2020 Subaru Ascent Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 316 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2020 Subaru Ascent overview page.
What owners report
“LOSS OF POWER (INTERMITTENT) WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT LOWER SPEED AND OCCASIONALLY DURING ACCELERATION. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN GOING UP A HILL THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DROPS…”NHTSA complaint 11386456 — filed 01/04/2021
“2800 MILES ON VEHICLE. TODAY LOST POWER TWICE GOING UP STEEP HILL (ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS STILL INTACT, WAS ACCELERATING UPHILL AND WAS SIMILAR TO SHIFTING INTO…”NHTSA complaint 11383191 — filed 12/13/2020
“CVT BEGAN SLIPPING INTERMITTENTLY AROUND 28000 MILES. THIS USUALLY OCCURS IN THE 55-65 MPH RANGE AT 2000-3000 RPM. SLIPPING IS INDICATED BY APPROXIMATELY 300 RPM…”NHTSA complaint 11378130 — filed 12/06/2020
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2020 Subaru Ascent have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2020 Subaru Ascent: 54 of 316 complaints on file (17.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2020 Subaru Ascent have in total?
316 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 6 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, 5 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
