82 complaints reported

2020 Subaru Ascent Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
82
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2021

THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 9000 MILES. THE BATTERY JUST DIED AND IT IS NOT HOLDING A CHARGE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2020
Dec 2020

I HAVE ABOUT 1600MI AND HAVE HAD TO JUMPSTART THE ASCENT 5 TIMES. THE DEALER SAYS EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT, BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH STARTING THE CAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2020
Dec 2020

MY SUBARU ASCENT 2020 IS JUST 4 MOS OLD AND IS CURRENLTY AT 6KMILES ODOMETER READING. SPEAKER SYSTEM STOPEED WORKING TWICE ALREADY. AMPLIFIER GETTING HOT EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS NOT USED. LAST NIGHT THE CAR WONT START AND AND ALL THE LIGHT INSIDE AND OUT JUST FLICKERED FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN DIED. HAD TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO HAVE IT JUMP STARTED. SO YEAH A 4 MONTH IKD CAR WITH BATTERY AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES ALREADY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2020
Dec 2020

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. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2020
Nov 2020

BATTERY DRAIN. PARKED CAR WILL NOT START EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERY IS LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD. IT APPEARS THE OEM BATTERY IS UNDERSIZED OR THERE ARE ELECTRICAL BATTERY DRAINS WHEN PARKED. SECOND TIME IN TWO WEEKS THAT CAR WILL NOT START.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2020
Oct 2020

I PURCHASED MY 2020 SUBARU ASCENT LIMITED IN OCTOBER OF 2019 AND HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL DISCHARGES OF MY BATTERY FROM THE LIFTGATE BEING OPEN THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, POSSIBLY FROM POCKET-ACTIVATION OF MY KEY FOB. LUCKILY FOR ME, THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ONLY IN MY GARAGE, THUS FAR. I HAVE SEEN IN SEVERAL FORUMS RELATED TO SUBARU OUTBACKS AND ASCENTS THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND NOBODY, INCLUDING ME, SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN ANY SATISFACTORY ANSWERS FROM ANY OF THE SUBARU REPRESENTATIVES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2020
Oct 2020

CAR WOULD NOT START, WAS DEAD, IT WAS IN THE GARAGE, AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL TO ROLL IT OUT. HAD TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY JUMPED THE CAR AFTER GETTING IT OUT OF THE GARAGE AND WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2020
Oct 2020

THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR. THE BATTERY DRAINS OVERNIGHT WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED. THE KEY FOB IS MIN 30FEET AWAY FROM THE CAR. THE BATTERY HAS DRAINED THREE TIMES IN THE PAST 7 MONTHS AND RENDERS THE CAR USELESS WHEN YOU NEED IT. I HAVE MADE SURE THAT THE LIGHTS ARE OFF AND NOTHING IS LEFT SWITCHED ON AND STILL THE BATTERY DRAINS. THERE ARE SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM 2020 SUBARU ASCENT OWNERS AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU CAN INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE FUTHER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2020
Oct 2020

2 EPISODES OF DISABLED 2020 SUBARU ASCENT TOURING IN 4 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT NEW. CURRENTLY ONLY HAS 3600 MILES ON IT. 1. CAR WOULD NOT START FROM STATIONARY POSITION BECAUSE BOTH MY ELECTRONIC KEY FOBS WERE IN THE CAR AT THE SAME TIME. TOWED TO DEALER. THEY FOUND MY 'MISSING' KEY FOB. 2. BATTERY DIED WHILE STATIONARY, WAITING AT VET 25 MIN., LISTENING TO RADIO WHILE CAR WAS OTHERWISE 'OFF'. ONLY IT DID NOT DIE A CLEAN DEATH BUT CONTINUED A ZOMBIE EXISTENCE: A/C CAME ON AND OFF AT FULL SPEED, ARBITRARILY; ACTUALLY COULD NOT SHUT DOWN THE CAR KEPT ACTING ELECTRICALLY CRAZY WITH VARIOUS LIGHTS ON DASH COMING ON AND OFF; 3. COULD WORK THE POWER WINDOWS WHILE THE BATTERY WAS 'DEAD' , WINDOWS WOULD GO DOWN BUT ONLY CAME PARTWAY BACK UP; FOR SOME 40 MINUTES WE HEARD A BEEP IN A MORSE CODE SORT OF IRREGULAR MANNER FROM INTERIOR REAR ASPECT OF CAR; DASH WOULD CLICK FROM TIME ARBITRARILY, SOUNDED LIKE THE CLICK HEARD DURING CRUISE CONTROL WHEN APPROACHING A VEHICLE AHEAD, THE 'ADAPTABLE' FEATURE, OR PERHAPS THE CLICK HEARD WHEN SWITCHING FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM LIGHTS. I DON'T FEEL I CAN RELY ON THIS CAR NOT DYING. VERY UPSET, AND VERY DISAPPOINTING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2020
Sep 2020

THE TAILGATE WAS LEFT OPEN FOR APPROX 45 AND THE BATTERY DRAINED TO THE POINT WE COULD NO LONGER START THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2020
Sep 2020

THE AUDIO FOR ALL FUNCTIONS AND RADIO STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS WORKING, PARKED IT FOR 1.5 HOURS IN GARAGE, STARTED VEHICLE AND NO AUDIO. STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR STILL NO AUDIO. FOLLOWED MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS TO RESET THE AUDIO/NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND STILL NO AUDIO. LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT AND IT STILL DOESN'T HAVE ANY AUDIO. TRYING TO GET AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2020
Sep 2020

AFTER DRIVING CAR, PARKED TO GO INTO A STORE. WHEN I RETURNED BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH BATTERY. CAR HAS ABOUT 3,400 MILES ON IT. NOTHING HAS BEEN LEFT ON FOR EXTENDED PERIODS WITH ENGINE OFF. BEEPING COMING FROM REAR AREA BY LIFT GATE. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY CHARGED BATTERY AND I DROPPED CAR OFF AT CAR DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. I HAVE SEEN OTHER ASCENT OWNERS HAVING SAME ISSUES. THETE ARE CLASS ACTION SUITS FOR THIS ISSUE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH ENGINE OFF WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2020
Sep 2020

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

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2020
Sep 2020

TURNED CAR OFF AND ELECTRIC COOLING FAN CONTINUED TO RUN. DIDNT THINK MUCH OFF IT, MAYBE COOL DOWN PHASE. NEXT TIME WENT TO START CAR, BATTERY DEAD. WHEN CHARGING ON RAPID CHARGER, WHEN VOLTS GOT HIGH ENOUGH FAN RAN AGAIN. THEN WAS ABLE TO START. CHARGED BATTERY. SAT FOR FEW DAYS AND DEAD AGAIN. TECHNICIAN AT SUBARU SAYS BATTERY IS CHARGED AND FINE AFTER MY WIFE DROVE 2 HOURS TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO INSPECT, AFTER JUMPING IT TO GO GET WARRANTY COVERED BATTERY. INTENT SEARCH SHOWS OTHERS HAVING ISSUES WITH BATTERIES. ABOUT HAD IT WITH SUBARU AND THE ISSUES. 35K FOR A "RELIABLE " CAR.I COULD UNDERSTAND IF THIS WAS ONE OFF BUT IT'S NOT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2020
Sep 2020

TL* 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.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2020
Aug 2020

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.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2020
Jul 2020

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.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2020
Jul 2020

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.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2020
Jun 2020

BATTERY HAS GONE DEAD TWICE AND HAD TO BE JUMPED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2020
Jun 2020

BATTERY HAS UNEXPECTEDLY REPEATEDLY DRAINED LEAVING UNABLE TO START. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BATTERY, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2020
May 2020

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. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2020
Apr 2020

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.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2020
Apr 2020

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON A TRIP, MY 2020 ASCENT SUDDENLY LOST ALL AUDIO FROM THE INFOTAINMENT AND GPS SYSTEM. THEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. NO SYSTEMS WERE LEFT ON AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, SO THE CAUSE OF THE DEAD BATTERY AND THE LOSS OF AUDIO IS A MYSTERY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Apr 2020

BATTERY KEEPS GOING DEAD. I HAVE ENSURED NOTHING IS LEFT ON AND IT KEEPS HAPPENING. I ONLY HAVE 1866 MILES ON THE CAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2020
Apr 2020

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.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2020 SUBARU ASCENT, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2020

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Quick Summary

The 2020 Subaru Ascent has 82 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.