Your vehicle report
2020 Subaru Ascent
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 324
- Received Sep 2019 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact70 complaints · 22% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Battery drains and dies when parked64 complaints · 20% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Front brake rotors warp and wear early10 complaints · 3.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #22V907000Park outsideSubaru 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.
- Recall #26V436000Subaru 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."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 1 fire, 5 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 82 |
| 2021 | 85 |
| 2022 | 69 |
| 2023 | 22 |
| 2024 | 25 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 24 |
| Total | 324 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 70 | 22% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 64 | 20% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 10 | 3.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 9 | 2.8% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 8 | 2.5% | – | NHTSA recall #21V955000 |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 7 | 2.2% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 7 | 2.2% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 6 | 1.8% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 5 | 1.5% | – | NHTSA recall #21V955000 |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| CVT transmission fails or loses power | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Hood latch fails and hood flies open | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 1.2% | 5.4× | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Wheel bearings fail prematurely | 3 | 0.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #22V907000December 8, 2022271,694 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #26V436000July 7, 2026541,237 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels
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."
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.
NHTSA recall #21V954000December 9, 20211,305 vehicles affected
steering: linkages: tie rod assembly
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V955000December 9, 2021198,255 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm); 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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V587000July 29, 2021175,968 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2020 Subaru Ascent.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN