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Subaru · NHTSA safety record

2021 Subaru Ascent

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

Owners have filed 102 safety complaints about the 2021 Subaru Ascent with the US government. Of those, 3 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 3 people were injured and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering equipment and the electrical system.

The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 19 complaints, 19% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 3,164 miles, the median across the 20 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers January 2021 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

102 complaints on file

102

Complaints

3

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

3

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints rose by half year on year: 15 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 10 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 19 · 19%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 18 · 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16 · 16%
LANE DEPARTURE 15 · 15%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 14 · 14%
ENGINE 12 · 12%
SERVICE BRAKES 9 · 9%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 7 · 7%
STEERING 7 · 7%
STRUCTURE 7 · 7%
VISIBILITY 3 · 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 2%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 102.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2021 at 26.

28 21 14 7
21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2021 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2021 Subaru ASCENT, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 17.0%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

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

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 19,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while making a left turn at approximately 5-10 MPH, another vehicle ran a red light and crashed into the front passenger's side bumper. The air bags did not deploy. The contact's chest struck the steering wheel, resulting in a fractured sternum. Medical attention was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was first towed to the police impound lot, then to a body shop. The dealer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired and was not deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was

NHTSA complaint 11580921, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 injured · crash · towed

The driver was driving into a parking lot preparing to park, when the vehicle accelerated and started going forward at a higher speed. The vehicle struck a parked vehicle, then travelled across the parking lot, over curbs, a grass median, landscaping, and struck a rock building at a high rate of speed, causing a partial collapse of the wall. The vehicle is available for inspection through the insurance company. No analysis of data was done and nothing was inspected. There were no symptoms of the problem beforehand. The vehicle has automatic emergency braking, but it evidently didn't operate. It is unknown if this was caused by driver error in accelerating and never braking.

NHTSA complaint 11607255. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 injured

April 25, 2022: The trunk/liftgate of the vehicle failed to detect an obstruction and closed without retracting when it came in contact with an individual's head. The impact caused a head injury, blackout, and concussion, and resulted in permanent damage to an individual (6' 2" - 190lbs). Subaru’s stated that an inspection of the vehicle was performed on May 19th and informed me that “the vehicle is operating as designed…and has met all federal specifications,” and that their inspection concluded that this is “no manufacturing defect.” Prior to the inspection, Subaru requested signed consent to inspect the vehicle's internal data which I provided. When I requested a copy of the report,

NHTSA complaint 11466358, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

While driving my Subaru Ascent, a check engine warning light appeared on the dashboard. Shortly afterward, I noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. I immediately pulled over and turned the vehicle off. Within moments, flames began coming from under the hood. The fire spread rapidly, and within 5-10 minutes the entire vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. The fire originated from the engine compartment. The vehicle was a total loss. Subaru of America was notified on 12/23/2025, but no follow-up or update on investigation has been responded. The vehicle was always serviced with Subaru. This sudden, traumatizing and catastrophic failure with no prior warning.

NHTSA complaint 11712180. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
After my husband replaced the 12V battery in my 2021 Subaru Ascent Touring ($90,000, fully paid off), Apple CarPlay stopped connecting via USB entirely. Android Auto and Bluetooth continued working fine on the same phone, cable, and port, proving the defect was isolated to Subaru's CarPlay system, not my device. I spent significant time and money troubleshooting this myself: multiple cables (including two labeled "Apple certified"), a full infotainment factory reset, and a software update attempt, none of which fixed it. The issue only resolved after I purchased yet another cable at my own expense, with zero meaningful help from Subaru. When I filed a formal complaint, I received a response

NHTSA complaint 11760953, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
My local Subaru dealership / service provider has told me my car needs a new transmission at 66k miles, due to an issue within the CVT solenoid causing slipping and lag that will eventually lead to catastrophic failure of the transmission - per the Subaru of America service tree. This issue began on July 23, 2026, when a slew of warning lights illuminated on the dash and my car went into limp mode, not accelerating properly. It eventually began driving normally and all dash warning lights dissipated. Dealership couldn't see the car at that time, then I was out of town for about a week. Came back, experienced the same issues within 2 days of driving the car. I was able to get it into the

NHTSA complaint 11760300, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My 2021 Subaru Ascent (40,000 miles) suffered multiple major mechanical failures that pose ongoing safety concerns: 1. Engine Oil Leak: The vehicle developed an active engine oil leak at 20,000 miles, posing a risk of fluid contacting hot exhaust/engine components under the hood or causing low oil levels during operation. Repair time more than 35 days due to parts not available. 2. Loose Factory Engine Mounts: At 25,000 miles, excessive engine shifting, vibration when braking, the dealer discovered loose engine mounts. 3. Transmission Valve Body Failure: At 40,000 miles The transmission Valve Body Failure and need replacement.

NHTSA complaint 11753410. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

towed · 101,541 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to stall, and the transmission failed to properly operate. The vehicle was pulled over to a nearby shop and was advised to take the vehicle back to the facility that performed the oil changes. Several days later, the contact's husband test drove the vehicle and was able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed, and metal shavings were found in the oil. The dealer determined that the CVT transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,541.

NHTSA complaint 11752723. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Oil leaking from upper and lower oil pan. Oil seeping from head gasket and CVT chain pump cover. RTV sealant failure. $4800 to repair. Subaru needs to solve these oil leak issues. Leaking oil is bad for the environment and engine failure could cause accidents and injury.

NHTSA complaint 11749720. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
On May 14, 2026, while driving a 2021 Subaru Ascent (approx. 94,291 miles) on a Texas expressway at highway speed during rush hour, I experienced a sudden and significant loss of engine power. There were no warning lights, no safety system activation, and no advance indication of the failure. The vehicle decelerated abruptly with traffic behind it. Live OBD-II data was being logged during the drive and was provided to the service advisor at the authorized Subaru retailer. This incident occurred only 3 days and approximately 125 miles after the vehicle was returned following a major engine repair performed at an authorized Subaru retailer in Texas under active powertrain warranty. That

NHTSA complaint 11746580, 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 15 1 —
2024 50 1 —
2023 45 4 —
2022 55 2 —
2020 322 5 —
2019 441 9 —

Other 2021 Subaru models

Outback 296 Forester 207 Crosstrek 115 Legacy 31 Impreza 14 WRX 13

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Subaru on this site — 99 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

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
Independent developer and analyst