2022 Subaru Ascent Problems and Complaints

Another day, another new mid-size SUV. The Subaru Ascent, a relatively new entrant to this segment, has been receiving mixed responses from both reviewers and owners. Unlike the Subaru cars we know, and love, the new ones unfortunately don’t feel all that solid and durable. Complaints ranging from minor software glitches to life-threatening safety compromises have been lodged against this SUV in a short time. With the new model year launched at base MSRPs of around $32,295, the 2022 Subaru Ascent would be competing against the likes of segment favorites like the 2022 Ford Explorer, the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, and the 2022 Honda Pilot. Is it worth taking a look at? Well, that’s up for some discussion.

2022 Subaru Ascent User Complaints and Problems

The Subaru Ascent is a relatively new model and has received a lot of complaints from the owners with official numbers topping out at 295 for the  2019 moel year. All said, we cannot help but praise Subaru for doing their thing right in bringing down the number this quickly, something which well-established competitors could not accomplish with even longer running times with their mid-sized SUV models. That said, the Subaru Ascent, just like any other vehicle is not devoid of problems and hiccups are to be still expected.

Listed below are the most commonly known issues of the 2022Subaru Ascent and their implications on the ownership experience.

Mechanical Complaints

• Engine: Random engine stalls, “check engine” warning lamps, and thick gray smoke from the tailpipe with a sudden loss of power are the most common powertrain complaints that have been registered against the initial batches of Subaru Ascent as per the NHTSA. Most of these issues were later said to have been caused by a faulty low-pressure fuel lift pump in the fuel tank, which was replaced for free under the recall 20V2018000 initiated by the automaker in 2018. At least 2 engine replacements have been recorded against these problems, with one reported crash.

• Transmission: The CVT has always been an Achilles heel for Subaru and the situation is no different with the Ascent SUV. Owners have complained about the car stuttering and transmission inducing unintended raise in engine RPMs. This issue was brought to the automakers' notice and several batches were under separate recalls for faulty TCU software (21V995000) in 2021 and improper hydraulic setting (19V855000) in 2019.

• Service brakes: Premature warping of front rotors has been another common occurrence in the 2019 and 2020 model years of the Subaru Ascent. Squeaking noise and juddering on braking are said to be the main symptoms of this issue. Rotor replacement, as told, is the only viable fix to this issue. No crashes were reported against this complaint.

Electric System Complaints

• Battery: Quick and premature drain of battery is another common fault found on the initial batches of the Subaru Ascent. Though most of the instances are all varied, leaving the tailgate/hatch open for long times is mentioned as one of the main reasons for this quick battery discharge. The dealerships were unable to trace the root cause of this issue as there was nothing wrong with the wiring harness in use. A customer who got a battery replacement complained about the same issue recurring with the new unit as well.

Structural Complaints

• Windshield/rear glass: The windshield, specifically on the 2019 to 2021 model years of the Subaru Ascent SUVs is said to crack without notice. This, as recorded by the NHTSA, is one of the most common structural faults in the SUV. This issue is still common with this SUV and the uneven stresses by the pillars on the glass corners have been assumed to be the reason behind this issue.
• Vibrating hood-Not as common as some issues mentioned here, but owners have been complaining about the hood coming loose and vibrating at higher speeds. If detached, it could hit or cover the windshield, affecting forward visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Improper bonding of the sheet from the factory is said to be the cause of this problem.

Safety Complaints

• Airbags: Many owners have complaints about the airbags on the Subaru Ascent failing to deploy in the event of a crash. Though the dealership was aware of the faulty passenger-side airbag sensor and complaints regarding them, no further notifications were released on this issue. Multiple crashes and injuries were reported against this problem.

• Lane departure system: The lane departure system on the Ascent is said to be over-intrusive and pulls the SUV to one side of the lane abruptly without any indication. The driver has to constantly tug the steering to regain control of the vehicle and the risk of a crash is extremely high as stated. No official stamen or software updates were provided by the automaker for this. No crashes were reported in this case thankfully.

• Forward collision avoidance system: This collision avoidance system is said to malfunction in certain Subaru Ascent SUVs and has resulted in at least 4 officially recognized crashes. No faults with the system were found at the dealership level and statements on this from the automaker's end are unavailable as well.

2022 Subaru Ascent Recalls

Since the Subaru Ascent has been a new entrant to the market, it has accumulated a decent number of recalls since its launch year. Even though the 2022 Ascent has not officially recorded any recalls, this generation has almost 8 recalls on its name in total. Since the numbers have not been showing a falling trend, we expect additional recalls in the future as seen from many new launches from the brand.

The 2022 Subaru Ascent places itself in a good position as far as performance goes for the current year, recording zero recalls to this date. Also, going by the numbers from last year the Ascent still records zero while the 2022 Ford Explorer gets 4, the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse gets 2 and the 2022 Honda Pilot gets 3. This really helps the Subaru Ascent to stand out as one of the best-built SUVs here given that it has been in the market shorter than any other midsize SUVs mentioned here.

Which Subaru Ascent model year should you avoid?

The Subaru Ascent, being one of the newest vehicles in the mid-size SUV market, has unsurprisingly brought with it a concerning list of niggles that every buyer has been coming across. If we were to recommend, we would highly suggest that you avoid the 2019 and the 2020 model years of this vehicle which incidentally has clocked in almost 300 officially recognized complaints.

Should you buy a used Subaru Ascent?

The Subaru Ascent is a mid-size 3 seater SUV for families that like a bit of adventurism on their vehicles. However, being a relatively new player in the segment, it has garnered a lot of complaints from owners that have troubled the overall ownership experience in its initial years. That said, a lot has changed since then and Subaru has been able to cut down the number of niggles significantly as suggested by the most recent official NHTSA figures. So, as a used purchase, we say that you wait it out till a 2021 or newer model year gets listed at a nice deal just to be on the safe side. Going for anything older is just not recommended at this point in time.

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