10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
3,756 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2020 Subaru Ascent electrical problems

electrical problem

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2020 Subaru Ascent Owner Comments (Page 3 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #59

May 152021

Ascent 4-cyl

  • 1,600 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My car continues to not start after periods of non use. 2020 Subaru Ascent cannot jump car battery on our own.... rather we have to rely on roadside assistance and their battery jumping tools. Car has been at dealer 2 times for repair for the issue. And will be needing to be serviced again this week. For the 1st repair... car was unstartable and disabled to the point of having to be towed on a flat bed. Dealer replaced the main fuse blown. I was unable to lock car while waiting for service putting inside of car and contents at risk. Was without car for a week. For the 2nd repair.... car was able to be jumped by roadside and we drove the car for service at the dealer. Dealer replaced the battery same day. A week ago... I got stranded in a parking lot at closing time at dusk. Now... now I'm stuck at home unable to start vehicle.... with a doctor's appointment first thing in the morning. Roadside has jumped my car 6 to 7 times since I started my lease. Car has @2,100 miles on it. Looks like this is an issue for other owners when googled and no permanent fix is being offered. This makes the car unreliable and creates potential for unsafe environment for me the driver and my passengers which includes youth under the age of 18. Plus... this is 10+ interactions for exposure to covid in public.

- Copley, OH, USA

problem #58

Aug 262020

Ascent

  • 10,000 miles
The car experienced battery drain within one year of ownership, requiring replacement. The first sign of a problem was the absence of sound from the stereo while the car was operating. The very next morning the car did not power on, with replacement of the battery resolving all issues. The car is kept locked and powered off in a garage at all times.

- Chapel Hill, NC, USA

problem #57

Apr 262021

Ascent

  • 18,000 miles
The vehicle started beeping while it was off and sitting in the carport. Upon further inspection, the beeping was coming from the rear lift gate. We tried to unlock the car with the fob, but it would not unlock leading us to assume the battery was dead. We used the key hidden inside the fob and opened the car door and attempted to start the car, but it did not work. We were able to jump the car off and the beeping stopped. We took the car to the Subaru dealership where they inspected the battery and replaced it with a new one because the current one was "bad". of note, the battery had just been replaced 2 months prior during a routine inspection that revealed another "bad" battery. I have owned the car since Oct 2019 and this is the third battery that I have had in the car.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #56

Apr 182021

Ascent

  • 15,555 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

After being parked in the garage for several days the car failed to start. Upon inspection found the battery completely dead. Nothing had been left on that would have drained the battery, and have had no previous issues. Made several attempts to charge the battery, and the battery continues to fail to hold charge. Contacted dealer service department and Subaru of America. We are in the process of replacing the battery so we will be able to get the car to the dealership for diagnosis of the issues. Travel time to the dealerships are between 1 1/2-2 hours.

- Lewis, IN, USA

problem #55

Apr 172021

Ascent

  • 15,000 miles
15000 miles and battery completely dead and left me stranded. Vehicle was parked overnight and would not turn on. Had to get towed to dealership

- Boerne, TX, USA

problem #54

Apr 052021

Ascent

  • 12,000 miles
I am doing short haul driving and my battery drains and eventually goes dead. I do a longer drive when I experience slow engine turnover which indicates a drained battery.

- Rocklin, CA, USA

problem #53

Apr 152021

Ascent

  • 8,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The battery in our 2020 Subaru Ascent discharged completely on 4/15/21 requiring a jump charge. Subaru told us that with modern vehicle electronics, there is continous electrical draw even the vehicle is off, thus frequnt driving is necessary to keep the battery charged. We drive our vehicle regularly and are careful that no accessories are left on. We are fortunate that the battery discharged in our garage.

- Orrington, ME, USA

problem #52

Mar 302021

Ascent

  • 13,000 miles
The battery on my 2020 Ascent dies unexpectantly and frequently. It's happened six times since I bought it. Three times on each of the batteries it's had. Periodically the car just won't start.

- Sound Beach, NY, USA

problem #51

Apr 162021

Ascent

  • 11,000 miles
I started having issues when trying to turn the car on - it would appear the battery was dead despite no reason for it to be. This happened multiple times for a week. I brought my car in to see what the issue was and the auto repair shop said the battery was bad and needs to be replaced. The vehicle is barely a year old with only 11,000 miles on it.

- Lake Charles, LA, USA

problem #50

Mar 312021

Ascent

  • 10,593 miles
Battery goes dead after sitting a few days. It has died twice in 2 weeks. Have to carry a emergency jump system dealer replaced battery

- Salem, WI, USA

problem #49

Apr 062021

Ascent

  • 9,700 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The audio died two days prior to the entire car dying completely. We charged the battery, and most of the car began working except for a few random electrical areas. Seems to be a short somewhere. I have under 10,000 miles and a dead battery... highly problematic.

- Granville, OH, USA

problem #48

Mar 282021

Ascent

  • 3,228 miles
Battery is completely discharging. I make sure I'm driving it regularly because I'm aware that a car left sitting can discharge a battery.

- Wilmington, OH, USA

problem #47

Aug 262020

Ascent

  • 5,491 miles
Defective electrical system causing the battery to drain prematurely

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #46

Mar 052021

Ascent

  • 8,300 miles
Tried starting my car on March 5 and would not start. Tried to jump start but it did not work. Had it towed to the dealer and was told battery is dead. Dealer could not explain why battery died. Dealer replaced old battery with the same oem battery. This is a temporary fix and I told them I'm not confident this will not happen again.

- Bowie, MD, USA

problem #45

Nov 012020

Ascent

  • 6,000 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that twice upon leaving the liftgate open for approximately 20 minutes, the vehicle failed to start-up after multiple attempts. The interior lights also failed to operate as needed. The first time the contact jump started the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to jump start after the second failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to Suburban Subaru (14 hartford turnpike, vernon, ct 06066) where the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. A second appointment scheduled with the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

- Glastonbury, CT, USA

problem #44

Aug 152019

Ascent

  • 10,000 miles
Battery dead 7 times (beginning fall of 2020) or drained too low to properly use vehicle causing all doors to lock (issue when stranded in non-populated area with child in car) or hatch unable to close. All items in vehicle are off. Appears to be electrical in nature and possibly related to in going Subaru power-gate hatch issues. Have also had hatch open on own stationary & low speed. Often left stranded. Hard pulsating and grind on brakes at low to moderate speed causing car to pull and feel like not going to stop in motion on curved road, highway, city street. Started within year (Aug 2020) of owning after 1st service at dealer for routine oil change. Dealer says nothing wrong at all. Subaru refuses to acknowledge issues even though other owners are experiencing same. Told by Subaru lame excuses like not driving enough, shut everything off, do not use electronics so much, etc. Car jumped 7 times so far. Took to dealer 3 times (9/29 brakes, 12/9/20 & 1/2/21 for battery and brakes) so far and dealer even had to charge battery (1/21)! unknown drain from somewhere. Every time happens have to have tail gate reprogrammed or not able to open.

- Scotia, NY, USA

problem #43

Feb 122021

Ascent

  • 18,100 miles
The battery is dying prematurely this is the second time.I took it in the first time and they told me it was a bad battery now it happened to me again the morning of my trip I had to remove the battery of my other car and install it to go in my trip once I got to my destination I parked it and removed the ground cable because I didn't want to stay stranded I will call Subaru today and see what they tell me.

- Dinuba, CA, USA

problem #42

Feb 132021

Ascent

  • 7,300 miles
Vehicle has been starting normally with no problems since purchase. Parked vehicle in garage on 2/12/2021 at 6:30pm. While starting the vehicle the next morning (2/13/2021) at 8:30am, it started slowly. Drove for 20 minutes and turned vehicle off. Attempted to restart vehicle 15 minutes later and it would not start (just buzzed). Called aaa for a jump start. Was informed the battery was at 10.2V and there was no problem with the alternator. Jump start was successful.

- Winchester, CA, USA

problem #41

Feb 082021

Ascent

  • 10,785 miles
My battery has failed multiple times. The first time after driving for a short distance and parking and using accessory mode X 10 min. The second after sitting in my driveway for two days. At that point, I was told that there was a "faulty cell" in my original batter and the battery was replaced. The third time after having the rear gate and doors open for approximately 30 min to vacuum the car. The forth after driving a short distance to the grocery store and waiting with the car in accessory mode for approximately 10 minutes for my groceries to be brought out. This last time it was below freezing outdoors. I was fortunate enough to be near a store and not have my two young children in the car. I had chosen to do grocery pick-up to reduce my pandemic risk, however, I had to wait inside the store for someone to come and jump my battery.

- Bellingham, WA, USA

problem #40

Jan 272021

Ascent

  • 3,000 miles
The vehicle's battery constantly dies despite getting a new battery installed, even after the vehicle has been recently driven and everything was turned off when parked in the garage.

- Decatur, GA, USA

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