2021 Subaru Ascent problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (18) · Visibility/Wiper (15) · Electrical System (12)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Subaru Ascent model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
20 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (2)
Equipment:other:labels 2026-07-07 · campaign 26V436000 · 541,237 vehicles
Defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid, 2025-2026 Forester Hybrid, Forester, and 2019-2026 Ascent vehicles. These vehicles were manufactured with an incorrect Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 110, "Tire selection and rims."
Risk: An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will mail a new certification label to owners, free of charge. Owners may also choose to have a dealer install the new label, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 27, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.
Electrical System:wiring:interior/Under Dash 2022-12-08 · campaign 22V907000 · 271,694 vehicles ⚠ PARK OUTSIDE
Defect: 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 m
Service bulletins (384)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-10-05 · SubaruNet Announcement (M · Other
this announcement provides information on a new software update for the midtronics dss and dca machines.
Engine 2026-09-29 · 09-141-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides a diagnostic procedure for customer concerns about hesitation, reduced acceleration, or lack of power when driving uphill or under heavy engine load.
Electrical System 2026-09-29 · 07-244-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides a repair procedure for increased dark current and unintended battery discharge that occurs in a small number of unique cases.
Power Train 2026-09-28 · SubaruNet Announcement (T · Other
this announcement provides information on an enhancement of the techshare cvt diagnostic assitance application.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-18 · 13-109-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-15 · SubaruNet Announcement (C · Other
this announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
Showing the 6 most recent of 384 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-24 · Power Train“trying to turn onto the street from a parking lot the vehicle wasn't accelerating as expected and i wasn't able to turn as expected. i am taking the car in soon to be diagnosed with an issue. …”
2026-10-14 · Visibility/Wiper“i purchased a new 2021 subaru ascent in xxx. in xxx, at about 36,000 miles, i discovered water leaking into the cabin through the panoramic moonroof during rain and brought it to lynnes subaru ([xxx]) immediately. through repeat visits and recurrences, lynnes failed to diagnose it, blaming clogged drains. in fall 2025 they identified it, with help …”
2026-08-31 · Unknown Or Other“after my husband replaced the 12v battery in my 2021 subaru ascent touring ($90,000, fully paid off), apple carplay stopped connecting via usb entirely. android auto and bluetooth continued working fine on the same phone, cable, and port, proving the defect was isolated to subaru's carplay system, not my device. i spent significant time and money …”
2026-08-28 · Power Train“my local subaru dealership / service provider has told me my car needs a new transmission at 66k miles, due to an issue within the cvt solenoid causing slipping and lag that will eventually lead to catastrophic failure of the transmission - per the subaru of america service tree. this issue began on july 23, 2026, when a slew of warning lights illu…”
2026-07-29 · Power Train“my 2021 subaru ascent (40,000 miles) suffered multiple major mechanical failures that pose ongoing safety concerns: 1. engine oil leak: the vehicle developed an active engine oil leak at 20,000 miles, posing a risk of fluid contacting hot exhaust/engine components under the hood or causing low oil levels during operation. repair time more than 35 d…”
2026-07-24 · Power Train · 101,541 mi“the contact owns a 2021 subaru ascent. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to stall, and the transmission failed to properly operate. the vehicle was pulled over to a nearby shop and was advised to take the vehicle back to the facility that performed the oil changes. several days later, the contact's h…”
2026-07-11 · Engine“oil leaking from upper and lower oil pan. oil seeping from head gasket and cvt chain pump cover. rtv sealant failure. $4800 to repair. subaru needs to solve these oil leak issues. leaking oil is bad for the environment and engine failure could cause accidents and injury. …”
2026-06-25 · Service Brakes“on may 14, 2026, while driving a 2021 subaru ascent (approx. 94,291 miles) on a texas expressway at highway speed during rush hour, i experienced a sudden and significant loss of engine power. there were no warning lights, no safety system activation, and no advance indication of the failure. the vehicle decelerated abruptly with traffic behind it.…”
2026-04-17 · Power Train“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 cr…”
2026-04-13 · Power Train“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…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.