2020 Subaru Ascent problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2020 Subaru Ascent has 322 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 1 of 3 Subaru Ascent model years by complaint volume. That is the highest of any year in the run — the 2023 car has 45. 5 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2020 a good year for the Subaru Ascent?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2020 draws 7 times the complaints of the 2023. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2020 sits near the top of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 45 | 4 |
| 2022 | 55 | 2 |
| 2020 ← this page | 322 | 5 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 3 of the nameplate’s model years. 2021 is absent, which means no records came back for it — not that it was clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2020 accounts for 76% of every complaint filed against the Subaru Ascent in this retrieval, which works out to 53.7 complaints per year on the road across the 6 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Which recalls cover the 2020?
Power Train
A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Free remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced.
Steering
Due to an incorrect tapered hole in the housing, the front tie rod ends may not fit properly. The improper fit can result in the tie rods and housings being deformed during assembly and service replacement if excessive…
Free remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right front tie rod ends and housings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 7, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Fuel System, Gasoline
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Free remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Subaru dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2020 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Subaru Ascent?
Across every Subaru Ascent year, not the 2020 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Electrical System — 105 reports
- Power Train — 72 reports
- Visibility/Wiper — 58 reports
- Unknown or Other — 54 reports
If your 2020 is doing something now, these are the guides for that system — each opens with whether it is safe to keep driving:
Which other Subaru Ascent years should you compare?
2022 Subaru Ascent → · All Subaru Ascent years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Subaru Ascent page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2020 before you commit
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