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 5 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #19

Sep 212020

Ascent

  • 4,500 miles

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

The battery died when my Ascent kept beeping 3 times after I closed the trunk with the remote. It beeps 3 times every 20 seconds in an hour. The battery died

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #18

Sep 062020

Ascent

  • 10,000 miles
Battery has unexpectedly repeatedly drained leaving unable to start. Dealership replaced the battery, and problem still occurs.

- Haslett, MI, USA

problem #17

Sep 042020

Ascent

  • 1,866 miles
Battery keeps going dead. I have ensured nothing is left on and it keeps happening. I only have 1866 miles on the car.

- Bronx, NY, USA

problem #16

Sep 032020

Ascent

  • miles

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

Battery has died twice within the first 12,000 miles without warning.

- Mt Juliet, TN, USA

problem #15

Aug 292020

Ascent

  • 7,200 miles
Twice my 2020 Subaru Ascent's battery has been dead. It has been driven every day for at least 20-30 minutes. Nothing was left on, or open. There is obviously an elecrical issue draining the battery.

- Cumming, GA, USA

problem #14

Aug 292020

Ascent

  • 12,000 miles
My 2020 Subaru Ascent has had a dead battery on more than 3 times, just in the last 2 months. When I went to the dealer on 2 different occasions, they told me that my battery was fine and that if you leave the dome lights, or radio on while the car is stopped, the battery will go dead, even though my car is less than a year old and has just 12000 miles. The first time they said if the lights are left on auto, that will drain the battery. They also told me today when I took it to the dealer, that this happens all the time with the Ascent.

- Cayucos, CA, USA

problem #13

Jul 282020

Ascent

  • 2,000 miles

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

I have owned this vehicle since late May 2020, and I have approximately 2,000 miles on the odometer. On 7/25/20, I started the vehicle and there was no sound at all from the audio system - radio, navigation, voice commands, etc. Were all mute. I rebooted the radio by holding down the power button until it restarted, but this did not fix the issue, despite multiple reboots. I continued to drive my vehicle each day on 7/26 and 7/27, and the audio did not come back. On 7/29/20, I planned to call the dealer to report the issue. When I went to start my vehicle, which is kept in my garage, I discovered that the battery was completely dead. As soon as I tried to start the car, the tailgate began beeping, and then the headlamps flickered randomly for approximately one minute. There is no power at all in the vehicle, and I am unable to lock/unlock the car or open the tailgate, even manually. There were no doors left open, no lights left on - the battery simply died.

- Medway, MA, USA

problem #12

Feb 162020

Ascent

  • 2,000 miles
The car has had a dead battery twice through three months of ownership. The first incident occurred when the car was a month and a half old and the battery was replaced by the dealer. The second incident occurred one month later but battery was recharged instead of replaced. Three months later at a regular service the dealer advised battery capacity was only 75% indicating continued above normal drainage.

- Woodland Hills, CA, USA

problem #11

Jun 162020

Ascent 4-cyl

  • 2,500 miles
Found around 1 inch of water setting under driver's seat of our 2020 Subaru Ascent touring, with only 2500 miles on it, after the car had been sitting for days with rain storms. Wife notices a sloshing sound while she drove it 1 mile and back home. Took it to the dealer and they kept it, but couldn't initially find the leak. The vehicle had a complaint of a water leak prior, with no dealer action. After two weeks of looking, the dealer said it was a missing or poorly installed grommet on the fire wall around the main wiring harness, which allowed water to flow into the passenger compartment. They are attempting to replace the entire carpet and putting in a new wiring harness, which would indicate a potential for mold and electrical issues due to poor grommet installation on the firewall. If this vehicle had not been sitting outside, the issue wouldn't of been found for a long time, causing mold and potential electrical fires in the passenger compartment. Hopefully, this will save lives and keep people healthy, if they check their firewall grommets for poor installation.

- Wilmington, NC, USA

problem #10

Jul 032020

Ascent 4-cyl

  • 400 miles
We purchased a new vehicle and within 400 miles the battery was completely dead. No lights were left on or nor was there any external drain on the battery. The vehicle was stationary and parked in our garage.

- Bozeman, MT, USA

problem #9

Jun 082020

Ascent 4-cyl

  • 4,000 miles

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

Battery has gone dead twice and had to be jumped.

- Ridgefield, WA, USA

problem #8

Apr 032020

Ascent 4-cyl

  • 31 miles
Battery has died three times since owning. Died in garage over night 3 on separate time and no I did not leave the doors open or lights on. I had to jump the car the first time. The second time it was a week later and did the same. I had to purchase a lithium battery jump starter because I didn't have access to another car and to give me peace of mind. The third time was a few days later when I was unloading the car, took groceries into the house and came back to pull car into garage and it was dead. I went to the dealership and they gave me a run around stating I had left the either a door open or lights on.which really ticked me off. Purchased new 3/30/2020.

- Wendell, NC, USA

problem #7

May 092020

Ascent 4-cyl

  • miles
We received our new vehicle on 04/28/2020 - the vehicle sat for several days (5-7) without being used. On 05/09/2020 the battery was dead and the vehicle had to be jumped to start it. Brought the car to the service department, no defects were found in the battery or charging system.

- Hoover, AL, USA

problem #6

May 112020

Ascent 4-cyl

  • 0 miles
In Feb my car battery was dead in morning after sitting in garage turned off and no doors or lights on. I had it jumped and took it to the dealer and they tested battery and it was fine. The second time it happened a week later same scenario I took it in and they tested battery and said it was bad battery. So the dealer replaced it and it and it was fine. The third time now today it has happened again except this time my car was beeping at me like if the unlock key fob button had been hit but doing it every few seconds. So I went and found both key fobs and they weren't being depressed so I tried to unlock door myself with key fob and nothing happened and red light on fob blinked every time I touched it but I wouldn't hear anything happening with car so I tried to click tailgate button and nothing happened. So I then went to turn the car on and realized the battery was dead again. So we jumped it and let it run for twenty minutes and dealer wants us to take it back but they are saying they haven't heard if this issue when I search online it seems like this is a known issue.

- Georgetown, TX, USA

problem #5

Apr 202020

Ascent

  • 6,633 miles
My car failed to start after it had been sitting in my garage for 3 days. Hooked battery up to a portable jumper which read battery amps at 6.7. battery jumped without issue. Took car to dealer who kept the car for 4+days and the dealer could not recreate the problem. Dealer advised me to lock my car doors as that could help turn computers off and not drain battery. Another 2 months went by and my battery needed to be jumped at least 4 more times if it sat and wasn't driven for more then 3 days or if I forgot to lock it. Finally on the morning of 4/20/20 I went out to start the car and the battery was dead yet again. The car had been locked but not driven for 3 days. When hooked up to the portable charger, the amps read 3.6. the check engine light came on and the eye sight system was turned off per instrument panel. Jumped car and took it to dealership. Dealership kept car for 4+ days and informed me that the battery was replaced as it bad. Current mileage on car is 6633.

- Newbury Park, CA, USA

problem #4

Feb 052020

Ascent

  • 1,200 miles
Vehicle eyesight safety system (adapative cruise control), lane departure and anti collision systems deactivated while driving. Vehicle backup camera failed while in reverse.

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #3

Feb 082020

Ascent

  • 1,014 miles
Purchased new 30 Dec 2019. Owned 5+ weeks no issues - drove 07 Feb 2020 no drive-ability issues or warning lights, parked as usual in heated garage at home. Went to start 08 Feb 2020, when start button pushed, no starting but all the vehicle lights (interior and exterior) flashed brightly and rapidly (3-4 times a second) for about 30 seconds then all electrical inoperative (no lights anywhere, no horn, no starlink activation... Subaru road assistance called & they summoned anderson towing (a local towing company); when jumper cable attached to battery immediately all lights came on brightly and a loud electrical arcing noise occurred and it started. If this total electrical failure had happened during vehicle operation it could have result in catastrophic injury and damage. Took vehicle to local Subaru dealership 10 Feb 2020 who checked battery and computer trouble codes and found nothing unusual. How is that possible? it was a total electrical failure - jumping the vehicle reminded me of paramedics successfully applying aed paddles to defibrillate a stopped heart. This situation is similar to other complaints noted for this vehicle. This is a potentially very dangerous issue and needs an immediate remedy.

- Billings, MT, USA

problem #2

Jan 092020

Ascent

  • 1,000 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated after dropping her daughter off at daycare, the contact entered the vehicle, pushed the push to start button, shifted the vehicle into reverse however, the vehicle failed to respond. While the engine was still running, the battery terminals were disconnected and the vehicle turned off. After approximately one minute, the positive and negative battery terminals were reconnected and the vehicle started up independently. Roadside service was contacted and the vehicle was scheduled to be towed hyman bros Subaru, 11960 midlothian turnpike, midlothian, va 23113, (804) 893-8900, to be diagnosed which was still pending. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 1,000.

- Midlothina, VA, USA

problem #1

Oct 192019

Ascent

  • miles
In am tailgate found opened (by itself), battery dead, 3 jump starts over 24hrs battery still not recharging after 6 hrs contin. Operation, now carplay and blutooth microphone not working, many complaints online re this, no manual tailgate opening, and no working battery shut off of tailgate or its light in software

- Grand Island, NY, USA

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