AutoUtility currently tracks 100 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2021 Subaru Ascent. Powertrain & Transmission issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 18 complaints (18% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 3 filings cite a crash, 1 cites a fire, 3 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
18 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
17 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
17 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
17 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
4 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"My 2021 Subaru Ascent (40,000 miles) suffered multiple major mechanical failures that pose ongoing safety concerns: 1. Engine Oil Leak: The vehicle developed an active engine oil leak at 20,000 miles, posing a risk of fluid contacting hot exhaust/engine components under the hood or causing low oil..."
"The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to stall, and the transmission failed to properly operate. The vehicle was pulled over to a nearby shop and was advised to take the vehicle back to the facility that performed..."
"Oil leaking from upper and lower oil pan. Oil seeping from head gasket and CVT chain pump cover. RTV sealant failure. $4800 to repair. Subaru needs to solve these oil leak issues. Leaking oil is bad for the environment and engine failure could cause accidents and injury."
"On May 14, 2026, while driving a 2021 Subaru Ascent (approx. 94,291 miles) on a Texas expressway at highway speed during rush hour, I experienced a sudden and significant loss of engine power. There were no warning lights, no safety system activation, and no advance indication of the failure. The..."
"I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2021 Subaru Ascent that I purchased new from Herb Gordon Subaru in Maryland. The incident occurred while driving on I-95 at approximately 75 mph with my family, including children, in the vehicle. The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete powertrain..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2019–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Subaru Ascent | 439 | 10 | 9 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Subaru Ascent | 319 | 6 | 5 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Subaru Ascent Current Page | 100 | 3 | 2 | Current |
| 2022 Subaru Ascent | 55 | 6 | 2 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Subaru Ascent | 43 | 4 | 4 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Subaru Ascent | 48 | 2 | 1 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Subaru Ascent | 14 | 1 | 1 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Subaru Ascent | 0 | 0 | 1 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 36 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane Departure Warning NHTSA category: LANE DEPARTURE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TETHER, LOWER ANCHOR (ON CAR SEAT OR VEHICLE) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Subaru Ascent
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2021 Subaru Ascent is Powertrain & Transmission, appearing in 18 records (18% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Electrical System (17) and Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (17).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 100 consumer defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns for the 2021 Subaru Ascent.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Subaru Ascent, 3 filings cite a crash, 1 cite smoke or fire, and 3 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.