2022 SUBARU Ascent Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

SERVICE BRAKES

8 complaints

While traveling from Texas to Washington state we noticed pulsating/vibrating/shaking front brakes as we were coming down 3 mountain passes. I felt the car was very unsafe as we were unable to brake normally and had many vehicles around us that had to go slower because of this issue. We brought our car in for inspection as soon as we arrived in the Seattle area. They said it was hot spots (warping of rotors). This should not be happening to a new car with 20k miles on it. They did replace our rotor, but upon reading forums online I noticed that there are many issues with the front brakes on my make of car. And the fix by Subaru is not always the same (some people had pads replaced as well, while others had thier rotors turned). According to one online chat they are on their 4th version of brakes. How do I know that I have the latest version so I don't have this issue again. I have tried to get ahold of Subaru directly but they seem reluctant to answer my questions. Hoping you all can help me with finding a solution to what Suabru is doing with this problem.

Jul 10, 2024

Brake making squeaky noise when it's being applied. This happened less than 30,000 miles during April 2023. I went to dealership during a routine oil change and the service tech found nothing wrong. I took it to road trip and it was to the point where the vehicle shakes and everyone else around me could hear it when we apply the brake. I took it to another dealership and the service manager said he has seen several vehicle came in and the caliper sticks to the brake pad, so they had to change the inner brake system as well as the rotor. Well, after changing it in July, it is now November and I am hearing the squeak again so I know it will get worst very soon. It seems like the dealership that changed it knew it was happening to other 2022 Ascent vehicles, too. I scheduled an appointment with my local dealership for 12/6/2023 and I will see what they say.

Nov 23, 2023

The brakes have felt under-designed since purchase and began to chatter when applied shortly after purchase. This progressed to the point where the shaking was felt at every braking and we had several passengers ask "what is wrong with your brakes". The braking became progressively worse to the point we were concerned for our safety and those sharing the road with us. Called dealership and spoke with our service advisor. They said they had no other reports but would take a look. Technician confirmed the rotors were warped and both front rotors were "resurfaced" and "front brake pads adjusted". We have had no problems since the repair. The repair was done at 17608 miles. No warning lights or messages came on.

Aug 14, 2023

Brake rotors are warped around 8000 miles. I purchased a 2020 of same make and model and same problem, brake rotors warped under 10k miles. Subaru dealer employee told me the brakes were under engineered. After going 2 times to dealer, Subaru replaced rotors under warranty. I thought they figured it out since first Subaru Ascent hit market in 2019. I am going to attempt replacement with this 2022 through warranty.

Jul 10, 2023

Brakes are vibrating when on high speed. Same issue with 2020 Ascent. 2022 Ascent rotor needs to be resurfaced at 18k miles. This brake vibration happend even before 18k.

May 05, 2023

+ 3 more complaints for this component

VISIBILITY/WIPER

7 complaints

The front panel of the moonroof cracked from the inside without any impact or clear cause. I brought the vehicle to my local Subaru dealer, Troncalli, for inspection, but they were unable to determine why it happened. I purchased this vehicle for my wife and kids, and now there’s a cracked piece of glass directly above their heads. After doing some research, I found that this appears to be a common issue, often attributed to temperature fluctuations or body flexing. It seems Subaru used the same thin glass on the moonroof panels as they do on their windshields, which seems to be the problem. The vehicle is only three years old, yet Subaru has declined to cover the damage. I am hesitant to pay out of pocket to replace the panel, knowing the issue still exists on newer models, including the 2025s. My concern is that even after repair, it could easily happen again.

Jul 09, 2025

In span of little over a year i have replaced the windshield once and had a repair twice. Insurance already went up due to the claims. Windshield cracks fast and easily!

Mar 05, 2024

Windshield started cracking after a minor pebble strike near the bottom center of the windshield. Crack has doubled in size in less than 10 minutes and continues to grow.

Feb 25, 2024

I own 4 Subarus I’ve replaced 4 windshields and since replacing the windshields, I have 4 broken windshields. The oldest Subaru I own is a 2020. The smallest rock cracks the windshield, many think it’s the eye sight system and a much thinner windshield. Insurance companies increase the rates if you claim the windshield, so many Subaru owners just don’t get them fixed, causing visibility issues. I emailed Subaru of America about the problem and they sent me a $500 dollar coupon for parts? I asked a dealership about it, they said “that’s Arizona”. 5 of the 8 broken windshields broke in Massachusetts where I bought 3 of the 4 Subarus, he avoided the conversation after that. Something’s not right, and Subaru has gotten into trouble with this before.

Jan 02, 2024

With less than 5500 miles on our new Ascent, the windshield has 100s of small chips in it. When contacting Subaru about the issue we were told that's an outside environment issue and not something they could help with. After reading online, it seems the acoustic glass Subaru is using is an inferior product prone to easy damage that no other manufacturers has issues with. We now have 2 cracks forming from these small chips. This is a dangerous issue that impedes visibility with how such little effort it takes to chip or break the front windshield.

Feb 14, 2023

+ 2 more complaints for this component

POWER TRAIN

7 complaints

Transmission slipping when vehicle is cold in the morning, got into a busy street and car wouldnt move due to transmission slipping and almost got into a collision due to transmission slipping and car not moving. I was able to recreate the problem the very next day. My driveway is at an incline, the only movement on car out of my driveway is due to gravity downhill on my driveway. Issue has been present since vehicle was purchased, dealer is never able to recreate the problem. I have a video of the car while transmission is slipping and not moving.

Mar 06, 2025

At approximately 10000 miles the drive train (transmission) developed a shuddering while driving. This occurs at any speed but more frequently at 45-60 MPH. The frequency of this problem has increased with the vehicle which now has 45202 miles. It is now occurring periodically at acceleration from a complete stop. The problem has been reported to the dealer at every service. It was evaluated by the service department for a 4-day period in which they could not duplicate the problem. However, they only drove the vehicle 20.2 miles during this evaluation. It is unknown if this may lead to a safety issue, but it produces a very uncomfortable driving experience and distraction while driving. There is no warning lamp associated with this problem at this time.

Sep 30, 2024

The transmission jerks and slips after accelerating from stops. It causes the car to jitter and not accelerate when necessary while in traffic. After taking it to the service center multiple times, the problem was reproduced with a service technician in the car. The tech had a computer connected to the diagnostic box. The service tech stated that he completed a computer update to correct the issue. The issue is still happening and I've returned the vehicle to the service center at least 3 times since the "computer fix". The issue happens every day during my morning and evening commutes. The manufacturer hasn't inspected the vehicle. There are no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms before, during, or after the issue.

Oct 31, 2023

CVT issues. Shuddering of transmission (acts like it's slipping), either on slight incline or even flat road. Delayed acceleration when needed, feels unsafe if I ever need to avoid a situation by accelerating. At least 2 occurrences when car shut off due to transmission lurching (while driving). This issue has been happening from purchase. The head unit continues to buzz, freeze, and reset itself during carplay (known issue with the software). Have been told an update is coming, but it never does. The concern is navigation disappearing when driving and not returning, making it unsafe to operate vehicle and phone at the same time. This issue has been happening from purchase.

Aug 29, 2023

The car would not move when stopped at a light. I had to call for roadside assistance. They now say the car needs a new transmission. It. Only has 9200 miles.

Aug 29, 2023

+ 2 more complaints for this component

ENGINE

3 complaints

camshaft carrier oil leakage need to be reseal. there was oil leakage at 36,000 miles and dealer fixed it under warranty. now at 80,000 it is doing it again.

May 05, 2025

Stopped car turned car off, smoke started to come from under the hood on right side. Turned car on and “low oil” came on, turned car off and exited car. The smell of oil was noted and a light white colored smoke was continuing to rise from under hood. Proceeded to call dealership for advice

Aug 18, 2024

Engine oil leak at oil pan

Oct 01, 2023

POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2 complaints

I bought the Vehicle new at Subaru of Bristol, TN. At around 23,000 miles it starting lurching forward while idling, jerking and hesitating when trying to accelerate, or not accelerating at all. It was so bad that at one point, I pulled out to pass and almost got rear ended by a semi because it simply wouldn't engage and accelerate. I took it to the Wallace Subaru dealership on [XXX] at 25,578 miles. They drove the vehicle and did a software update and claimed it was fixed. It seemed ok for a couple of days and then started having the same issues again. I took it back to Wallace on [XXX] at 27,248 miles and also engaged Subaru of America. They had the vehicle until [XXX] during which time they replaced the transmission. It seemed ok for a few days and started doing the same thing again. I took it back to the dealership on [XXX] at 29,449. They performed no service because they claimed they couldn't replicate the issue. This past weekend, I almost had another wreck trying to merge from the on-ramp onto the interstate because the car literally just stopped accelerating and jerked for several seconds before engaging again. Cars were literally slamming brakes behind me to keep from hitting me. This car is unsafe to drive and it's either going cause me harm or someone else because Subaru, despite knowing this is a known issue with this model and certainly with this particular car, seems like they need me to have a wreck before they will continue servicing the vehicle and finding and fixing the issue. They need to buy it back for at least what I owe. I certainly don't want to trade it for another Subaru. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Mar 20, 2024

The transmission is slipping and lunges forward, I believe this is the same reason there was a recall for my model car in 2019 & 2020. I have reported this to the car dealership and it will be placed in their service department tomorrow... I was carrying five (5) passengers in the car when it lunged forward and I almost rear ended the car in front of me and was also rear ended because I had to apply my brakes quickly. As stated above I'm hopeful this will be done by the dealership tomorrow. No inspection have been performed but it is scheduled to be done. There were no warnings of any kind other than a few hesitations in the forward motion just before the car lunged quickly forward.

Jul 12, 2022

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 complaints

I was driving on I-20 when a line of cars suddenly slammed on their brakes in front of me. I slammed on my brakes as well but was unable to stop before hitting the car in front of me. The front of the car was very damaged but the car I hit had minimal damage on the bumper only. My 15 year old daughter was in the backseat and had to injuries, I was driving and only suffered a burn from the airbag and a few bruises. We were both able to get out of the car and get safely to the side of the road. Within about 3 minutes the car caught on fire. My concern is that if Subaru is made with crunch zones shouldn’t there be more safety measures in place so that the car does not catch on fire. I feel like there may have been some type of malfunction that took place to cause the fire.

May 22, 2023

Crash: 1

Fire: 1

The panoramic moonroof stopped working and was stuck open, making a grinding sound when trying to close. There were no warning lights or messages prior to the issue. The issue was reviewed by a Subaru dealership, they were able to recreate the issue, and they replaced the parts to fix the issue, covered under warranty.

Sep 04, 2022

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving 30 -35 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped and resumed driving repeatedly. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond as intended, causing the braking distance to be extended. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis and repair were completed. Additionally, the contact stated that the same dealer had previously repaired the brakes under warranty. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact to retrieve the vehicle from the dealer even though the contact had safety concerns. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. The VIN was not available.

Jul 31, 2025

AIR BAGS

1 complaint

I hit a car that went through a red light. Despite hitting him squarely, and my front end bending, the airbags did not deploy

Mar 03, 2025

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

Other/I am not sure

1 complaint

Were in a car accident of a speed of 32 MPH. Were told we would have to get rid of the carseat due to a hard wreck.

Feb 15, 2025

Crash: 1

Injuries: 2

AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

Air Bags did not deploy going at 32 MPH and during a head on front collision.

Feb 15, 2025

Crash: 1

Injuries: 2

AIR BAGS,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint

I was in a front end collision with a deer. Upon impact there was heavy damage to my front end and smoke coming from my engine bay. Within minutes a fire started and only a couple minutes later the entire car was engulfed. No airbags deployed during the accident, there was no collision detected by smartlink and I wasn't even notified of any issues by starlink until the car was completely burnt down and getting doused in water. It is the middle of winter and I couldn't begin to imagine how horrible that would've been had I needed to remove my 3 children from their car seats or if I would've smacked my head and passed out. I was very lucky to walk away unharmed, but many valuables were lost in my car from this.

Jan 09, 2025

Crash: 1

Fire: 1

WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE

1 complaint

2022 Subaru Ascent Limited complained about the tires and brakes to dealership during initial 6K service they said they are fine and sent me on my way. I have taking it in since on 2 or 3 other occasions and same thing. Nothings wrong they checked it drove it and its fine. My wife got rear ended nothing big just replaced the rear bumper and hitch at a certified Subaru collision center. they also did not look over the car since its new they also sent me on my way and I asked for an inspection nothing. I call the dealership a week ago to speak to the service manager so I can get the info for the extended warranty since I am having these issues and its close to 20K miles now and they have not done anything regarding the issue. Waited never sent the info and before I could take it to the dealer ship a few days later I had a blowout. I replaced the tire with the spare but the tire is bald and you cant see it its on the inside there patchy and the brake pads are to small they admitted that they are small for the car and rotors and they would not under a recall but a service bulletin cover the brake pads and resurface the rotors there warped and pulsing its not safe at all. The blow out happened on the sidewall where the bead is where the wheel is mounted just blew. The manager did not offer a vehicle and advised me they had none even with 4 kids I am willing to take any vehicle. I have not received the service and Subaru has not serviced my car as they should and they now claim they have no service records which I provided info and nothing. They want $160 for labor $140 for alignment and $1200 for tires. Its not my fault the service was not done and overlooked I have taken it to that dealership since I purchased it. Called Subaru of America they are dragging there feet the dealership has had my car on the donut since 7/17/24 still waiting on SOA I was told 2 business days and still nothing no vehicle had to get a rental. I do not want the car it is not safe. I almost died

Jul 20, 2024

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint

Ascent randomly hesitates when pulling out into traffic.. both at slow speeds and when attempting to pass on interstate.. has been at dealer service numerous times regarding this , it periodically 'walking' when parked and ranfom inability to get hatch to work. Is currently at a different dealer service as previous dealer was unable to replicate and unwilling to keep vehicle for more than the hour or 2 of service appt. Prev dealer did replace hatch motor over a year ago..but still works randomly..their fix for this is to manually reset everytime.. as for ' walking ' when parked, my ascent will very slowly move 6 to 8 feet when parked..dealer 'fix' is to only park with parking brake on. Hesitation issue is now worse since prev dealer did 'system update'.. now rpm drop to 1000 or lower, then after 3 or 4 seconds, car revs to 3 or 4 k & takes off..during the 3 or 4 seconds of hesitation, I am literally sitting in the middle of the road as the car initially starts to move forward, then literally just sits there until it revs up and takes off. This is random, so no way to record..and no rhym or reason to know when it's going to happen. Last week it nearly got me t boned by an 18 wheeler when I pulled out across 4 lanes after getting fuel. Have contacted Subaru of America requesting their help but have gotten no reply despite my 7 voicemail left for the assigned rep. My car is a 22 ascent touring with 17k miles..has been at same dealer repeatedly for same issues and their repeated reply us "unable to duplicate, so no issue.".. I am on Subaru Ascent page on FB.. There are numerous people complaining of same nasty hesitation issue with no resolution from their dealer service. I bought this car with a 10 yr 100k warranty..fortunately I have not been financially responsible for the numerous service calls, but I am seriously concerned with being a statistic..my car is listed as one of the top 10 safest in a crash, but I don't like feeling like a ' test dummy'

Mar 02, 2024

POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 complaint

I was sitting in a long line of stopped cars. I looked in my mirrors to move to the right lane. I made sure no vehicles were coming. I pressed on the accelerator to move, and nothing happened. In a panic I quickly repeated pressing the accelerator and nothing happened. The third time the car finally moved forward. I was terrified that someone would come along quickly in the right lane a hit my car. I also had a passenger that was speechless about the incident. Now I feel unsafe to drive the car. This has happened one time previously, but I thought it was a fluke. Also, like many other comments the transmission shudders sometimes but not often. I waited to buy a new 2022 Ascent Limited because I read where the transmission issue had been fixed. Mentioned it to the service advisor and he laughed it off.

Dec 28, 2023

LANE DEPARTURE

1 complaint

When driving and lane lines change width the car tried to street across them at highway speeds. Happens regularly.

Jul 31, 2023

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE

1 complaint

This observation/complaint is about a 2022 Subaru Ascent automobile, which I own. When the gas cap is loose, the car's computer disables several safety features, including collision avoidance, lane control, cruise control, reverse-automatic-braking control, all occur suddenly, while driving, after the computer processes the fault. Upon securing the gas cap and ostensibly fixing the problem, the computer MAY continue to disable said safety features for (according to Subaru Service agents) multiple days for as long as 30 days. On 7/2/23, while driving, several warning lights illuminated in the instrument cluster advising of the loss of many safety features. After stopping and reading the owners manual, I inspected and confirmed that the gas cap was properly sealed. That action did not fix the warning lights nor the disablement of safety features. I had 4 start-shutoff cycles in 6.5 hours. Three hundred and fifty miles later, I refueled, and confirmed that the gas cap was installed properly at the conclusion. Nothing changed with the disabled safety features. The following two days, I experienced 5 daily start-shutoffs with no effect on the safety features. The 3rd day, after 2 start-shutoff cycles, and while idling the engine, the warning lights disappeared and the safety features operated properly. Upon visiting a dealership, I was informed that the onboard computer identified a loose gas cap as the problem. Two service advisors told me that this experience is normal and that they have seen it take as long as 30 days for the computer to recognize that the problem was "fixed".

Jul 19, 2023

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

1 complaint

The Automatic liftgate in the rear of the vehicle upon opening, closes suddenly and immediately. I am not touching the key fob or anything. This happened several times and hit me on the head. The dealer has replaced the liftgate motor, but it happened again. This is dangerous and can be harmful to adults or children standing behind a vehicle.

Jul 13, 2023

BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

I was driving slowly through a parking lot. I found a spot to park my car and noticed that there was a curb painted bright yellow so I knew I could not pull through. I started to turn into the parking spot with my foot on the brake when all of a sudden my car was speeding towards the curb and a tree. My foot was on the brake but the car did not stop nor did the forward collision feature work and the air bag did not deploy. The accident has been reported to both my insurance and the auto maker. The car will be inspected tomorrow.

Jun 26, 2023

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

This was our second Subaru Ascent. We traded In our first 2020 ascent for slipping transmission and shaky brakes. Shortly after trading that vehicle in we received a recall for the slipping transmission. This vehicle (2022) started showing the exact same symptoms. We requested Subaru buy back the vehicle they never followed up even though they said they sent us a buy back evaluation email 07/01/2022 which we never received. Case# 220622-173085 We ended up selling the vehicle out of frustration and buying a new Toyota.

Mar 24, 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Ascent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V907000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Feb 09, 2023

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the front driver’s side door opened independently. The door ajar light was illuminated. The contact was able to securely close the door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 300. The contact stated that the failure has now happened a total of 3 times. Each occurrence was a various speeds and weather conditions.

Feb 09, 2023

TIRES

1 complaint

245/50 A20. Side wall ruptured at 55 mph . A pop and tire was flat. No sensor warning. Correct tire pressure. Immediately checked electronic psi reading. All tires ok but red 0 for tire that blew out. I have pictures. Not confirmed by any one yet. That may happen Thursday when I replace all 4 tires. Had 7780 miles on tires. Even tread wear.

Jul 03, 2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 complaint

1. The electrical system/battery failed after only 392 miles. Car could not be jumped. When the cables were put on the battery, the tech said they got real hot (which leads us to believe it was shorting out.) Even though Subaru blamed the battery, the dashboard lights, the horn, and the headlights were all flickering and flashing like a Christmas tree. The car had also just been driven 45 minutes before. Subaru blamed driver error on not shutting the car off properly, but according to a class-action lawsuit, Subaru is aware of this happening with other Subaru vehicles. 2. The car would not start in an unsafe neighborhood after dark. We also experienced a burning smell in our garage for the past few months, which disappeared now that the Subaru has been at the garage for a week. 3. Not confirmed. The Subaru dealership blamed driver error and improper shut off of the ignition. 4. No inspections have been done except by the Subaru dealership. 5. No warning. The car had just been driven for 45 minutes, we parked and came back 45 minutes later and it would not start. At that time, the battery light came on, the car's headlights started to flash, and the dashboard lit up. Looking back, the burning smell in our garage might have been a clue.

May 16, 2022

4.8/5.0

107 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2022 SUBARU Ascent have?

The 2022 SUBARU Ascent currently has 46 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2022 SUBARU Ascent?

The most common problems reported for the 2022 SUBARU Ascent are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2022 SUBARU Ascent problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2022 SUBARU Ascent comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.