Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

14 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
1

Most reports here involve fire. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

fire 1
A recent report: I hit a deer on CA 395 north, my braking system worked and my air bags deployed, and then my engine immediately caught fire. I’m lucky i was able to get out of the car through a back door. Every…
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I hit a deer on CA 395 north, my braking system worked and my air bags deployed, and then my engine immediately caught fire. I’m lucky i was able to get out of the car through a back door. Every police and fire who responded said they have never seen a car catch fire after hitting a deer and i should report a vehicle malfunction

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11706345 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
2

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 1software faults 1
A recent report: The car will spontaneously brake for no reason while driving forward and reverse. The steering wheel will spontaneously steer you out of the lane. The doors will lock while you are in the car and you…
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The car will spontaneously brake for no reason while driving forward and reverse. The steering wheel will spontaneously steer you out of the lane. The doors will lock while you are in the car and you can't get out for about 30 seconds. The deck door will come down on you unexpectedly while loading items. It has hit us in the head or makes us twist our back to lift it up. The stereo system has a mind if it's own. The eye site goes on and off for no reason. These safety issues concern us. We have had it in the service department three times and they can't duplicate the problem. They have had it since June 6th and drove it 30 miles in 20 days. I don't think they drove it long enough to duplicate the problem. It usually happens after about 15/20 minutes of driving. Typically that is about how long before the brakes will spontaneously brake.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11746812 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Minor
1

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: Traveling in my 2025 Subaru Ascent with cruise control set at 50mph. Bright sunny day, no shadows on the road and no vehicles in front of me. My vehicle slammed on the brakes out of nowhere. Held…
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Traveling in my 2025 Subaru Ascent with cruise control set at 50mph. Bright sunny day, no shadows on the road and no vehicles in front of me. My vehicle slammed on the brakes out of nowhere. Held deceleration about 5-7 seconds and then resumed cruising speed. The road I was on is generally busy. I got very lucky there was no one behind me or I would have been rear ended.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11746540 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
2

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 2
A recent report: 2025 Subaru Ascent has a popping noise randomly usually when turning left. Dealership services can not find the source.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11752548 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Minor
1

Most reports here involve airbags deploying unexpectedly.

airbags deploying unexpectedly 1
A recent report: Was getting out the car the door shut car door and side curtain on drivers side and drivers seats airbag deployed. My children were in the car no injuries during event. But, could have depending on…
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Was getting out the car the door shut car door and side curtain on drivers side and drivers seats airbag deployed. My children were in the car no injuries during event. But, could have depending on when the airbags would have deployed if not then. Please inspect. Had manufacturer come inspect and was denied repair. No lamps or messaged reported. (Nothing was in the door way when door was shut)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11757402 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
7

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 7
A recent report: The window pillars on the passenger side deformed on exposure to sunlight reflected from our house windows; in less than 6 months of ownership! We are the original owners and took possession in June…
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The window pillars on the passenger side deformed on exposure to sunlight reflected from our house windows; in less than 6 months of ownership! We are the original owners and took possession in June 2025. Both the local Subaru dealer and Subaru USA have been involved. Subaru USA Case number is: 251230 - 1500232. Subaru will NOT cover this despite us having owned a Subaru DL, a Subaru Forester, and a Hyundai Tucson all parked in the same driveway, same manner (backed in), and owned for a minimum of 5 years by us as second owners for all 3 cars AND zero issues with any body pieces. There were no warnings, either at time of purchase or prior to us filing a request for relief with Subaru in December 2025.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11735425 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 14 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2025 and 2026, roughly 10 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.