AI Damage2020 Subaru Ascent: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Subaru Ascent filed 324 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and visibility. The maker issued 503 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 324
- involving a crash
- 6
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 503
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 31% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 19% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 9% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 4% of all complaints
- 7 Forward collision avoidance 4% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 3% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 101 complaints (31% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 273.
- Visibility: 60 complaints (19% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 10.
- Powertrain: 59 complaints (18% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 76.
- Engine: 29 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 37.
- Service brakes: 26 complaints (8% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 12.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.4 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- CVTnamed in 15 complaints
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 324 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 101 | 0 | 273 |
| Visibility | 60 | 0 | 10 |
| Powertrain | 59 | 0 | 76 |
| Engine | 29 | 1 | 37 |
| Service brakes | 26 | 2 | 12 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 14 | 1 | 12 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 12 | 4 | 5 |
| Structure | 10 | 0 | 26 |
| Suspension | 8 | 0 | 15 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Air bags | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Lane departure | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 5 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
During both incidents, there were no forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking interventions, or other alerts observed prior to impact. Following the second collision, the vehicle was inspected by an independent technician.
It appears that the engine continued to recieve fuel irregardless of the position of the accelerator., the automatic braking system failed miserably and the the forward collision warning was malfunctioning. I am waiting for the insurance company to remove the car from the garage and do a structural assessment..
The contact's wife owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was stopped in traffic when a semi-trailer collided with another vehicle, causing that vehicle to crash into the front end of her vehicle. It resulted in a four-vehicle collision.
The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000. Case # [XXX] Goodman. Good morning this is a picture of my car and as it can be seen the airbags on either side did not deploy.
Sudden unwanted rapid acceleration toward a building from parking lot causing head on collision: - Manual brakes failed - Automatic brakes did not engage - Airbags did NOT deploy after hitting an immovable object head on at least twice - Driver seatbelt did not lock - Starlink was not activated / notified - No…
I am reporting this as the airbags did not deploy and everyone who has seen the vehicle says they think they should have. Additionally, I do not remember my collision alerts beeping nor the subaru braking for me which have worked in the past.
The contact stated that on multiple occasions, while driving at various undisclosed speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly failed to accelerate and lost power. The contact also stated that the vehicle felt sluggish while driving.
Subary wheel bearings prior to 2026 were subject to poor design resulting in premature corrosion, complete failure and possible separation from the under carriage.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 195 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Ascent has 130 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 324, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This Bulletin provides a diagnostic procedure for customer concerns about hesitation, reduced…
This Bulletin provides a diagnostic procedure for customer concerns about hesitation, reduced acceleration, or lack of power when driving uphill or under heavy engine load.
- This Bulletin provides a repair procedure for increased dark current and unintended battery discharge that…
This Bulletin provides a repair procedure for increased dark current and unintended battery discharge that occurs in a small number of unique cases.
- This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines
- This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application
- This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles
- This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and…
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a…
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc
(SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed models and model years to (8) eight years / 150,000 miles to cover certain qualifying repairs to the…
- This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during…
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin provides additional examples, diagnostics tips and installation tips as helpful aids to be…
This bulletin provides additional examples, diagnostics tips and installation tips as helpful aids to be used when working with sunroof seals and sunroof frame assemblies on Ascent models. This is an revised version of…
- This announcement provides an update to the WRH-26 certification label recall
- This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top…
This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top center retaining nut area of the front strut mounts. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
NHTSA lists 503 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Subaru Ascent?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, visibility, powertrain. Total complaints: 324. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: battery drain (12%), warning lights, check engine (12%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 Subaru Ascent?
NHTSA lists 503 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2020 Subaru Ascent from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2020 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.