Subaru · Ascent · 2023
3
Recalls
37
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2023 Subaru Ascent has 3 recalls and 37 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: service brakes (6 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
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Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
17.0% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Ascent vehicles equipped with 20-inch wheels. The internal tire bead may have been damaged during the wheel mounting process.
Remedy Status
Dealers will replace all four tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 6, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Ascent vehicles. The left or right front lower control arm may have an improperly tightened ball joint castle nut which can result in retention pin failure and separation of the ball joint from the lower control arm.
Remedy Status
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the lower control arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 30, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRJ-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
Remedy Status
Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.
In 2024, 2025, and 2026, I have had 2 incidents in each year where the cruise control is set to 60 to 65 mph and the cruise control then accelerates the car past 100 mph. When this occurs, tapping the break does NOT disengage the cruise control. All 6 times I have had to slam the breaks to a full dead stop while the car tries to accelerate anyway. April 4, 2026 and April 14, 2026 are the most recent occurrences and all occurrences so far for this issue have been during a downhill road incline. The dealer has dismissed the problem every time and has been unable to fix or reproduce the problem on demand. The random frequency of this problem can easily lead to a significant accident for the driver or others in the vicinity. And the lack of resolution from the Subaru dealer has lead me to report the issue here in hopes that if this is occurring for other vehicles that the company takes an actual resolution to solve the issue in their cruise control function.
I was entering an intersection to make a left-hand turn. I was driving at a low speed. My foot was pressing the accelerator and the car entered the intersection. In the middle of the intersection, the car wheels suddenly stopped turning. There was nothing in front of the car. Cars behind me began honking since my car stopped suddenly and unexpectedly while I saw a notice displayed on the car messaging, but I do not know what it said. I am unsure if the car engine turned off or not, but I remember turning on my hazard lights, putting the car in park and pressing the start button. I was able to drive out of the intersection to a safe location and turned off the car engine. I restarted the car and drove immediately to the dealer where I purchased the car from for them to evaluate it. It is currently being submitted for diagnostics at the car dealer. I told them I would make this safety report while I waited.
When crossing a bridge at 40 mph with wide open lanes and shoulders the vehicle on cruise control suddenly braked aggressively and came to a full stop in the middle of a state highway bridge. Conditions were daylight, headed towards sun, no shadows on bridge. The road surface was smooth asphalt. There were shoulders as wide as the active lanes. There was no warning and very little time for a driver reaction. This type of vehicle behavior will most certainly cause rear end collisions.
Incident Description – Event 1 On August 28, 2025, at approximately 4:45 p.m. while driving on Sugar Ridge Road, my 2023 Subaru Ascent suddenly jerked violently into the left lane without warning while the EyeSight Driver Assist system was active. I had to take immediate corrective action to maintain control and avoid a head-on collision. This behavior has occurred on multiple occasions under similar circumstances. My husband has also experienced the same issue while driving, which demonstrates this is not an isolated event. Incident Description – Event 2 On multiple other occasions, while the EyeSight Driver Assist system was engaged, the vehicle veered dangerously close to a semi-truck traveling beside us. I had to react instantly to prevent sideswiping the truck, which could have resulted in a severe accident. We have noticed this behavior occurs nearly every time we are alongside a semi-truck on the highway.
The windshield on the 2023 is extremely susceptible to cracking easily. Chips turn to cracks within minutes
I am filing a formal complaint against Subaru of America regarding a safety defect in my 2023 Subaru Ascent (VIN: [XXX] ) and their failure to honor warranty and recall obligations. Subaru issued recall TSB 06-92-24 to address front brake vibration by replacing rotors and pads with upgraded parts. My vehicle received this repair in September 2024. Less than 9,000 miles later, the exact same symptoms returned—steering wheel shaking and brake pulsation. In April 2025, Subaru resurfaced the upgraded rotors instead of replacing them, violating their own TSB, which prohibits unnecessary resurfacing and mandates rotor replacement if runout exceeds 0.05 mm. An independent inspection dated April 9, 2025, confirmed: Left front rotor measures 29.0 mm with 0.5 mm runout (10x Subaru’s limit) Right front rotor also measures 29.0 mm Subaru’s dealership claimed the rotors were 30.09 mm and 29.50 mm—inaccurate and misleading Subaru returned the vehicle in an unsafe condition with documented brake system defects. Their customer service insists the vehicle is “operating as designed,” despite clear evidence to the contrary. I am requesting regulatory review and a full buyback or enforcement of proper warranty compliance. Photos, inspection documents, and invoices are available. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Formal Complaint Summary (VIN: [XXX] ) I am submitting this formal complaint concerning a 2023 Subaru Ascent Onyx Edition Limited (VIN: [XXX] ), which continues to experience brake-related safety defects despite recall repairs and repeated service attempts during the warranty period. Subaru of America issued Service Bulletin 06-92-24 in July 2024, which extended warranty coverage and acknowledged systemic issues with front brake components—specifically brake pulsation, squealing, pedal softness, and vibration. Subaru developed new components and repair protocols to address these issues, including new rotors, tie bars, pad kits, and a revised installation process. In September 2024, I brought the vehicle to CMA’s Subaru of Winchester after experiencing symptoms covered under the recall. Subaru replaced all required recall components. However, the defect returned in March 2025, while driving from Indianapolis to Winchester, now worse than before—resulting in violent steering wheel vibration, loud grinding noises, and unsafe braking behavior, particularly during downhill braking. Instead of replacing the parts again, Subaru resurfaced the upgraded rotors—despite the bulletin’s warnings against doing so. This resurfacing served as a temporary patch, not a true fix, and failed to resolve the underlying safety issue. I have made 21 lease payments totaling $13,707.96 and paid a $6,000 down payment, totaling $19,707.96 in out-of-pocket costs. Subaru has offered only a $2,500 goodwill payment, which I rejected. Relief Requested: I am requesting a full reimbursement with buy back under Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Investigation to the reoccurring break issues despite being serviced for a recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The warning lights on the car flashed and the car shut down. I was on the highway. I called 911 and they told me to quickly and safely exit the car. Less than a minute later, the engine combusted and the car was engulfed in flames.
The passenger-side mirror on my Ascent has been damaged and removed since March 2025. I paid for the part on April 8, 2025 and was told it would arrive in a few weeks. As of July 1, 2025, the part has been delayed until August. The mirror is critical for visibility and safe operation. My wife drives this car daily with our infant. Subaru has refused to provide a rental, and the car is unsafe. I’ve contacted Subaru Corporate with no resolution, despite my continued persistence in contacting them through visits to their dealership in Plano, TX and several emails.
2023 Subaru Ascent Touring. Front windshield easily cracked from minor rock strikes 3 times within 20 months. Replacement with Subarus OEM glasses twice already within 3 months. Now a new crack needs repair or potential replacement. Defective windshield that cannot withhold minor impact is clearly serious safety concern, increased stress on owner and burden on insurance, and impact to vehicle structural integrity for repeated replacements, and depreciation of vehicle value.
Unusual wear on tires - 7/32 at 8000 miles, 5/32 at 15000 miles, advised to replace all tires at 15000 miles. Existing recall WRH-23 covering vehicles manufactured between Dec 2022 and Jan 2023. My vehicle shows manufacturing date of March 2023 but I believe may be part of the same issue. See below Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is initiating a new safety recall and stop sale for certain 2023 model year Ascent vehicles equipped with 20-inch wheels. Description of the Defect and Safety Risk The vehicles included in this recall/stop sale may be equipped with tires that were damaged during the wheel mounting and assembly process. A misaligned bead guide arm on the tire mounting equipment may have caused excessive stress on the tire bead during mounting, possibly causing damage to the internal structure of the tire. Internal damage to the tire bead may lead to structural failure of the tire and rapid tire deflation, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy For all potentially affected vehicles, Subaru retailers will remove and replace all four tires with new ones at no cost to the customer. All removed tires should be rendered unusable and be disposed of according to local regulations. Affected Vehicles A total of 4,409 U.S. Subaru Ascent vehicles will be affected by this recall, as listed below: 2023 Ascent (w/20” wheels) December 1, 2022 – January 5, 2023 Not all vehicles in the production date range listed above are affected by this recall. Coverage must be confirmed by using the Vehicle Coverage Inquiry function on subarunet.com prior to repair. This information is now available
unknown defects in some vehicles that could cause sudden and unintended acceleration without driver input Yes, our safety was at risk. The vehicle was clearly not in our control. A police report was generated. The car plowed through the garage no control to brake The damages are being inspected by insurance. There were no waring lights that I could see
There was a SUDDEN and UNINTENDED acceleration without the driver input while braking to park going approximately 1 - 2 MPH. Our safety was at risk. The vehicle was not in our control. A police report was generated. Rather than stopping we crashed into the apartment building causing significant damage to both the apartment and our vehicle. There were no warnings, no automatic braking to avoid the collision, the air bags did not deploy. The total damages are still being determined by the dealer and insurance company.
Windshield is delicate and very easily chipped. Windshield has three different chips from 4000 miles of paved road driving. Small chips have quickly spread into long cracks across the windshield.
On May 12, 2024 I placed my vehicle in Park. As I exited, it rolled back. The door knocked me down and the car rolled over my left leg, injuring my lower leg, ankle, and foot. Problem has not been reproduced. Vehicle has not been inspected. I phoned the dealer, who denied any knowledge of the problem.
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that the Eyesight system was intermittently inoperable. A message indicating that the Eyesight function was disabled was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that the Eyesight icon turned from green to white with a line across. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure could not be replicated. The dealer advised the contact to keep records of occurrences of the failure. The contact followed the dealer's instructions. The contact stated that upon following up with the dealer, the dealer informed the contact that the regional field engineer had been notified of the failure and advised that there was no remedy to correct the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
The auto brakes are not accurate because it triggers them in unsafe situations.
Brakes have been replaced once and serviced once afterwards. The vehicle now needs the brakes serviced again. This will be the third time taking the vehicle in for this problem. I am unsure if the vehicle is safe to drive. The only trip I am now planning is back to the dealership to have the brakes done. Again.
Tire blew out at 70 mph on interstate with no warning and no debris on roadway. (245/50R20). Police officer aided us after we changed the spare to re-enter interstate safely due to high traffic speed. Beginning of a road trip so bought a new tire when we found a town & shop disposed of destroyed tire though we do have a photo. Heavy traffic and difficult to get to shoulder safely as vehicle began fishtailing as we maneuvered onto the gravel shoulder. Extremely frightening. Had to put spare on next to cars flying by just next to the rear passenger tire that blew. Vehicle only 3 months old and with less than 10k miles.
Right around the 10,000 mile mark I started noticing a shake when braking. I was pretty concerned about this as the car only has the mentioned 10,000 miles. I took it to the dealership where I bought the car. They were able to fix the problem by replacing the rotors and break pads. I was informed that the rotors were warped and had hot spots. The vehicle no longer shakes when braking, but I’m worried that it will happen again in another 10k miles. It may be an issue with the size of the brakes compared to the weight of the vehicle. This causes the rotors to heat up more than intended which leads to warping and hot spots.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2023 Subaru Ascent has 3 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 37 owner-reported complaints for the 2023 Subaru Ascent.
The 2023 Subaru Ascent received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2023 Subaru Ascent are service brakes (6 reports), visibility/wiper (6 reports), unknown or other (6 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 3 recalls on record for the 2023 Subaru Ascent. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.