Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 20 of 102 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Lane Departure. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
102 reports
300 miles · Oct 12, 2022
Engine
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle shut down completely. A message indicating that the vehicle had unexpectedly stopped, and to check the vehicle as the remote start had failed was displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road safely and waited until t…
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The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle shut down completely. A message indicating that the vehicle had unexpectedly stopped, and to check the vehicle as the remote start had failed was displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road safely and waited until the vehicle cooled down. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that no issues were found. However, the failure reoccurred several times while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that they could not assist as the dealer diagnosed that no issues were found. The failure mileage was 300.
NHTSA ODI #11488972
Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2022
Electrical System
The battery died after 2 years and 15000 miles. I was with my whole family ( 2 months old, 2 and 4 years old) away from home. I was able to reach the dealership leaving my family in a store and they said that nothing was wrong with the battery. Next day the car wouldn’t start and they finally replaced the battery under my extend…
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The battery died after 2 years and 15000 miles. I was with my whole family ( 2 months old, 2 and 4 years old) away from home. I was able to reach the dealership leaving my family in a store and they said that nothing was wrong with the battery. Next day the car wouldn’t start and they finally replaced the battery under my extended warranty. Today I discover that there is a class action settlement for older models of my car. I was advised to write a complain to you. Apparently they didn’t fix the problem with newer models either.
NHTSA ODI #11486448
Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2022
Engine
I found a lot of oil leaking from the oil filter cup and that would splash all around the filter area. I brought the car at the dealership and they have replaced the filter but when I checked after few days ( smoke was coming out of the hood) there was oil all over again. I bought an aftermarket filter and I installed it myself…
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I found a lot of oil leaking from the oil filter cup and that would splash all around the filter area. I brought the car at the dealership and they have replaced the filter but when I checked after few days ( smoke was coming out of the hood) there was oil all over again. I bought an aftermarket filter and I installed it myself. No one drop of oil found. So I believe this a is a safety concern because the oil might catch on fire with the heat of the engine. I believe a defective oil filter design or a bad technician training or both are causing the problem.
NHTSA ODI #11486441
Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2022
Power Train
Car purchased in August 2021 new. In May 2022, the car had hesitation problems when traveling between 15-30 mph. The car was taken into the dealership with approximately 7,600 miles. Dealer had a Subaru field tech review data as they saw transmission slippage at basically all speeds. Suggested to reprogram the transmission. …
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Car purchased in August 2021 new. In May 2022, the car had hesitation problems when traveling between 15-30 mph. The car was taken into the dealership with approximately 7,600 miles. Dealer had a Subaru field tech review data as they saw transmission slippage at basically all speeds. Suggested to reprogram the transmission. We were advised to drive it and let it "relearn" the reprogram. The transmission slipped but not as bad with reprogram until about 150-200 miles later. The slippage was even worse and immediately taken to the dealer. The dealer found metal particles in the transmission fluid and replaced the transmission. A loaner was provided for approximately 2 weeks and work was completed. Car has been better and we were told we just need to get used to the CVT on this car. On 9/10/2022 with approx 11,700 miles, we were driving around town and experienced slippage of transmission just as bad as the original faulty transmission. Car is parked and appointment will be made with dealer to check. Subaru was notified as we are also experiencing brake problems.
NHTSA ODI #11483830
Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2022
Service Brakes
Car purchased in August 2021. Front brake rotors and pads were replaced around 7,600 miles and May 2022. They could not "cut" the rotors as they were pitted beyond being able to be cut. At 10,764 miles (August 8, 2022), the front rotors and pads were replaced again. The dealer stated the front pads had tiny chips in them and…
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Car purchased in August 2021. Front brake rotors and pads were replaced around 7,600 miles and May 2022. They could not "cut" the rotors as they were pitted beyond being able to be cut. At 10,764 miles (August 8, 2022), the front rotors and pads were replaced again. The dealer stated the front pads had tiny chips in them and the R/F outer pad had a crack in it. The rotors also had excessive heat spots on them and small pits. The last few days the brakes have been pulsating lightly on hills and today have begun pulsating at every stop. Car now has approximately 11,700 miles on it. Subaru has been notified and I will be making an appointment with dealer on Monday.
NHTSA ODI #11483829
Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 2022
Unknown Or Other
Windshield is extremely soft and cracks easily. In less than 1.5 years I've owned the car I've gotten 3 chips/cracks and now a 4th major one that requires a full replacement. No car previously owned ever had this issue, not even the previous Subaru. After searching online this seems to be a common problem in Subarus, as there wa…
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Windshield is extremely soft and cracks easily. In less than 1.5 years I've owned the car I've gotten 3 chips/cracks and now a 4th major one that requires a full replacement. No car previously owned ever had this issue, not even the previous Subaru. After searching online this seems to be a common problem in Subarus, as there was a class action suit for earlier models. Yes, car is currently available for inspection until repaired. Super soft windshield - if the windshield is broken completely on a highway, it's obviously a concern and a risk. Have not taken the car in yet, but will be to get it replaced.
NHTSA ODI #11479618
Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2022
Power Train
I have a 2021 Subaru Ascent Premium with 6,000 miles. The Transmission or CVT feels odd every time i shift from Park to Drive or Reverse i feel a hard clunk additional to that every time i get in the Highway and add some RPMs to the SUV the CVT shifting feels Hard more likely like i m driving a Manual vehicle something that is …
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I have a 2021 Subaru Ascent Premium with 6,000 miles. The Transmission or CVT feels odd every time i shift from Park to Drive or Reverse i feel a hard clunk additional to that every time i get in the Highway and add some RPMs to the SUV the CVT shifting feels Hard more likely like i m driving a Manual vehicle something that is not suppose to happen or feel that way. I took it to the dealer and they only found that the part that press tp brake to shift was not lubricated ( no clue the real name) and they also mention that is how the CVT works something that i don't think so and they also mention to wait for a recall.
NHTSA ODI #11476124
Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2022
Visibility/wiper
Without anything noticeable hitting the windshield, it was fine on July 2nd 2022 and when I went to get in to drive the next morning there was a crack in the windshield.
NHTSA ODI #11472510
Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2022
Power Train
Vehicle will jerk and shudder when accelerating and de-accelerating. Mostly between 15mph and 30mph. I’ve taken the vehicle back to the dealership and they didn’t find the issue. This prompted me to do some research online and found in one of many. There is a class action lawsuit for 2018-2019 Ascents. The 2020-2021 and 2022 mod…
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Vehicle will jerk and shudder when accelerating and de-accelerating. Mostly between 15mph and 30mph. I’ve taken the vehicle back to the dealership and they didn’t find the issue. This prompted me to do some research online and found in one of many. There is a class action lawsuit for 2018-2019 Ascents. The 2020-2021 and 2022 models will follow suit as they have identical issues. I’m concerned the transmission will fail and I’ll have a lemon on my hands. The sudden loss of power to sometimes sudden acceleration by suddenly downshifting is a concern. The vehicle will often hesitate while it tries to figure out which gear it needs. This has been happening since day 1 of ownership.
NHTSA ODI #11472199
Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2022
Seats
Purchased 2021 Subaru Ascent Limited outright, drove it for few months, started having pain in my right thigh that resulted in cramping and severe discomfort which affected my ability to feel the break pressure. This nearly ended up causing a couple of near miss rear end collisions. The pain got so bad that it caused me to lay p…
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Purchased 2021 Subaru Ascent Limited outright, drove it for few months, started having pain in my right thigh that resulted in cramping and severe discomfort which affected my ability to feel the break pressure. This nearly ended up causing a couple of near miss rear end collisions. The pain got so bad that it caused me to lay prone and apply muscle cream to the affected area then remain prone for like 15 minutes before being able to continue driving until the pain returns. I consulted my Doctor and went through all the hoops to get an MRI, steroids, pain meds, heating pads, etc, without results or elevation. Ive tried cushions, padding and every possible seat adjustment still without any relief. I am scheduled for surgical consultation over this matter with strong possibility of surgery. There are thousands of Subaru owners throughout the web suffering from this same issue which has been medically classified by physical therapy professionals as " Subaru Sciatica Syndrome". The poorly designed seat has hard bolsters that jam into my thigh causing the sciatic pressure that causes the abnormal break pressure sensation. Therefore meeting two requirements for investigation. Subaru USA is aware of this problem and has banned me from posting anything educational on all their websites informing owners to the solution and action available. I had the seats looked at by an experienced car upholstery shop and repairs were estimated, submitted to Subaru upon their request, only to be denied.
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.
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.
2021 Subaru Ascent Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year