- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 9
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Heavily recalled
9 safety recalls on record. Confirm with the seller that every campaign has been completed.
Vehicle Summary
2019 Subaru Ascent
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 9
- Owner complaints
- 433
- Complaints citing a crash
- 10
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
9 Recalls on Record
1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.
Safety recalls
9 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 19V855000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Ascent vehicles. The transmission hydraulic sensor may inaccurately measure the hydraulic fluid pressure.
Consequence
If the fluid pressure is measured higher than its actual value, the hydraulic pressure will be reduced. If this occurs, the transmission drive chain may not have the proper tension, resulting in a loss of drive power and an increased risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the transmission control unit. The hydraulic sensor harness will be replaced on vehicles with certain stored diagnostic trouble codes. In addition, any vehicle confirmed to have experienced low drive chain tension will have the transmission assembly will be replaced. All repairs will be free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUV-07.
- 21V955000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
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.
Consequence
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 21V587000high
Fuel pump may fail
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
Consequence
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 20V218000high
Fuel pump may fail
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Consequence
If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
- 19V856000high
Engine issue
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.
Consequence
An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.
- 19V519000high
Driveshaft bolt issue
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Ascent vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, possibly resulting in the front portion of the driveshaft disconnecting.
Consequence
If the front end of the driveshaft separates, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft assembly, including the center support brace, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUI-94.
- 18V508000high
Body/structure issue
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Subaru Ascent vehicles. These vehicles may be missing spot welds on, or around, the B-Pillar, compromising vehicle strength.
Consequence
In the event of a crash, the missing spot welds may compromise the vehicle's strength, increasing the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle to check for missing spot welds. If the welds are missing, the vehicle will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTU-80.
- 22V907000high
Electrical issue
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
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.
Consequence
A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 26V436000high
Incorrect or missing label
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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."
Consequence
An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2019 Subaru Ascent.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 17%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2019 Subaru Ascent 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 17% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2019 Subaru Ascent, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
21
City
27
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,650
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 387 g/mi
How this compares
At 23 MPG combined, the 2019 Subaru Ascent ranks 1st of 6 standard SUVs (4WD) EPA rated for 2019 — 3 MPG better than the 20 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,650, $1,350 less than the $4,000 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $13,250, a $6,750 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 387 grams per mile — about 5.8 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
433 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 433
- Total
- 10
- Crashes
- 6
- Fires
- 8
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ELECTRICAL139
- ENGINE115
- VISIBILITY78
- OTHER35
- BRAKES26
Notable Issues
433 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 8 reports involve injuries. 10 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2019 Subaru Ascent, newest first.
- Recall
An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
- Recall
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the fluid pressure is measured higher than its actual value, the hydraulic pressure will be reduced. If this occurs, the transmission drive chain may not have the proper tension, resulting in a loss of drive power and an increased risk of a crash.
- Recall
An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the front end of the driveshaft separates, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- Recall
In the event of a crash, the missing spot welds may compromise the vehicle's strength, increasing the risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
- Drive type
- All-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 2.4L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (AV-S8)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
21
City
27
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,650
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
- Recall
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.