2020 Subaru Ascent: problems, recalls and reliability
5 recalls and 318 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (33% of complaints); the 2021 and 2022 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 2 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Jul 2026
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 318 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“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.”Owner report · Suspension · Jun 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.”Owner report · Engine · May 2026
“My 2020 Subaru Ascent struggles to retain power when accelerating, especially from stopping and especially when the fuel is low. The vehicle stalls or loses some power when trying to accelerate. The check engine light is not on and there is no other indication that there is a problem with the vehicle. I have discussed it thoroughly with my mechanic and we both think it sounds like a fuel pump issue. He looked at the other Subaru recalls and thinks my vehicle should be included in the other Subaru fuel pump recall (NHTSA ID Number: 21V587000). Does my vehicle qualify for this fuel pump recall? Thank you.”Owner report · Power Train · Apr 2026
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“I was driving and I got check engine light and all safety features disabled while I was in the freeway, luckily I was able to drive to nearby Subaru dealer for inspection and I found out that there was a recall on the engine for this vehicle and when I contacted the manufacturer they asked me to take it for diagnostics and I did that at a Subaru retailer, but the case manager told me that this recall is being completed for the previous owner of the vehicle and cannot help me with anything, which was never disclosed when I was buying the vehicle.”Owner report · Engine · Feb 2026
“Car has 82,000 miles, has been maintained and requires an engine replacement due to 'Sludge'. Reading a lot of forums that indicate this is a common situation with this make and model and likely due to manufacturer's defects.”Owner report · Engine · Feb 2026
“i purchased this vehicle from Northwest Chevrolet in McKenna, Wa on [XXX] and they did not disclose to me that there were open recalls prior to my purchase. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Dec 2025
“The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal to make a turn, the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,900.”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2025
“The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the undercarriage while driving over bumps in the roadway. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the front struts had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to TSB: 059024. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”Owner report · Suspension · May 2025
“Unknown PCV valve failure caused catastrophic engine failure on interstate highway (70 mph speed limit). Luckily there was room to pull to the side and no one got hurt. This part was recalled in 2019 models due to possible loss of control from engine failure. Dealer tore down engine to determine cause for possible warranty coverage and found the PCV valve was the cause of engine failure. There were no warning lights or indications of any problems before this.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2025
“Ever since our car went in for re-programing CVT drive chain it progressively has been having a problem of something slipping in drive and in cruise control. feels like a loss of power and a feeling chatter from transmission. Now when you put it in drive it makes a jerking noise. the thing is that we never had this problem until it went in for this recall. it's been back twice and they claim they can't find any problem but continues to get worse. it happens every time we drive it . just returned a 700 mile trip and it's very annoying. Also we do have an extended warranty.”Owner report · Power Train · Feb 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 6 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 5 campaigns
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."
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. (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.
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. (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.
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. (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.
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. (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.
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.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2020 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Ascent by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Subaru Ascent reliable?
NHTSA has 318 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on record for the 2020 Subaru Ascent. The most complained-about area is electrical system (33% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2020 Subaru Ascent problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 6,950 miles or less.
Does the 2020 Subaru Ascent have open recalls?
5 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning equipment:other:labels. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.