KnownCarProblems2020 Subaru Ascent Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 322 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Ascent, most often about the electrical (31% of complaints, typically around 6,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about Ascent model year since 2000 and has 5 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a park-outside warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2020 Subaru Ascent problems
Electrical
101 complaints · 31%Half of these problems showed up before 6,000 miles.
Had only 5800 miles and cost cell phone worksheet come through speaker then couldn't open tailgate. Next day battery was dead after getting on car and dash lights flashed like a xmas tree.
My Subaru Ascent 2020 is just 4 mos old and is currenlty at 6kmiles odometer reading. Speaker system stopeed working twice already. Amplifier getting hot even when the car is not used. Last night the car wont start and and all the light inside and out just flickered for a few minutes then died. Had to call roadside…
Visibility and wipers
60 complaints · 19%Half of these problems showed up before 8,000 miles. Parts named most often: windshield.
We've owned our car for less than 8 mos and recently experienced a cracked windshield that did not emerge from a rock chip. We are very frustrated with this as the replacement has to be OEM (I.e. Expensive) because of the safety features on the car.
18 inch crack in windshield on passenger side, happened spontaneously, nothing struck the windshield at any time.. Just noticed it today 4/7/21 at 0930
Transmission
58 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 22,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
Fyi: report is being submitted by co-owner in nc. Reported incident occurred in florida. At around 20,000 miles the dashboard lit up like a christmas tree and the vehicle began having acceleration issues. At the end of the commute to work, approx 55 miles, the transmission stopped responding to the accelerator and no…
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the transmission was slipping, and there was a loud sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power while accelerating. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled…
Other or unspecified
56 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 4,000 miles.
A large crack suddenly appeared on the windshield of my 2020 Ascent, and expanded rapidly over the course of a few hours. I purchased the vehicle new in january 2020. Subaru will not cover the windshield under warranty. The cost to replace the windshield and re-calibrate the eyesight sensors is over $1,000 through…
Lemon law in action. I took my car to capital Subaru of greensboro august 2nd with a complaint of clicking coming from the dash. It happens when the AC is on and you accelerate. They were able to duplicate the noise but didnt know how to fix it. They kept my car for 2 weeks and still do not know what the problem is.…
Engine
30 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 9,500 miles.
The audio died two days prior to the entire car dying completely. We charged the battery, and most of the car began working except for a few random electrical areas. Seems to be a short somewhere. I have under 10,000 miles and a dead battery... Highly problematic.
Odometer: 1,289 miles vehicle was in motion on a city street, drove 3 miles away from home. Battery light came on, vehicle started to overheat and check coolant indicator came on. Opened hood to smoke and serpentine belt had shredded. Coolant was sprayed all over under the hood. Vehicle was towed to dealership who…
Brakes
26 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 8,000 miles.
Brake pads not replaced while at dealership for non-uniform brake rotors. I believe not replacing the brake pads at the time of resurfacing the brake rotors will result in the brake rotors becoming non-uniform again. There is a service bulletin from Subaru stating an brake pad design update, but was not offered it…
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that during a countrywide road trip at 70 MPH the vehicle shook and shimmied when he applied the brake going downhill on a steep grade. The vehicle was taken to the dealer groove Subaru (5300 s. Broadway, englewood, co 80113, ([phone]). The tires were rotated…
Driver assistance
15 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 10,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, warnings, assist.
My vehicle is fairly new 7 months to be exact. When it was 4 months old I've started to notice rust and corrosion on the window panels that are metal. When I went in for oil change service they deny that there is rust and just offered to polish it. At 7 months the windshield has chips and cracks which is odd without a…
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle performed as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
Fuel system
14 complaints · 4%We are on our second Subaru Ascent, first one bought back for the same issue. Upon starting the car, the cabin will fill with a strong smell of raw fuel (not exhaust). The car will also fill with the smell if running while parked, remotely started, etc. The smell is also noticeable when turning off the car and on the…
Unintended acceleration - car went through automatic car was with engine running and in neutral. After wash was completed car was placed in drive and I very lightly touched accelerator pedal. Car lurched forward as though the accelerator was floored. Removed foot from accelerator, engine was continuing to race as car…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2020 Subaru Ascent recalls
Equipment: labels
Risk: An incorrect gawr label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Electrical: interior/under dash
Risk: A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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
Full defect summary
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.
Steering: tie rod assembly
Risk: The tie rods may separate from the housing, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Transmission: chain/belt
Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Fuel system: fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2020 Subaru Ascent
- What are the most common problems with the 2020 Subaru Ascent?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (101 complaints, typically around 6,000 miles); visibility and wipers (60 complaints, typically around 8,000 miles); transmission (58 complaints, typically around 22,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2020 Subaru Ascent have?
- 5 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from July 7, 2026 (equipment). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2020 a bad year for the Subaru Ascent?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about Ascent model year since 2000, with 322 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.