2020 Subaru Ascent
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2020 Subaru Ascent is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 50 on record.
2020 Subaru Ascent at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2020 Subaru Ascent recalls 5
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."
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 co…
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.
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 th…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Ascent vehicles. 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 torque is applied.
Fix: 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. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-21.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Fix: 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. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall i…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fix: 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. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2020 Subaru Ascent common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 322 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2020 Subaru Ascent safety ratings
Rollover risk: 17.0% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2020 Subaru Ascent SUV AWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2020 Subaru Ascent MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov.
What's a 2020 Subaru Ascent worth?
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2020 Subaru Ascent costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2020 Subaru Ascent — ranges cover the 3 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 530
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 530.
This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines.
Bulletin SubaruNet Announcement (M · Electrical System · Oct 2026This Bulletin provides a diagnostic procedure for customer concerns about hesitation, reduced acceleration, or lack of power when driving uphill or under heavy engine load.
Bulletin 09-141-26 · Electrical System, Engine · Sep 2026This Bulletin provides a repair procedure for increased dark current and unintended battery discharge that occurs in a small number of unique cases.
Bulletin 07-244-26 · Electrical System · Sep 2026This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application.
Bulletin SubaruNet Announcement (T · Power Train, Electrical System · Sep 2026This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles.
Bulletin 13-109-26 · Sep 2026This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and adjustments.
Bulletin SubaruNet Announcement (C · Sep 2026This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Bulletin 15-333-25R · Electrical System · Sep 2026In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed models and model years to (8) eight years / 150,000 miles to cover certain qualifying…
Bulletin 15-322-25R · Electrical System · Sep 2026This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Bulletin 15-304-22R · Electrical System · Sep 2026This bulletin provides additional examples, diagnostics tips and installation tips as helpful aids to be used when working with sunroof seals and sunroof frame assemblies on Ascent models. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
Bulletin 12-258-25R · Electrical System · Sep 2026Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the ASCENT AWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 5
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2020 Subaru Ascent. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Label
Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label lists an incorrect gross axle weight rating (GAWR). This could lead you to overload the vehicle, which could cause poor handling or a tire failure. Note: For the Forester model, this recall affects both gas and hybrid models. For the Crosstrek model, only the Crosstrek Hybrid model is affected. Safety Risk: Poor handling or a tir…
Transport Canada #2026329 · Jul 2026Label
Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safet…
Transport Canada #2024546 · Aug 2024Electrical
Issue: On certain vehicles, the bolt for the ground terminal on the auxiliary heater may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the ground terminal and nearby parts could overheat and melt. Safety Risk: Wiring that overheats and melts could create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Subaru will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealers…
Transport Canada #2022703 · Dec 2022Powertrain
Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem in the transmission control unit (TCU) may cause the drive chain to slip or break. If this happens while the vehicle is in motion, there could be a loss of power to the wheels. Safety Risk: A loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Subaru will notify owners by mail and instruct you to tak…
Transport Canada #2021745 · Dec 2021Steering
Issue: On certain vehicles, the mounting holes for the tie rod ends were not manufactured correctly. As a result, the front tie rods may not fit properly. This could lead to damage during assembly and servicing. Over time, parts that do not fit correctly could separate and cause a loss of steering control. Safety Risk: A loss of steering control could create the risk of a crash…
Transport Canada #2021746 · Dec 2021Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Subaru Ascent
The Subaru Ascent is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by Subaru. In some markets, it is sold as the Subaru Evoltis. It is the largest automobile Subaru manufactures. The seven or eight-seat passenger SUV, with the design based on the VIZIV-7 concept, made its debut at the LA Auto Show on November 28, 2017, and became available in the third quarter of 2018. It has an American-built predecessor, the Tribeca. The Ascent is not available in Japan.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
2020 Subaru Ascent trims & engines on record
2020 Subaru Ascent vehicles on record
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI+H/K4S4WMARD8L3445966
2020 Subaru Ascent Premium 8+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI4S4WMAED7L3435354
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited 8+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI+H/K4S4WMALD7L3471631
2020 Subaru Ascent Premium 7+ES+KA4S4WMAFD5L3417613
2020 Subaru Ascent Premium 7+ES+KA4S4WMAFD0L3427644
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited 7+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI+H/K4S4WMAPD2L3436845
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI+H/K4S4WMARD0L3453186
2020 Subaru Ascent Touring+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI+H/K4S4WMARD7L3437745
2020 Subaru Ascent Premium 8+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI4S4WMAED7L3436780
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited 8+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI+H/K4S4WMALDXL3438493
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited 8+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI+H/K4S4WMALD6L3405670
2020 Subaru Ascent Limited 8+ES+KA+M/R+NAVI+H/K4S4WMALD1L3439144
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMARD7M3424947
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMAPDXL3451741
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMARD6M3433994
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMAPDXL3471780
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMAPD7L3453298
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMARD7L3459275
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMAFD0L3446856
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMARDXL3471646
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMALD8L3458757
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMAFD2L3469605
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMAAD6L3469582
2020 Subaru Ascent4S4WMAFD2L3477753