The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 5 official safety recall campaigns for the 2020 Subaru Ascent in AutoUtility's current federal dataset. The primary affected vehicle systems include Electrical System, Fuel & Propulsion System, Other / Miscellaneous. NHTSA records include 1 campaign carrying an official Park Outside safety advisory.
Key Recall Findings
- • Official Recall Campaigns: 5 campaigns on file with NHTSA
- • Primary Affected Subsystems: Electrical System, Fuel & Propulsion System, Other / Miscellaneous
- • Urgent Safety Advisories: 1 campaign carries urgent Do Not Drive or Park Outside instructions
- • Official Remedy: Detailed per campaign in official NHTSA records below
- • Most Recent NHTSA Report: July 7, 2026
VIN-Specific Notice: Safety recall campaigns apply to specific production date ranges and vehicle identification numbers (VINs). A campaign listing on this model-year page does not establish that every vehicle or trim is affected. Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or with an authorized dealer to verify whether a safety repair is needed.
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Electrical System
NHTSA records also contain 101 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Fuel & Propulsion System
NHTSA records also contain 14 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Other / Miscellaneous
NHTSA records also contain 34 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Powertrain & Transmission
NHTSA records also contain 57 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Vehicle Subsystem 1 campaign
Steering System
NHTSA records also contain 2 consumer complaint filings involving this same system.
View Complaints →
Domain Mapping Methodology: A single NHTSA recall campaign may involve more than one vehicle subsystem (such as electrical wiring affecting fuel delivery), so domain totals can exceed the total number of unique recall campaigns. Complaint and recall counts are grouped by broad vehicle system; component co-occurrence does not establish that an individual owner complaint is related to a specific recall campaign.
NHTSA Campaign #22V907000 Electrical System
⚠️ Park Outside Advisory
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
NHTSA Report Date: December 8, 2022
Safety Defect Summary: 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.
Safety Risk / Consequence: A melting ground terminal increases the risk of a fire.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: 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 the "Off" position. Dealers will replace the PTC heater ground bolts and if necessary, replace the ground wire and the connector holder, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRL-22.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Campaign #26V436000 Other / Miscellaneous
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
NHTSA Report Date: July 7, 2026
Safety Defect Summary: 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."
Safety Risk / Consequence: An incorrect GAWR label may lead to an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: 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 are expected to be mailed August 25, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-26.
NHTSA Campaign #21V955000 Powertrain & Transmission
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
NHTSA Report Date: December 9, 2021
Safety Defect Summary: 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.
Safety Risk / Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: 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 includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Campaign #21V954000 Steering System
Affected Component: STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
NHTSA Report Date: December 9, 2021
Safety Defect Summary: 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.
Safety Risk / Consequence: The tie rods may separate from the housing, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: 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.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Campaign #21V587000 Fuel & Propulsion System
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
NHTSA Report Date: July 29, 2021
Safety Defect Summary: 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.
Safety Risk / Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Authorized Remedy Instructions: 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.
Manufacturer & NHTSA Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Source Data Notice: Campaign summaries, safety consequences, and remedy descriptions are direct text extracts published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation.
Historical Reporting Note: Recall campaign counts are shown by model year and should not be interpreted as a vehicle reliability score. Campaigns may cover multiple model years, and newer model years naturally have had less calendar exposure time for new safety campaigns to be issued.
Safety recall campaigns on this page are associated with this make, model, and model year in NHTSA federal records. A campaign may apply only to certain vehicles based on production date, equipment, manufacturing details, or other campaign-specific criteria.
AutoUtility cannot determine whether a particular VIN is affected or whether a recall remedy has already been completed.
For vehicle-specific recall status, check the 17-digit VIN using NHTSA's official recall lookup or contact an authorized dealer. Campaign-specific remedy information shown above is reproduced from official NHTSA recall records.
Official NHTSA Safety Resources:
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 711)