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDOW THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT THERE WHEN I PARKED THE CAR 3 DAYS AGO. THE CRACK IS LARGE AND VERY OBVIOUS, AND …
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WHEN I PARKED MY CAR 3 DAYS AGO, MY WINDSHIELD WAS PERFECTLY FINE. SINCE PARKING IT THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN. TONIGHT WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR TO DRIVE TO THE STORE I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDOW THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT THERE WHEN I PARKED THE CAR 3 DAYS AGO. THE CRACK IS LARGE AND VERY OBVIOUS, AND IT'S SOMETHING I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE NOTICED. THIS WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. THE CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED THIS ENTIRE TIME AND THE WEATHER MILD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU ASCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWICE UPON LEAVING THE LIFTGATE OPEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO FAILED TO OPERATE AS NEEDED. THE FIRST TIME THE CONTACT JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO JUM…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU ASCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWICE UPON LEAVING THE LIFTGATE OPEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO FAILED TO OPERATE AS NEEDED. THE FIRST TIME THE CONTACT JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO JUMP START AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SUBURBAN SUBARU (14 HARTFORD TURNPIKE, VERNON, CT 06066) WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A SECOND APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED WITH THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000.
WE'VE OWNED OUR CAR FOR LESS THAN 8 MOS AND RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD THAT DID NOT EMERGE FROM A ROCK CHIP. WE ARE VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS AS THE REPLACEMENT HAS TO BE OEM (I.E. EXPENSIVE) BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES ON THE CAR.
BATTERY DEAD 7 TIMES (BEGINNING FALL OF 2020) OR DRAINED TOO LOW TO PROPERLY USE VEHICLE CAUSING ALL DOORS TO LOCK (ISSUE WHEN STRANDED IN NON-POPULATED AREA WITH CHILD IN CAR) OR HATCH UNABLE TO CLOSE. ALL ITEMS IN VEHICLE ARE OFF. APPEARS TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE AND POSSIBLY RELATED TO IN GOING SUBARU POWER-GATE HATCH ISSUE…
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BATTERY DEAD 7 TIMES (BEGINNING FALL OF 2020) OR DRAINED TOO LOW TO PROPERLY USE VEHICLE CAUSING ALL DOORS TO LOCK (ISSUE WHEN STRANDED IN NON-POPULATED AREA WITH CHILD IN CAR) OR HATCH UNABLE TO CLOSE. ALL ITEMS IN VEHICLE ARE OFF. APPEARS TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE AND POSSIBLY RELATED TO IN GOING SUBARU POWER-GATE HATCH ISSUES. HAVE ALSO HAD HATCH OPEN ON OWN STATIONARY & LOW SPEED. OFTEN LEFT STRANDED. HARD PULSATING AND GRIND ON BRAKES AT LOW TO MODERATE SPEED CAUSING CAR TO PULL AND FEEL LIKE NOT GOING TO STOP IN MOTION ON CURVED ROAD, HIGHWAY, CITY STREET. STARTED WITHIN YEAR (AUG 2020) OF OWNING AFTER 1ST SERVICE AT DEALER FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. DEALER SAYS NOTHING WRONG AT ALL. SUBARU REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ISSUES EVEN THOUGH OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING SAME. TOLD BY SUBARU LAME EXCUSES LIKE NOT DRIVING ENOUGH, SHUT EVERYTHING OFF, DO NOT USE ELECTRONICS SO MUCH, ETC. CAR JUMPED 7 TIMES SO FAR. TOOK TO DEALER 3 TIMES (9/29 BRAKES, 12/9/20 & 1/2/21 FOR BATTERY AND BRAKES) SO FAR AND DEALER EVEN HAD TO CHARGE BATTERY (1/21)! UNKNOWN DRAIN FROM SOMEWHERE. EVERY TIME HAPPENS HAVE TO HAVE TAIL GATE REPROGRAMMED OR NOT ABLE TO OPEN.
THE BATTERY IS DYING PREMATURELY THIS IS THE SECOND TIME.I TOOK IT IN THE FIRST TIME AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A BAD BATTERY NOW IT HAPPENED TO ME AGAIN THE MORNING OF MY TRIP I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY OF MY OTHER CAR AND INSTALL IT TO GO IN MY TRIP ONCE I GOT TO MY DESTINATION I PARKED IT AND REMOVED THE GROUND CABLE BECAUSE I …
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THE BATTERY IS DYING PREMATURELY THIS IS THE SECOND TIME.I TOOK IT IN THE FIRST TIME AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A BAD BATTERY NOW IT HAPPENED TO ME AGAIN THE MORNING OF MY TRIP I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY OF MY OTHER CAR AND INSTALL IT TO GO IN MY TRIP ONCE I GOT TO MY DESTINATION I PARKED IT AND REMOVED THE GROUND CABLE BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO STAY STRANDED I WILL CALL SUBARU TODAY AND SEE WHAT THEY TELL ME.
VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTING NORMALLY WITH NO PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE. PARKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE ON 2/12/2021 AT 6:30PM. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE THE NEXT MORNING (2/13/2021) AT 8:30AM, IT STARTED SLOWLY. DROVE FOR 20 MINUTES AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. ATTEMPTED TO RESTART VEHICLE 15 MINUTES LATER AND IT WOULD NOT START (JUST BUZZED)…
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VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTING NORMALLY WITH NO PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE. PARKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE ON 2/12/2021 AT 6:30PM. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE THE NEXT MORNING (2/13/2021) AT 8:30AM, IT STARTED SLOWLY. DROVE FOR 20 MINUTES AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. ATTEMPTED TO RESTART VEHICLE 15 MINUTES LATER AND IT WOULD NOT START (JUST BUZZED). CALLED AAA FOR A JUMP START. WAS INFORMED THE BATTERY WAS AT 10.2V AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ALTERNATOR. JUMP START WAS SUCCESSFUL.
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.
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