2020 Subaru Ascent problems & reliability
318 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Subaru Ascent, alongside 5 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
4 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2020 Subaru Ascent vehicles were involved in 11 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 101 | 32% |
| Power Train | 56 | 18% |
| Unknown OR Other | 56 | 18% |
| Visibility/wiper | 49 | 15% |
| Engine | 29 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 26 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 4% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 12 | 4% |
| Visibility | 11 | 3% |
| Structure | 10 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 6,617 miles (middle 50% between 3,075 and 13,188 miles), based on 132 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The Transmission is slipping on my 2020 Ascent. I had the recall wrk-21 performed in July of 2025. Over the last 6 months the car has been hesitant to go at low speeds and shakes at high speeds. Over the last month the transmission started to slip while accelerating , especially up hill. There would be a grinding…”
Power Train · filed Jul 29, 2026
“My strut bearings have been replaced several times in the drivers sides, my shock and strut has been replaced twice on the drivers side and now the passenger side is doing the same thing. The dealership tells me that there is nothing wrong but research shows this car has known suspension issues. My passenger side…”
Suspension · filed Jul 20, 2026
“I am reporting a repeat safety concern involving a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The vehicle was involved in two separate collisions after failing to decelerate as expected following normal brake pedal application. The first incident occurred on January 26, 2026. While approaching a traffic signal, I applied the brakes under…”
Forward Collision Avoidance · filed May 29, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
507 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Subaru Ascent. The 10 most recent:
WRH-26 Certification Label Non-Compliance Recall- Parts and SSLP Process Updates.
SubaruNet Announcement (P · Other · issued Jul 28, 2026
This announcement provides WRH-26 recall information for owner contact and a vehicle disclosure form.
SubaruNet Announcement (V · Other · issued Jul 24, 2026
This announcement provides WRH-26 recall information for customers.
SubaruNet Announcement (C · Other · issued Jul 24, 2026
This announcement provides information on WRH-26 affected CPO and Used Vehicle Inventory.
SubaruNet Announcement (v · Other · issued Jul 24, 2026
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) has initiated a non-compliance recall for certain 2026 model yearCrosstrek Hybrid vehicles, 2025-2026 model year Forester & Forester Hybrid vehicles, and 2019- 2026 Ascent vehicles due…
WRH-26R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2026
This announcement provides an update for retailer inventory affected by the WRH-26 non-compliance recall.
SubaruNet Announcement (W · Other · issued Jul 21, 2026
This announcement provides information on a temporary process for addressing affected SSLP vehicles under the WRH-26 recall.
SubaruNet Announcement (W · Other · issued Jul 17, 2026
This announcement is to inform retailers of the non-compliance recall/stop sale parts update and repair procedure.
SubaruNet Announcement ( · Other · issued Jul 17, 2026
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and…
02-193-24R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 30, 2026
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and…
09-74-21R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2020 Subaru Ascent has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2020 Subaru Ascent?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 6,617 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.