Subaru Ascent Complaints

262 consumer complaints on file.

#11712180January 20, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
While driving my Subaru Ascent, a check engine warning light appeared on the dashboard. Shortly afterward, I noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. I immediately pulled over and turned the vehicle off. Within moments, flames began coming from under the hood. The fire spread rapidly, and within 5-10 minutes the entire vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. The fire originated from the engine compartment. The vehicle was a total loss. Subaru of America was notified on 12/23/2025, but no follow-up or update on investigation has been responded. The vehicle was always serviced with Subaru. This sudden, traumatizing and catastrophic failure with no prior warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710776January 13, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The transmission on our 2021 Subaru Ascent is slipping and failing to accelerate, RPMs reving, and every issue indicator notification light is on. We took the car to our mechanic, then to the Subaru dealership service dept for diagnosis. A full transmission replacement is required plus associated repairs for a cost of $14,543.98. Service estimate attached. This repair is more than 2/3 of the value of the vehicle. This make/model and transmission type have documented problems and Subaru has previously issued an extended warranty on other model years for this same transmission issue. We are trying to communicate with the Subaru customer service but have had limited response due to the holidays and have not had a resolution yet in the past month.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707846December 30, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I bought a 2021 Ascent - Touring , lately there was an ever increasing amount of wind noise. It sounded like it was coming from the sunroof, but I couldn't see anything from the inside that looked out of place and there were no signs of water leaking. I finally looked up on the roof from the outside and the weather stripping along the back of the sunroof was coming out. The glue is thin, and didn't even stick to it anymore.. This is an ongoing issue. There are people people on the Subaru Ascent, Facebook Reddit forms that have said they are having the same issue..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707202December 26, 2025
ENGINE
Vehicle smells of fuel inside the cabin and when parked in the garage. To date the dealer is unable to diagnose the problem. 60k miles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706345December 21, 2025
ENGINE
I hit a deer on CA 395 north, my braking system worked and my air bags deployed, and then my engine immediately caught fire. I’m lucky i was able to get out of the car through a back door. Every police and fire who responded said they have never seen a car catch fire after hitting a deer and i should report a vehicle malfunction
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703707December 8, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The transmission/CVT component on the vehicle, 2021 Subaru Ascent is malfunctioning. When being driven, the malfunctioning transmission will cause the vehicle to hesitate in traffic, as well as feeling the slippage of the transmission when in motion. The vehicle also has a burning odor when being driven. NYS inspection was conducted on 10/27/25. The transmission malfunction has been confirmed by a Subaru dealer, who has had the vehicle at their dealership since 11/5/25, 34 days as of today. Subaru Advocacy , whom I have had many calls and emails with, is unwilling to replace the transmission at their cost.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703374December 5, 2025
TIRES
I own a 2025 Subaru Ascent Limited. At approximately 20,000 miles, one of the original tires (factory-installed) developed a straight split along the tread/shoulder area. The cut was very straight, almost like along a seam, and I could see metal/steel cords exposed through the opening. There was no major impact, curb strike, or pothole event that I’m aware of, and there was no obvious sidewall or wheel damage. The Subaru dealer inspected the tire and replaced it, but I do not have the tire in my possession, so I no longer have the exact tire brand/model or DOT number. I have photos of the damage and a repair order from the dealer showing the tire replacement. I have also reported this incident to Subaru’s customer advocate department because I am concerned this may be a safety-related tire or manufacturing issue on a relatively new vehicle with low mileage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702898December 4, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Uncommanded maximum braking with simultaneous high-voltage and low-voltage shutdown. Vehicle is not safe in Florida with puddles or any types of ongoing obstructions vehicle shuts down in the middle of traffic if it perceives you do not match Google maps
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700833November 21, 2025
POWER TRAIN, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I was entering an intersection to make a left-hand turn. I was driving at a low speed. My foot was pressing the accelerator and the car entered the intersection. In the middle of the intersection, the car wheels suddenly stopped turning. There was nothing in front of the car. Cars behind me began honking since my car stopped suddenly and unexpectedly while I saw a notice displayed on the car messaging, but I do not know what it said. I am unsure if the car engine turned off or not, but I remember turning on my hazard lights, putting the car in park and pressing the start button. I was able to drive out of the intersection to a safe location and turned off the car engine. I restarted the car and drove immediately to the dealer where I purchased the car from for them to evaluate it. It is currently being submitted for diagnostics at the car dealer. I told them I would make this safety report while I waited.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699279November 13, 2025
STEERING, WHEELS
My 2024 Subaru Ascent developed a recurring clunk/thump noise from the steering system during low-speed turning (10–15 mph) and when turning the wheel at a stop. The noise was present daily and worsened over time. I took the vehicle to two Subaru dealerships. Sterling Subaru dismissed the steering noise completely and stated they could not duplicate it. Dulles Subaru also initially dismissed the issue. Only when I returned to pick up the vehicle and insisted on demonstrating the noise did their technician acknowledge it. They compared my vehicle to another Ascent on the lot and confirmed the noise was abnormal. Dulles then replaced the steering gear box assembly (steering rack) under warranty. This confirms there was a mechanical defect in the steering system. Before this repair, I also reported excessive inner-edge wear on both front tires. The technician documented “excessive wear on both front inner tires” and recommended replacing all four tires and performing an alignment. Inner-edge wear on both front tires is not caused by lack of rotation—it is consistent with misalignment or steering geometry deviation, which matches the confirmed steering defect. Subaru America has refused to replace the damaged tires even though the tire manufacturer (Falken) stated in writing that irregular wear caused by a mechanical defect is the vehicle manufacturer’s responsibility. Safety concern: A defective steering rack caused abnormal steering behavior and front-end geometry issues, which led to rapid inner-edge tire wear. If unnoticed, this can result in loss of steering control or a tire failure at highway speeds. Both dealerships initially dismissing the issue is also concerning. I am filing this report so NHTSA can track potential steering-related defects and resulting tire safety issues on the 2024 Subaru Ascent. I can provide service records, photos, and Subaru correspondence upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698561November 10, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
When driving below 5 mph—forward or reverse—with the rear passenger door fully open, the only alert is a small “door ajar” icon on the dash. This icon is the same drawing, whether the door is completely open or semi-latched, so the driver has no way to know the extent of the hazard. Without an additional warning, an fully open door can strike pedestrians, poles, garage, or other vehicles, and any passenger seated beside it is needlessly exposed to injury.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689564September 24, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, WHEELS
Oil leak from engine constantly from FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, rec cvt pump reseal with new trans seal, pump is leaking causing drips ; drain plug is also leaking. Need to Replace Front and rear Pads & Rotors at 35k miles which is unheard of. Accessed by suberu dealership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687511September 16, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
When crossing a bridge at 40 mph with wide open lanes and shoulders the vehicle on cruise control suddenly braked aggressively and came to a full stop in the middle of a state highway bridge. Conditions were daylight, headed towards sun, no shadows on bridge. The road surface was smooth asphalt. There were shoulders as wide as the active lanes. There was no warning and very little time for a driver reaction. This type of vehicle behavior will most certainly cause rear end collisions.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687439September 15, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Incident Description – Event 1 On August 28, 2025, at approximately 4:45 p.m. while driving on Sugar Ridge Road, my 2023 Subaru Ascent suddenly jerked violently into the left lane without warning while the EyeSight Driver Assist system was active. I had to take immediate corrective action to maintain control and avoid a head-on collision. This behavior has occurred on multiple occasions under similar circumstances. My husband has also experienced the same issue while driving, which demonstrates this is not an isolated event. Incident Description – Event 2 On multiple other occasions, while the EyeSight Driver Assist system was engaged, the vehicle veered dangerously close to a semi-truck traveling beside us. I had to react instantly to prevent sideswiping the truck, which could have resulted in a severe accident. We have noticed this behavior occurs nearly every time we are alongside a semi-truck on the highway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686992September 12, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The driver side rearview mirror shakes and vibrates under normal driving conditions. This is distracting and nauseating to the driver. This is a safety issue because this mirror is used for checking for vehicles before changing lanes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685769September 8, 2025
WHEELS, ENGINE, STEERING
My vehicle has lost EYESIGHT TOO MANY TIMES while Am driving ON HIGH WAY SO STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, ADATER,CRUISE CONTROL SIGN APPEARS TOGETHER .JUST A SECOND MY FAMILY HAD ALMOST DIED DUE TO VACATION TIME IN AUGUST,2025.I CANT BELIEVE THAT IS BRAND NEW SUBARU ASCENT TOURING 2024 I PURCHASED FROM MARCH ,2024. We found SUBARU DEALERSHIP AT LAS VEGAS ,NA But TECHNICIAN OF THERE RESPONDED TO ME THAT : THEY DONT KNOW EXHAUST BUTTON NUMBER and THEY ARE NOT SURE MY CAR STILL SAFE OR NOT SAFETY WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, (MY FAMILY HAS 7 peoples from [XXX] OLD TO [XXX] OLD ,WE HAD TO SLEEP AT GAS STATION OVER 2 NIGHTS WITH OUT ELECTRONIC,..) THEY ANSWERED TO ME THAT : THEY CAN NOT FIX IT. Their ANSWER MADE ME SCARED BECAUSE WE NEED TO A CAR GO BACK HOME .WE CAN NOT DRIVE IT ANYMORE ,I DECIDED TRADE IT TO CHEVROLET TO PURCHASE OTHER BRAND NEW CAR on AUGHUST 9,2025 TO BACK HOME. I wanted to SUBARU MANUFACTURE MUST BE RESPONSIBLE TO MY NEW EXPENSES VEHICLE like insurance higher, LOAN INTEREST HIGHER. The Car only 14,823 miles, I spoke to SALESMANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP and Requested Refund but He did not have resolve to Me and keeping quiet until now.IF MY WHOLE FAMILY DIE FROM SUBARU CORPORATION FROM THEIR TECHNOLOGY ERROR,WHO WILL RETURN OUR LIFE? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685392September 5, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Trunk would not open. Only way to open was to pop open the internal latch access port and switch the latch open with a screw driver. Trunk would not open with key fob, rear handle, or buttons on driver side dashboard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685210September 5, 2025
SEATS
When the passenger cool seat is turned on, a loud vibration like sound can be heard. My assumption would be a fan. I’m unsure if this could lead to any other issues such as electric problems or cause a fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681000August 15, 2025
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
Driver's side mirror vibration on uneven road or at highway speeds makes visibility in mirror difficult. This has been the case since purchasing the vehicle in November 2024. Have had most recent Subaru service bulletin on mirror performed by dealer (on 8/8/25), but the problem remains.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679290August 8, 2025
TIRES
The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Ascent equipped with Falken Tires, Tire Line: ZIEX, Tire Size: 245/50/R20, DOT Number: IRAKH. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the rear tire experienced a blowout. The tires were the original tires. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The tire manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 11,200.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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