2020 Subaru Ascent Power Train

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that upon parking on an incline, the gear shifter failed to move out of the park and excessive effort was needed to move the gear shifter. The contact also stated that an abnormal grinding sound was coming from the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer had been notified about the recall and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 5,074. VIN tool confirms parts are not available.

The manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall for the vehicle in a timely manner. Subaru of America has failed to repair after (1) year. The consumer has/will incur costs to make vehicle available during the limited times for CVT recall issues. The consumer has/will incur negative depreciation in resale value of the vehicle due to CVT issues. Subaru of America has not actively made the recall a priority. The vehicle has had (3) oil changes/services at a Subaru dealer since the recall was announced and zero times Subaru has remedy the CVT.

My mother pulled off of Interstate 85 in North Carolina and while preparing to turn of the exit ramp the car lurched forward and then back. The transmission chain had snapped, and it seems similar to what was going on with the 2019 Subaru Ascent. This one is 2020, and had 16000 miles approximately. The vehicle had to be towed.

I was crossing a four lane road going 20mph when there was a loud noise, which sounded like my transmission, then I could not accelerate my car. Thankfully I was able to coast across the road without being hit by another car to a safe parking spot. My check engine light, check transmission, and check eyesight lights all went on. (Later MySubaru only sent me an email saying my engine and eye sight lights were on). I was unable to put my car in reverse but could put it into park. My lights, radio and AC stayed on until I turned my car off. A tow truck came and towed my car to the nearest Subaru dealership (which was not my dealership since I was away on vacation). There are less than 20,000 miles on my car, my transmission failing is unacceptable and thankfully did not happen on a highway which I drive on a lot. The dealership confirmed it is indeed a transmission issue and Subaru agreed to tow it to my dealership near my house.

I stopped at a stoplight, when it turned green I stepped on the gas, the car lurched forward but would not move, engine was running. I was sitting on a 4-lane highway and my car would not move. Warning lights then appeared on my dashboard. Car was towed to a Subaru dealer who replaced the transmission after 5 days.

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 IN GEARS WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES RPMS THEN ONCE ON FLAT ROAD THE VEHICLE TAKES SOME TIME TO CHANGE GEARS. IF I HIT THE GAS PEDAL ONCE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, THE RPMS GO PAST 3.5. SO I WAIT UNTIL THE CAR SWITCHES GEARS BEFORE PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL.

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 NEUTRAL THEN RE-ACCELERATED AFTER 10-15 SECONDS, DRIVING APPROX 30MPH). NARROWLY AVOIDED COLLISION DUE TO SLIPPERY ROAD, DID BRIEFLY ROLL BACKWARDS BEFORE BRAKING. NOT SURE I WILL EVER BE WILLING TO PUT MY KIDS BACK IN THIS NEARLY-NEW VEHICLE.

THE TRANSMISSION OCCASIONALLY SLIPS, RESULTING IN A MOMENTARY RISE IN ENGINE REVS AND A SLIGHT LURCH. I ASSUME THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE KNOWN TRANSMISSION ISSUE FOR EARLIER ASCENTS, BUT MINE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE AFFECTED VIN NUMBER GROUP. OTHER PEOPLE TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME HAVE NOTICED THE ISSUE AND REMARKED ON IT, SO I AM NOT IMAGINING IT! SUBARU HAVE NOT YET DIAGNOSED IT BUT WILL DO SO AT THE NEXT OIL CHANGE. THIS BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN A FEATURE OF THE VEHICLE FROM NEW AND IT HAS NOW DONE ABOUT 12,000 MILES. THE EVENT OCCURS MAYBE ONCE A WEEK OR SO.

FYI: REPORT IS BEING SUBMITTED BY CO-OWNER IN NC. REPORTED INCIDENT OCCURRED IN FLORIDA. AT AROUND 20,000 MILES THE DASHBOARD LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES. AT THE END OF THE COMMUTE TO WORK, APPROX 55 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED RESPONDING TO THE ACCELERATOR AND NO GEAR WOULD ENGAGE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO COAST THE REMAINING 500 METERS TO WORK. CAR WAS TOWED TO SUBARU AND AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA THE TECHNICIANS AND SUBARU OF AMERICA DECIDED IT WAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION FREE OF CHARGE UNDER WARRANTY. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AT TIME OF REPORT. TIME MAY TELL IF THIS IS A MORE WIDESPREAD ISSUE OR SIMPLY A RANDOM OCCURRENCE. *TR

DANGEROUS AUTOMATIC BACK UP BRAKES APPLY WHEN NOT NEEDED WHEN BACKING UP A TRAILER ON INCLINE (DRIVEWAY FOR INSTANCE). THIS CAN ONLY BE DISABLED BY FINDING THE DISABLE BUTTON ON THE VIDEO INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM, AND RE-ENGAGES AS SOON AS THE CAR IS SHIFTED TO DRIVE AS IS OFTEN NECESSARY IN THE BACK AND FORTH OF PARKING A TRAILER.

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 CHANGE AND A NOTICABLE HESITATION IN VEHICLE MOTION.