2020 Subaru Ascent power train problems
56 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2020 Subaru Ascent — 18% of all complaints for this model 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…”
filed Jul 29, 2026
“The pressure sensor coming out of the transmission has failed, and it's pushed transmission fluid throughout the engine harness, transmission harness, the bull harness in the dash and the 02 sensors. All of those have been damaged. The car is now unsafe to drive due to the pressure sensor failing…”
filed May 15, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage…Campaign 21V955000 · Dec 9, 2021
Power Train problems in other Ascent years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Ascent | 3 | 6% |
| 2023 Ascent | 3 | 7% |
| 2022 Ascent | 14 | 25% |
| 2021 Ascent | 18 | 18% |
| 2019 Ascent | 85 | 19% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2020 Subaru Ascent
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.