Subaru · NHTSA safety record

2020 Subaru Ascent

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

318

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Owners of the 2020 Subaru Ascent have filed 318 safety complaints with NHTSA between September 2019 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 101 of them (32%). The typical failure was reported at 6,052 miles, the median across the 139 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (5)

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

26V436000 · July 7, 2026

The defect: 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."
The risk: An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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 are expected to be mailed August 25, 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. · up to 541,237 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

22V907000 · December 8, 2022

Park outside until repaired

The defect: 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.
The risk: A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
The 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.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 271,694 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

21V955000 · December 9, 2021

The defect: 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.
The risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 198,255 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

21V954000 · December 9, 2021

The defect: 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 risk: The tie rods may separate from the housing, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 1,305 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

21V587000 · July 29, 2021

The defect: 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.
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 175,968 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 318.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 101 32%

POWER TRAIN 56 18%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 56 18%

VISIBILITY/WIPER 49 15%

ENGINE 29 9%

SERVICE BRAKES 26 8%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 14 4%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 12 4%

VISIBILITY 11 3%

STRUCTURE 10 3%

SUSPENSION 8 3%

AIR BAGS 4 1%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2021 at 85.

2019 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS Filed December 9, 2021

2 injured · crash · towed

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 complaint 11443234. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS Filed December 11, 2020

1 injured · crash · towed · 9,500 miles

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

NHTSA complaint 11383041, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS Filed March 9, 2022

1 injured · crash · towed · 30,000 miles

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

NHTSA complaint 11455875, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS Filed August 19, 2022

1 injured · crash · towed · 31,000 miles

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

NHTSA complaint 11480135, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed July 29, 2026

The Transmission is slipping on my 2020 Ascent. I had the recall wrk-21 performed in July of 2025. Over the last 6 months the car has been hesitant to go at low speeds and shakes at high speeds. Over the last month the transmission started to slip while accelerating , especially up hill. There would be a grinding noise and RPMs would jump. I took it to the dealer and they confirmed it was the transmission via camera test. I called Subaru of America for goodwill help with the cost knowing that there is a know issue with the transmission. They refused due to the mileage, 121,010. •What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The

NHTSA complaint 11753615, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION Filed July 20, 2026

My strut bearings have been replaced several times in the drivers sides, my shock and strut has been replaced twice on the drivers side and now the passenger side is doing the same thing. The dealership tells me that there is nothing wrong but research shows this car has known suspension issues. My passenger side front has a loud metallic grinding sound when turning the wheel in park. I’m told this is the brakes which makes no sense. The car feels like it is on ice or sailing down the road, and the car does not maintain an alignment causing the insides of tires to wear out after 15,000-20,000 miles and need to be replaced.

NHTSA complaint 11751605. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES Filed May 29, 2026

crash · towed

I am reporting a repeat safety concern involving a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The vehicle was involved in two separate collisions after failing to decelerate as expected following normal brake pedal application. The first incident occurred on January 26, 2026. While approaching a traffic signal, I applied the brakes under normal driving conditions. The vehicle did not slow as expected and struck the rear of another vehicle. Property damage occurred, but no injuries were reported. The second incident occurred on May 5, 2026. While approaching a stop sign at approximately 35 mph, I again applied the brakes under normal driving conditions. The vehicle did not decelerate as expected and entered the

NHTSA complaint 11740848, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed May 22, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding a known exhaust manifold/flex pipe failure affecting my 2020 Subaru Ascent Touring (VIN: [XXX] ). My vehicle was diagnosed by a Subaru dealership with a “broken flex pipe on the header” causing excessive exhaust noise and exhaust leak concerns. Repair estimate was slightly over $2,000. After researching the issue, I discovered numerous reports from other Subaru Ascent owners describing identical failures involving cracked exhaust manifold welds and failed flex pipe sections. Subaru has also issued TSB 09-106-23 involving exhaust manifold weld cracking and redesigned replacement components for this issue. Symptoms began in the low 70,000-mile range

NHTSA complaint 11739638, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed May 15, 2026

The pressure sensor coming out of the transmission has failed, and it's pushed transmission fluid throughout the engine harness, transmission harness, the bull harness in the dash and the 02 sensors. All of those have been damaged. The car is now unsafe to drive due to the pressure sensor failing. This information comes directly from the Subaru dealership. There was nothing prior to this that indicated there was a problem. I bought the car from a certified dealership 8 months ago and it was a certified pre owned vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11738197. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed May 4, 2026

towed · 82,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the steering wheel became loose and then tightened inadvertently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure could not be replicated. The contact also stated that on several occasions while driving, the vehicle puttered and a grinding noise was heard emanating from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed during the first visit to be the transmission module. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted sporadically. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer on the second visit where it was diagnosed that the

NHTSA complaint 11735635, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Subaru Ascent

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2025	14	1	—
2024	48	1	—
2023	42	4	—
2022	55	2	—
2021	100	2	—
2019	438	9	—

Other 2020 Subaru models

Outback 895 Forester 595 Legacy 121 Impreza 85 Crosstrek 68 WRX 17

Every Subaru on this site — 97 vehicles, 147 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file , published August 20, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API , most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file , published 2026-08-19.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst