- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 5
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Open recalls on record
5 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2020 Subaru Ascent
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 5
- Owner complaints
- 317
- Complaints citing a crash
- 6
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised 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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
5 Recalls on Record
1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.
Safety recalls
5 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 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.
- 21V954000high
Steering issue
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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."
Consumer complaints
317 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 317
- Total
- 6
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 5
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ELECTRICAL90
- ENGINE73
- VISIBILITY57
- OTHER37
- BRAKES25
Notable Issues
317 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 5 reports involve injuries. 6 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- SUV
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
21
City
27
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,600
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Compare with
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
The tie rods may separate from the housing, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.