2020 Subaru Ascent Problems, Recalls & Reliability
403 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2020 Subaru Ascent, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 71/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 6,100 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2020 Subaru Ascent sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings.
Avoid
Where 2020 sits among all Ascent years
What owners report
“The vehicle only has 9000 miles. The battery just died and it is not holding a charge”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Ascent
“The vehicle was in a parking lot and the windshield cracked on its own. Getting back into my car i noticed a crack that started on the driver's side edge that went toward the center of the windshield.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Ascent
“The front windshield cracked while driving without a noticible hit to the windshield. The crack is approximately half of the windshield on the passenger side”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Ascent
“Recall on my 2020 Subaru Ascent was more than 7 months ago. The remedy is not available at my local dealership because SUBARU of America, Inc. Has not sent them the remedy. This is my only vehicle and I must use it but is it safe?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Ascent
“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…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Ascent
“Front rotors and front brake pads heat up causing rotors to warp causing a pulsing and load noise when brakes are applied ,vehicle hard to stop.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2020 Ascent
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 156 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 6,667 miles. Half of those reports fall between 2,800 and 13,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
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…
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 are…
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…
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…
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.
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…
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…
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…
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.
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.…
Technical service bulletins
507 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2020 Subaru Ascent. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2020 Ascent TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2020 Subaru Ascent reliable?
The 2020 Subaru Ascent drew 403 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 71/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2020 Subaru Ascent problems?
The top reported problems for the 2020 Subaru Ascent are electrical (105 complaints), visibility & wipers (60), and other (58).
At what mileage do 2020 Subaru Ascent problems show up?
Owners most often report 2020 Subaru Ascent problems around 6,667 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 2,800 and 13,000 miles.
Does the 2020 Subaru Ascent have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2020 Subaru Ascent. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.