Subaru Ascent Complaints

262 consumer complaints on file.

#11549748October 13, 2023
POWER TRAIN
Car has always refused to accelerate if gas pedal is pushed down too quickly. Just before 60K miles, on way home we had pulled over at a roadside stop on a hill. Tried to pull across highway to continue up road, car refused to accelerate and luckily were able to brake in time to keep from getting t-boned by big truck heading down the hill. No trouble lights came on, so weren't sure if this was operator failure from pushing gas down on hill or mechanical problem. Also were too close to 60K miles to get home and back to dealership without going over warranty and serious service issues with dealership previously, and leaving for vacation following day. Decided to see if there were further problems. Live at 8K elevation, vacation at half that. No further problems until after returning from vacation. Car definitely hesitating when cold to accelerate at 8K elevation. Checked owners manual, at this time believed appropriate 36K service at dealership had inspected CVT fluid as requested, and was a bit early for next inspection listed in book at 66K miles, but thought perhaps CVT fluid needed changed (did not expect transmission to be failing with such a new car, only a bit over warranty miles now). Because of previous with dealership, instead found ASE certified shop for CVT fluid inspection. Fluid at shop inspection was dark and needed replaced. Shop exchanged with OEM fluid, not Subaru brand. CVT functioned much better for a time, then got worse and not just hesitating with cold but also jerking. Called service shop to insure they had used correct fluid and amount, they had. Brought in to confirm and fluid level was correct. They suspected CVT was failing. Called Subaru of America and made appointment at suggested dealership different from purchase dealership, confirmed transmission failure. Dealership rented car for safety because of suspected CVT failure. Subaru refused to replace CVT under warranty and wanted $7K+ to fix after $3K "discount: Still no trouble lights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11547559October 1, 2023
ENGINE
Engine oil leak at oil pan
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11544090September 12, 2023
WHEELS
I have owned the car new since July 1, 2023. About a month into ownership the TPMS light came on. My wife was close to a tire shop so they checked all the pressures and all were fine. The light started coming on with regularity, any drive over about 25 miles would trigger it 99% of the time and it would reset shortly. Took to dealer they saw the faults in memory but did not know why they were being set. Cleared and reset the modules. The light was back a few days later and then on September 10 and 11 was on full time so I set an appointment. By the time I got the dealer the light had cleared. they found similar codes but they were not useful. The dealer wanted me to agree to pay for diagnostics if the "warranty company" turned down the claim. The warranty company being Subaru of America. I declined to pay for a safety issue being diagnosed on a brand new car. I have notified Subaru of America of my concern and have not received a response at this time. Looking at the Subaru forums on-line it appears that this TPMS issue is quite widespread. It is also apparent that Subaru is not willing to fix its safety issues without my agreeing to pay as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11541546August 29, 2023
POWER TRAIN
The car would not move when stopped at a light. I had to call for roadside assistance. They now say the car needs a new transmission. It. Only has 9200 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11541506August 29, 2023
POWER TRAIN
CVT issues. Shuddering of transmission (acts like it's slipping), either on slight incline or even flat road. Delayed acceleration when needed, feels unsafe if I ever need to avoid a situation by accelerating. At least 2 occurrences when car shut off due to transmission lurching (while driving). This issue has been happening from purchase. The head unit continues to buzz, freeze, and reset itself during carplay (known issue with the software). Have been told an update is coming, but it never does. The concern is navigation disappearing when driving and not returning, making it unsafe to operate vehicle and phone at the same time. This issue has been happening from purchase.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11540077August 22, 2023
POWER TRAIN
First transmission was replaced after months of trying to get the issue diagnosed. Symptoms included severe hesitation when trying to accelerate, shuttering, and feeling of jerking between gears even though it's a CVT. This escalated to shuttering while driving on the highway. Because the problem was intermittent, my car spent a great deal of time in the shop trying to get a diagnosis. After much back-and-forth with Subaru of America, the transmission was replaced at 48,000 miles. I asked for an extended warranty beyond the 60k warranty due to the fact that it took so long to get the first issue properly fixed. They said no. Less than 3,000 miles later and I'm having the same jerking/hesitation issues. The dealership technician says he cannot duplicate the problem, and SOA still refuses to honor an extended warranty. My 60k warranty is almost up and I fear that I will end up paying for a new transmission or worse, end up in an accident due to the poor performance issues. Subaru will do nothing about this known issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11538520August 14, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
The brakes have felt under-designed since purchase and began to chatter when applied shortly after purchase. This progressed to the point where the shaking was felt at every braking and we had several passengers ask "what is wrong with your brakes". The braking became progressively worse to the point we were concerned for our safety and those sharing the road with us. Called dealership and spoke with our service advisor. They said they had no other reports but would take a look. Technician confirmed the rotors were warped and both front rotors were "resurfaced" and "front brake pads adjusted". We have had no problems since the repair. The repair was done at 17608 miles. No warning lights or messages came on.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11538356August 14, 2023
TIRES
P245 / 50 R 20 OEM Falken Tires need to be replaced with only 20K miles, even when all the maintenance was applied (rotation, inflation control, etc). Subaru dealer recognized that the problem was communicated with HQ in Japan, but still not answer
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11536804August 6, 2023
STRUCTURE:BODY
I noticed that the driver's door was making an odd clicking sound when the door was closing. Upon further investigation, I found the silver door bolt holding the door to the frame was loose. I have since then had the bolt tightened.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11535879August 1, 2023
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2021 Subaru Ascent with 15,735 miles on it with the factory Falken tires. The tread and metal was showing and separating from the tires. 2 tires, original to the car off the lot. Tires should last 30-40-50 miles. The other 2 tires were labeled as a 4-5 category. The car did not steer to the left or right, no noise at all. If driving on the highway and 2 tires failed, I could have been injured, my passengers or another vehicle crash. This was very dangerous. In going to the Subaru website and seems hundreds of other customers had the same issue. Failing, inferior, defective Falken tires and alignment issues. I hope these tires don't fail and cause someone to lose their life.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11535607July 31, 2023
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
When driving and lane lines change width the car tried to street across them at highway speeds. Happens regularly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533792July 22, 2023
WHEELS
On 7/16/2023 I was driving my 2023 Subaru Ascent on I-95 when the tire PSI warning alerted me to low tire pressure on my rear driver side tire (Falken 245/50/R20 - tires were on the vehicle when purchased in April 2023). I immediately turned on my hazard lights, lessened my speed, and carefully made my way to the shoulder hoping to exit the highway for assistance. The tire pressure dropped from 34 to 0 in a matter of seconds (I watched the PSI monitor in the dash display). I barely made it to the shoulder. A AAA technician [XXX] from A-Z Towing) changed my tire and noted that the tire may be defective after inspecting the tire, given the sidewall damage and no other obvious tire damage to cause the flat and that I had less than 4k miles on the vehicle. Internet searches yielded a recall for my exact vehicle and tires, my exact experience with sudden loss of tire pressure; yet my VIN was not included in the recall. I am concerned that the recall is not expansive enough and there may be other vehicles with defective tires driving unaware because their VIN was not identified. The recall may need to be more expansive and inclusive. I have an appointment with Subaru Hunt Valley today and have been in contact with Subaru of America - case [XXX] . Thus far, Subaru is not acknowledging my experience as part of the recall. I am fearful to drive my new car in that I worry the other three tires will rupture spontaneously. This is not the safety I expected when purchasing a new Subaru. I was on I-95 traveling at 55mph in the rain in the second from left lane when the tire PSI alert sounded. Thankfully, I acted immediately out of an abundance of caution and concern, since there was no reason for my tire to suddenly lose pressure it was alarming. I could have caused an accident and have been severely injured. I do not feel safe driving my vehicle knowing it has three other tires susceptible to the same issue. (Also filed complaint as to tires.) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 5
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533791July 22, 2023
TIRES
On 7/16/2023 I was driving my 2023 Subaru Ascent on I-95 when the tire PSI warning alerted me to low tire pressure on my rear driver side tire (Falken 245/50/R20 - tires were on the vehicle when purchased in April 2023). I immediately turned on my hazard lights, lessened my speed, and carefully made my way to the shoulder hoping to exit the highway for assistance. The tire pressure dropped from 34 to 0 in a matter of seconds (I watched the PSI monitor in the dash display). I barely made it to the shoulder. A AAA technician [XXX] A-Z Towing) changed my tire and noted that the tire may be defective after inspecting the tire, given the sidewall damage and no other obvious tire damage to cause the flat and that I had less than 4k miles on the vehicle. Internet searches yielded a recall for my exact vehicle and tires, my exact experience with sudden loss of tire pressure; yet my VIN was not included in the recall. I am concerned that the recall is not expansive enough and there may be other vehicles with defective tires driving unaware because their VIN was not identified. The recall may need to be more expansive and inclusive. I have an appointment with Subaru Hunt Valley today and have been in contact with Subaru of America - case #[XXX] s far, Subaru is not acknowledging my experience as part of the recall. I am fearful to drive my new car in that I worry the other three tires will rupture spontaneously. This is not the safety I expected when purchasing a new Subaru. I was on I-95 traveling at 55mph in the rain in the second from left lane when the tire PSI alert sounded. Thankfully, I acted immediately out of an abundance of caution and concern, since there was no reason for my tire to suddenly lose pressure it was alarming. I could have caused an accident and have been severely injured. I do not feel safe driving my vehicle knowing it has three other tires susceptible to the same issue. 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
#11533494July 20, 2023
VISIBILITY
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while his wife was repositioning the rear-view mirror, the front windshield cracked without impact and extended approximately 7-inches. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533259July 19, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
This observation/complaint is about a 2022 Subaru Ascent automobile, which I own. When the gas cap is loose, the car's computer disables several safety features, including collision avoidance, lane control, cruise control, reverse-automatic-braking control, all occur suddenly, while driving, after the computer processes the fault. Upon securing the gas cap and ostensibly fixing the problem, the computer MAY continue to disable said safety features for (according to Subaru Service agents) multiple days for as long as 30 days. On 7/2/23, while driving, several warning lights illuminated in the instrument cluster advising of the loss of many safety features. After stopping and reading the owners manual, I inspected and confirmed that the gas cap was properly sealed. That action did not fix the warning lights nor the disablement of safety features. I had 4 start-shutoff cycles in 6.5 hours. Three hundred and fifty miles later, I refueled, and confirmed that the gas cap was installed properly at the conclusion. Nothing changed with the disabled safety features. The following two days, I experienced 5 daily start-shutoffs with no effect on the safety features. The 3rd day, after 2 start-shutoff cycles, and while idling the engine, the warning lights disappeared and the safety features operated properly. Upon visiting a dealership, I was informed that the onboard computer identified a loose gas cap as the problem. Two service advisors told me that this experience is normal and that they have seen it take as long as 30 days for the computer to recognize that the problem was "fixed".
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532886July 17, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Blue smoke from tailpipe upon start
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11531983July 13, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
The Automatic liftgate in the rear of the vehicle upon opening, closes suddenly and immediately. I am not touching the key fob or anything. This happened several times and hit me on the head. The dealer has replaced the liftgate motor, but it happened again. This is dangerous and can be harmful to adults or children standing behind a vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11531811July 12, 2023
SEATS
Front passenger seat in Subaru Ascents do not have means of raising and lowering seat height. Consequently, shorter passengers are faced with either sitting very low in front passenger seat or having to use a pillow or cushion to raise them up on seat. Not sure how this can affect front passenger safety, but it is certainly something worthy of investigating. Subaru said that this feature is not available on their Ascents, but is available on their smaller and less expensive Outbacks.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11531345July 10, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake rotors are warped around 8000 miles. I purchased a 2020 of same make and model and same problem, brake rotors warped under 10k miles. Subaru dealer employee told me the brakes were under engineered. After going 2 times to dealer, Subaru replaced rotors under warranty. I thought they figured it out since first Subaru Ascent hit market in 2019. I am going to attempt replacement with this 2022 through warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11530357July 4, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The windshield on my Subaru Ascent is prone to cracking, vehicle of less than 3,000 miles has a 3in crack in windshield putting our safety and the safety of others at risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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