Subaru
Subaru Ascent years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2019 and 2020. Best years: 2022 and 2023.
The 2019 and 2020 Subaru Ascent draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2019 has 441 complaints (55 for each year on the road) and 2020 has 322 complaints (46 for each year on the road), against a median of 17 a year across the 6 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2019 is dead battery (137 reports).
- 865complaints
- 10recall campaigns
- 3model years with a page
Newest report Sep 11, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2019
Most reported: dead battery (137 reports, median 12,000 miles) and windshield (75 reports, median 16,000 miles).
2020
Most reported: dead battery (90 reports, median 7,200 miles) and windshield (60 reports, median 8,000 miles).
Best years
2022
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
2023
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2019 has the most complaints of any Subaru Ascent year here: 441 of 865 (51%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Dead battery leads in 2 of the 3 model years and has the most reports overall, 237. Pooled across the years, half of the 134 owners who gave a mileage for dead battery were under about 10,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 3% of Subaru Ascent complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2021, 5 of its 102 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- Every model year where owners report dead battery also has a recall on the same system. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2021 at 217 and have dropped every year since, to 40 in 2025. So far in 2026, 50 more have come in.
Photo: SsmIntrigue, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2022 (55), 2023 (45), 2024 (50), 2025 (15).
Year by year
2021 Subaru Ascent
102 owner complaints, 17 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: windshield (19 reports), transmission shudder (13 reports, median 48,000 miles) and dead battery (10 reports). 3 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 26V-436 on the equipment and 22V-907 on the electrical system.
2020 Subaru Ascent avoid
322 owner complaints, 46 for each year on the road (2.7 times the model median). Most reported: dead battery (90 reports, median 7,200 miles), windshield (60 reports, median 8,000 miles) and brake wear (26 reports, median 9,500 miles). 6 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 22V-907 on the electrical system and 26V-436 on the equipment.
2019 Subaru Ascent avoid
441 owner complaints, 55 for each year on the road (3.3 times the model median). Most reported: dead battery (137 reports, median 12,000 miles), windshield (75 reports, median 16,000 miles) and transmission shudder (40 reports, median 19,330 miles). 10 reports involved a crash and 8 people were hurt. 9 recalls, including 22V-907 on the electrical system and 26V-436 on the equipment.
Recalls that cover several model years
These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label.
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.
A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Compare the Ascent with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Ascent vs Toyota Highlander2019 to 2021
- Ascent vs Honda Pilot2019 to 2021
Questions
What Subaru Ascent years should you avoid?
The 2019 and 2020 Subaru Ascent draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2019 has 441 complaints (55 for each year on the road) and 2020 has 322 complaints (46 for each year on the road), against a median of 17 a year across the 6 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2019 is dead battery (137 reports).
What are the best years for the Subaru Ascent?
The 2022 and 2023 draw the fewest complaints for their age: 2022 has 55 (11 a year) and 2023 has 45 (11 a year).
What is the most common problem on the Subaru Ascent?
Dead battery, with 237 reports across the 3 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2019 and 2020.
How many recalls does the Subaru Ascent have?
10 recall campaigns cover the Subaru Ascent model years 2019 to 2021 on this site. The widest, 22V-907 on the electrical system, covers 3 model years.
How many Subaru Ascent complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
3% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2021 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for dead battery on the Subaru Ascent?
Yes, on every model year where owners report it.