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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

Air Bags complaints

4 reports
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31,000 miles · Aug 19, 2022
Air BagsCrashInjury

The contact's wife owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was stopped in traffic when a semi-trailer collided with another vehicle, causing that vehicle to crash into the front end of her vehicle. It resulted in a four-vehicle collision. On impact, the c…

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The contact's wife owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was stopped in traffic when a semi-trailer collided with another vehicle, causing that vehicle to crash into the front end of her vehicle. It resulted in a four-vehicle collision. On impact, the contact's wife hit her head on the steering wheel. The air bags were not deployed upon impact. The contact's wife received medical attention for her head injury. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

NHTSA ODI #11480135

30,000 miles · Mar 9, 2022
Air BagsCrashInjury

The contact owned a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact was driving approximately 35 MPH on a highway when the contact's husband lost consciousness causing him to crash into a truck. As a result, the event leads to a 4 vehicle collision. The driver was transported via ambulance to the hospital where it was confirmed that there were …

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The contact owned a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact was driving approximately 35 MPH on a highway when the contact's husband lost consciousness causing him to crash into a truck. As a result, the event leads to a 4 vehicle collision. The driver was transported via ambulance to the hospital where it was confirmed that there were no injuries. The other occupants in the other vehicles did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000. Case # [XXX] Goodman. Good morning this is a picture of my car and as it can be seen the airbags on either side did not deploy. Police report # is [XXX] date of accident and report was 3/5/2022. Thank you for your attention in this matter [XXX} and [XXX] Goodman (XXX) XXX-XXXX.

NHTSA ODI #11455875

Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 2021
Air BagsForward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesCrashInjury

Sudden unwanted rapid acceleration toward a building from parking lot causing head on collision: - Manual brakes failed - Automatic brakes did not engage - Airbags did NOT deploy after hitting an immovable object head on at least twice - Driver seatbelt did not lock - Starlink was not activated / notified - No collision …

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Sudden unwanted rapid acceleration toward a building from parking lot causing head on collision: - Manual brakes failed - Automatic brakes did not engage - Airbags did NOT deploy after hitting an immovable object head on at least twice - Driver seatbelt did not lock - Starlink was not activated / notified - No collision warning was sounded (moot) Both driver and front passenger were severely injured and taken by ambulance to ER.

NHTSA ODI #11443234

9,500 miles · Dec 11, 2020
Air BagsForward Collision AvoidanceCrashInjury

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT 11/29 AT 9:45PM WHERE I HIT A COW. I WAS DRIVING 55 ON A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY THAT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH. THE COW WAS STANDING IN THE ENTIRE LANE OF TRAVEL AND I WAS ABLE TO VEER INTO THE OTHER LANE SLIGHTLY AND TOOK THE IMPACT ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHERE I DID NOT HAVE ANY PASSENGERS. THE SUBARU WAS TOTALED AND …

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I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT 11/29 AT 9:45PM WHERE I HIT A COW. I WAS DRIVING 55 ON A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY THAT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH. THE COW WAS STANDING IN THE ENTIRE LANE OF TRAVEL AND I WAS ABLE TO VEER INTO THE OTHER LANE SLIGHTLY AND TOOK THE IMPACT ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHERE I DID NOT HAVE ANY PASSENGERS. THE SUBARU WAS TOTALED AND I'M NOW HAVING SEVERE WHIPLASH SYMPTOMS. I AM REPORTING THIS AS THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND EVERYONE WHO HAS SEEN THE VEHICLE SAYS THEY THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE. ADDITIONALLY, I DO NOT REMEMBER MY COLLISION ALERTS BEEPING NOR THE SUBARU BRAKING FOR ME WHICH HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST. I ONLY REMEMBER HITTING THE COW AND THEN BEING COMPLETELY STOPPED WHERE WE HAD THE IMPACT.

NHTSA ODI #11383041

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.