Free safety data straight from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Recalls, consumer complaints, and crash test ratings — everything you need before you buy.
| Year | Overall | Front Crash | Side Crash | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
The following safety recalls have been issued by NHTSA for the Subaru Ascent. If you own this vehicle, check your VIN at our VIN lookup tool or NHTSA.gov to see if your vehicle is affected.
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.
Risk: A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicle away from structures and to avoid leaving the vehicle unattended while the engine is running. An owner who notices or smells smoke coming from the dash or driver's footwell area should immediately stop operating the vehicle and turn the ignition switch to the "Off" position. Dealers will replace the PTC heater ground bolts and if necessary, replace the ground wire and the connector holder, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-22.
Real complaints filed with NHTSA by Subaru Ascent owners. These reports help identify common issues and potential safety concerns.
| Component | Complaints |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 14 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 13 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 12 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 6 |
| STRUCTURE | 4 |
| LANE DEPARTURE | 4 |
| STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | 4 |
| ENGINE | 3 |
| VISIBILITY | 3 |
I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2021 Subaru Ascent that I purchased new from Herb Gordon Subaru in Maryland. The incident occurred while driving on I-95 at approximately 75 mph with my family, including children, in the vehicle. The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete powertrain failure without any prior warning indicators. This created an immediate and serious safety…
I had catastrophic transmission failure. The car was completely inoperable. Thankfully this only happened in a parking lot. If this were yo happen while merging into traffic it could have been very dangerous. This was the second cvt in this vehicle. The 1st transmission was replaced around 52kmiles. The second transmission lasted not even 13 months sndless than 15k miles.…
Issue 1: Complete transmission failure was diagnosed by Subaru dealer March 24, 2026 at 5 years and 6 months after purchase with an odometer reading of 45,000 miles (drive train warranty 5 yrs/60,000 miles). Had to purchase and have installed a rebuilt Subaru transmission. First noticed transmission was slipping with a large load in vehicle May 2025 at 4 years…
Browse real listings with deal scores, market pricing, and free history reports.
Browse Subaru Ascent Listings →