2020 Subaru ASCENT problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
321 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
6,126 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 140 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 101 of 321 complaints (31.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 104 | 32.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 52 | 16.2% |
| Braking behavior | 36 | 11.2% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 2.8% |
| Engine operation | 8 | 2.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 1.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 101 |
| Power Train | 57 |
| Unknown Or Other | 56 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 49 |
| Engine | 29 |
| Service Brakes | 26 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 14 |
| Visibility:Windshield | 11 |
Electrical System: 101; Power Train: 57; Unknown Or Other: 56; Visibility/Wiper: 49; Engine: 29; Service Brakes: 26; Fuel/Propulsion System: 14; Visibility:Windshield: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 124 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 124; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (124). 181 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 82 |
| 2021 | 85 |
| 2022 | 69 |
| 2023 | 22 |
| 2024 | 25 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 | 21 |
2019: 4; 2020: 82; 2021: 85; 2022: 69; 2023: 22; 2024: 25; 2025: 13; 2026: 21
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 104 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 52 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 36 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11267561 · 2019-10-09 (October 9, 2019)
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 REPLACED SERPENTINE BELT AND APPEARS BATTERY LIGHT AND OVERHEATING WAS CAUSED FROM BELT FAILURE.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,289 miles reported. Look up ODI 11267561 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11269800 · 2019-10-20 (October 20, 2019)
IN AM TAILGATE FOUND OPENED (BY ITSELF), BATTERY DEAD , 3 JUMP STARTS OVER 24HRS BATTERY STILL NOT RECHARGING AFTER 6 HRS CONTIN. OPERATION, NOW CARPLAY AND BLUTOOTH MICROPHONE NOT WORKING, MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE RE THIS, NO MANUAL TAILGATE OPENING, AND NO WORKING BATTERY SHUT OFF OF TAILGATE OR ITS LIGHT IN SOFTWARE
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11269800 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11318327 · 2020-03-16 (March 16, 2020)
JERKY ACCELERATION BETWEEN 35-50 MPH. CVT "SWITCHING GEARS" UP AND DOWN. NOTICED AT 600 MILES. THIS HAPPENS SPORADICALLY , WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN THE JOLT SNAPS MY HEAD BACK. BRAKES CONTINUE TO SQUEAL AFTER 600 MILES.
Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11318327 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11319814 · 2020-03-31 (March 31, 2020)
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ENTIRE CAR STARTED VIBRATING AND FELT WOBBLY WHEN I GOT ABOVE 20MPH. PULLED OVER TO CHECK TIRES AND UNDER THE CAR, NO OBVIOUS ISSUES FOUND. TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON THE CAR, SAME ISSUE ABOVE 20MPH. THE CAR WAS STRUGGLING TO GET UP THE TOW RAMP AND SMELLED AN ACRID ODOR THAT BOTH I AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTICED. MADE TERRIBLE SOUND WHEN SHIFTING FROM P THROUGH R TO D. THIS ALL HAPPENED ON PAVED ROADS GOING BACK HOME. THE CAR NOW HAS 150 MILES ON IT, BOUGHT IT 3 DAYS PRIOR NEW.
Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 11319814 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11301164 · 2020-01-22 (January 22, 2020)
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 CONTINUED TO PICK UP SPEED AND HEADED OUT ONTO BUSY HIGHWAY. THE EXIT FROM THE CAR WASH WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE HIGHWAY QUICKLY I STEPPED AS FORCEFULLY AS POSSIBLE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUBSEQUENTLY BROUGHT CAR TO A STOP. A V…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11301164 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11362417 · 2020-10-02 (October 2, 2020)
ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH. MESSAGE "KEYLESS INGNITION SYSTEM DISABLED" . COULD NOT RESTART. POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WORKED, NO LOSS OF LIGHTS OR RADIO. COULD NOT TURN OFF COMPLETELY. RESTARTED AFTER 1/2 HOUR. DROVE 300 YARDS AND ENGINE SHUT OFF AGAIN, SAME MESSAGE. AFTER AN HOUR CAR WAS TOWED, BUT RESTARTED. DEALER COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS. MILEAGE, 4,500. CAR 6 MONTHS OLD. NO RECURRENCE AFTER 3 WEEKS AND ANOTHER 500 MILES. INCIDENT OCCURRED OPPOSITE A CELL TOWER.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11362417 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11403446 · 2021-03-17 (March 17, 2021)
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 BECAUSE THE DEALER DOES NOT BELIEVE THE NON-UNIFORM ROTOR IS CAUSED BY THE OBSOLETE BRAKE PAD DESIGN. VEHICLE HAS AROUND 8,000 MILES AND VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS PROMPTED SERVICE CALL.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11403446 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11386456 · 2021-01-04 (January 4, 2021)
LOSS OF POWER (INTERMITTENT) WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT LOWER SPEED AND OCCASIONALLY DURING ACCELERATION. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN GOING UP A HILL THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DROPS IN GEARS WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES RPMS THEN ONCE ON FLAT ROAD THE VEHICLE TAKES SOME TIME TO CHANGE GEARS. IF I HIT THE GAS PEDAL ONCE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, THE RPMS GO PAST 3.5. SO I WAIT UNTIL THE CAR SWITCHES GEARS BEFORE PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11386456 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11428496 · 2021-08-10 (August 10, 2021)
NHTSA Recall Number 21V587. Cracked fuel pump potential due to improper manufacture, resulting in stalling, vehicle not starting or other fuel pump failure-related issues. Stalling while driving could result in an accident. Subaru’s recall notification should begin in September. Our family will be driving from NC to Maine on August 27 and returning on September 15. We need to know if 1) our specific Subaru Ascent will be recalled and 2) if so, if we can get the fuel pump replaced on our 2020 Subaru Ascent before 28 August 28. Jack Bacheler…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11428496 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11324809 · 2020-05-16 (May 16, 2020)
MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 2020 SUBARU ASCENT IN JANUARY THIS YEAR. FROM DAY ONE, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN GENERATING AN EXCESSIVE AND POTENT FUEL SMELL IN THE ENGINE BAY THAT IS THEN PULLED INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN VIA THE HVAC SYSTEM WHILE RUNNING. THIS SMELL IS PREVALENT WHEN WALKING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IT IS RUNNING; IT IS ALSO NOTICEABLE AFTER PARKING (AND TURNING OFF) THE VEHICLE IN OUR GARAGE AS THE GARAGE FILLS WITH A RAW FUEL SMELL THAT TAKES SEVERAL HOURS TO DISSIPATE. WE ARE ABLE TO REPLICATE THIS ISSUE EVERY…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,235 miles reported. Look up ODI 11324809 at NHTSA ↗