2019 Subaru Ascent Powertrain (other) Problems

All the safety systems become disabled and check Engine light goes on because transmission fluid is being pumped Out of a faulty secondary pressure sensor part 31878aa020,( defective and replaced with 31878aa021), into the engines wiring at the car computer, transmission computer, and bulkhead connector in fuse box causing all sorts of engine codes. The setting of the engine code closes all the vehicles driver safety systems and changes the dynamic of the drivers driving experience. As the problem gets worse, it can render the car powerless on roads and highways making operation dangerous. I have my car parked in front of the house with the battery and electrical connectors unplugged. This problem is covered by one or more recalls and safety campaigns, but subaru refuses to fix mine and other peoples that I found on Facebook. Someone online listed a $6500.00 repair estimate. They just had it repossessed instead. This part causes the pressure differences that cause the jerky ride and is specifically alluded to in the recall, plus subaru even changed the part because it was defective.

NHTSA ID

11755268

Incident

Jul 28, 2026

My 2019 Subaru Ascent Limited had a safety recall that was related to a CVT transmission issue. That safety recall was addressed by Sewell Subaru (Dallas, TX) in January of 2025. This past Wednesday, July 29, I was driving on a state highway on my way to work from my residence. Not even two miles away from my residence, I felt a jerk and a loud "thud". That was followed by loss of power in that the vehicle just was rolling, but no power from the gas. I was able to safely maneuver onto a the shoulder and stop the vehicle. Within minutes, I noticed a puddling of a large amount of fluid that I could easily recognize was not oil. The vehicle was towed back to Sewell Subaru this past Saturday and I was notified today that the CVT belt snapped and it caused a hold in the transmission case, which caused the fluid to leak. The service advisor also mentioned that Subaru is not wanting to cover the replacement and that they are citing that the reason is that Subaru records are showing irregular servicing done by a Subaru service center. This issue has nothing to do with routine maintenance, or where I get those, and has everything to do with the catastrophic failure of the very same component that was at the heart of their known safety recall issue.

NHTSA ID

11754594

Incident

Jul 29, 2026

Transmission was recalled and supposedly fixed. The fix has now failed and dealer and Subaru are not willing to fix again.

NHTSA ID

11753077

Incident

Jul 27, 2026

Noticed my car shifting incorrectly since 66,000 miles. At approximately 68,800 miles transmission begin to fail. At a stop sign I pulled out before oncoming traffic with what should have been plenty of time, but transmission failed. It seemed to have had chain slip; completely stopping the car when I was in oncoming traffic. I put the pedal to the floor it caught, and whipped me around the corner. After that it was doing the same thing consistently until I parked it at my residence.

NHTSA ID

11750736

Incident

Jul 1, 2026

We have been dealing with issues with this vehicle since 2024. We had 3 open recalls which we took into the closest dealership to us and things were okay for a few months and then started having issues again. We live in a small town and it is hard to get to the dealership so we had a few local mechanics take a look and one had found that the exhuast recall was not installed properly and so he addressed that issue. Things were then okay for a little bit after that and then we started having bigger issues the car would not exceed 30 MPH in the middle of us driving and then the car would jerk back and forth. After advice from Subaru of America we got it checked out at a dealership who put a part into the vehicle and then we got it back and less than a week later the car was doing the same things. We took it back and they kept the car for 2 weeks but told us they could not duplicate the problem so we got the car back and right away had the same issues when taking it home. The CVT is for sure messing up we believe and now the car does not drive at all. After some back and forth we found out that the 1st owners took it in for the CVT recall so I reached out to the dealership who did that and was told that they did look at it but at the time the CVT was not an issue but the mileage was fairly low at that time. Personally I am not in a place to afford to get it replaced on my own but I do not believe that the recall should have been closed out knowing that the part would eventually go out since it is a known issue on that car I have tried to go back and forth to get this resolved but I am not getting anywhere and I am not sure what to do at this point to try and get the problems address and made right.

NHTSA ID

11722197

Incident

Jul 24, 2024

Component/System Failed: The vehicle’s CVT transmission and related transmission components. The transmission and associated components have been replaced multiple times by authorized Subaru dealerships. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Description of the Failure and Safety Risk: The vehicle has experienced repeated, intermittent transmission malfunctions, including warning lights, loss of power during acceleration, and sudden harsh re-engagement. Most recently, while accelerating through an intersection from a stop, the vehicle briefly lost power and then abruptly surged forward, causing a pronounced lurch strong enough to chirp the tires. This created a serious safety concern. A hesitation or loss of motive power in an active intersection exposes me to potential cross-traffic collisions, while the sudden re-engagement creates unpredictable acceleration and possible loss of control. The intermittent nature of the malfunction makes it impossible to anticipate when it will occur. Dealer/Manufacturer Involvement: The issue has been reported to and inspected by authorized Subaru dealerships multiple times. Because the malfunction is intermittent, dealers have stated they cannot fully diagnose the issue unless warning lights are active at the time of inspection. Subaru corporate customer advocacy has been involved in reviewing the case. Warning Lamps / Prior Symptoms: Intermittent transmission and check engine warning lights have appeared repeatedly over several months. The lights often illuminate while driving and then turn off after restarting the vehicle, despite the underlying issue not being resolved.

NHTSA ID

11719891

Incident

Feb 21, 2026

Over the past few months the transmission has started randomly refusing to engage. When entering the expressway, you will press the accelerator, and the engine will rev and the vehicle will not accelerate at all. Then you let off the accelerator, let the engine RPM drop back down to idle, and press again and it will accelerate. This has happened 3 times in 2 months. Subaru is refusing to replace the transmission because their tech cannot personally reproduce the problem on demand, even though they have voluntarily extended the warranty on this model transmission due to slippage issues. They are instead going to change the transmission fluid, which has less than 1/2 the mileage for a typical fluid service, to mask the issue, risking the safety of passengers.

NHTSA ID

11702574

Incident

Nov 20, 2025

While driving on the highway, my vehicle suddenly lost the ability to accelerate—this is the second time this has happened, with the first incident occurring in June 2022. Each time I bring the car to the dealership, I’m told that because the issue cannot be recreated on the spot, despite codes that are warranted for the QMR to be done they’re unable to inspect or apply the WRK-21 procedure to replace the transmission under warranty. Despite this, my car consistently slips during normal driving conditions. It shudders and surges unpredictably while accelerating in traffic, creating an extremely unsafe situation. Most recently, I was driving with my children when the car failed to accelerate as I attempted to merge across four lanes of highway traffic. I had to coast until I could safely pull over. On other occasions, the vehicle has jolted forward unexpectedly, nearly causing collisions and forcing me to slam on the brakes. This issue is not only recurring—it is dangerous. I am requesting that it be taken seriously and addressed appropriately under warranty.

NHTSA ID

11674836

Incident

Jun 25, 2025

I purchased the car brand new in 2019. Shortly after purchasing, the transmission started having hesitation and slipping. I took the car back to the Subaru, and they replaced the transmission under warranty. Unfortunately, they replaced it with another full transmission, and very shortly there after, they had to replace it again. Unfortunately, they replaced it with another faulty transmission and now it is at 150,000 miles and needs another transmission. No one offered me to buy back my car with a second transmission replacement. I was told I was trying to scam a new transmission from Subaru. For this third transmission, I had it verified by an independent shop. I have placed a complaint with Subaru and ask them to buy back my vehicle and I have been told it’s unlikely to happen. I am worried about what will happen when the transmission goes out while I’m driving 70 miles an hour down the highway. This is a pattern in the warrants consumer protection. Many other car companies have stopped. Trying to make this CVT because it kept having problems..

NHTSA ID

11661510

Incident

May 1, 2023

When trying to maintain highway speeds (65 to 70 MPH) and driving in mountainous terrain of Pennsylvania, Maryland, or New York, the vehicle will shudder as if it is loosing power. The vehicle will rapidly loose speed. No warning code is issued. The only way to solve issue is depress the pedal to increase the RPMs. Took vehicle to dealer and reported that it felt as if the CVT chain was slipping. They said they could not recreate and there was no code.

NHTSA ID

11651625

Incident

Jan 10, 2025

Transmission belt broke while driving resulting in a catastrophic failure.

NHTSA ID

11645838

Incident

Feb 28, 2025

Yes, inspect it. Bought 2019 Subaru Ascent from Carvana, March of 2022. 5 months later, the transmission started to low screech and hard shift. I took it to Osteen Subaru dealership. They test drove it, then reprogrammed transmission. Same day while leaving their parking lot, hard shifted and slighty screeched yet again, reprogrammed again. On my way home that day, did it again, problem persisted. Called and told them, asked them about replacing transmission, was told I had to go on waiting list because recall was released yet. Started getting even worse by November 2022. They ended up keeping it for 2 and a half months. Got it back in January 2023. Was told the problem was torque converter lockout. Subaru Company began to have recalls on their CVT Transmission & still refused mine. My VIN # was/and is included in the lawsuit for the extended warranty, & I was still under the manufactures warranty for Drivetrain when this first happened. The last I took it to the dealer I went to a dealer and hr away, was told they wont touch. Subaru of America told me they won't fix either because was out of warranty @100467miles. I explained I went to the dealership several times under 100k miles as it states my mileage on the Service invoices she was looking at on her screen. I have papers being in their shop still under man. warranty. They still refuse. My car is part of the lawsuit about transmission & still won't fix their recalled transmission. This vehicle has been to dealer 4 times since built with this same issue and not fixed. The service manager at dealership named Joe, told me the screeching is normal. It was not doing that when I first bought. It's my only transportation and still making payments on it. Subaru refuses to rectify their recall problem. I have kids & unsafe SUV. The car was great then without cause transmission stops working. Subaru of America won't help or take responsibility. Highly disappointed in the brand

NHTSA ID

11636416

Incident

Aug 19, 2022

The CVT experienced a catastrophic failure, later identified as "the chain" by a Subaru dealer mechanic. The night before the incident, the transmission "slipped" and made a metallic clunking noise when merging onto a highway. On the day of the incident, the transmission failed completely after turning onto a roadway from a stop sign. No forward or reverse power was available. Had the transmission failed the night before while merging onto a highway, with little ability to pull out of the roadway, we certainly would have been in danger. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer and the transmission failure confirmed. The transmission "stuttered" for several months previously while accelerating, though not consistently.

NHTSA ID

11620833

Incident

Oct 13, 2024

Purchase the car two weeks ago the first night on the way home it was acting up just like it did when I test drove it and was told by the BMW dealership Aristocrat Motors in Topeka Kansas that they would fix anything that was wrong with it. On the way home I realized I didn't think it would make it back the 60 miles so I took it to Olathe Subaru they informed me that it had had transmission problems reported by the previous owners but their technician couldn't get it to do it again so the people just traded it in instead and then I got the car without them getting the transmission fixed or whatever was wrong. They are actually waiting on Subaru of America to respond to tell them what needs to be done to the car and in the process I have been two weeks with little information of what's going on. I feel the recall should have been done and the car is still a good car it just needs to be repaired correctly. Thank you for your response I look forward to hearing from you please help.

NHTSA ID

11610583

Incident

Aug 13, 2024

While driving on a road with a lot of hills our car sudden lost all engine power but all of the lights and engine were still on. We pulled over but kept the car on and it seem to resume power. Then about 1/8 of a mile later it happened again. We shut the car off completely for 5 minutes and turned it back on and we were able to drive it normally for another mile. It then happened three more times on our way to a safe spot to pull over. The fifth time it happened all warning lights on the dashboard turned on (see picture). The speed in which it happened varied. It is important to note that we brought it in for service on 8/8 for a standard interval service at a Subaru dealership and have brought our car in multiple times to address issues with the transmission.

NHTSA ID

11609206

Incident

Aug 18, 2024

2019 Subaru Ascent was taken to mechanic due to jolting between 1000RPM and 1500RPM. Car was not throwing any code. Mechanics then did other test and it was determined the transmission is failing. Car only has 70,000 miles on it. Also, when car is started at times, there is a very prominent cloud of smoke that comes from the exhaust.

NHTSA ID

11554715

Incident

Nov 3, 2023

The right front wheel was making an airplane type noise. Upon taking it to Belle Tire in Gaylord, MI, they confirmed it was a defective bearing When the mechanic pulled the wheel off, the CV Shaft pulled apart. It had to be replaced. I have a picture and invoice.

NHTSA ID

11539812

Incident

Aug 15, 2023

Vehicle has completed all transmission recalls. Until recently, Subaru continued to say that the issues I was experience with loss of power or glitchy shifting could not be duplicated. After the vehicle exceeded it's warranty coverage, they were suddenly able to duplicate the problem and say that the CVT was causing my problems, that reprogramming failed and that the vehicle needs a new transmission. These issues have persisted before and after the recalls related to the CVT and have cause two near accidents as I pulled out into traffic only to have the car not shift/accelerate as expected. I no longer allow my teenagers to drive the vehicle due to this safety concern. I firmly believe the prior recalls were not effective in resolving the issues with the CVT and/or that Subaru said no damage to the chain was visible and checked the recall as done without actually doing anything more than reprogramming. I believe the issues should be looked into further and coverage for the CVT should be extended beyond the initial reprogramming provided by the recall.

NHTSA ID

11539632

Incident

Jul 13, 2023

I have been asking Subaru to fix the transmission for 2 years now. It seems like it’s going to stall between 20-25 mph and 45-50 mph. There is a torque converter shutter but I’m told that the car is fine. Subaru corporate has 2 case files for this issue now.

NHTSA ID

11538566

Incident

Aug 10, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted after 30 minutes. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the transmission was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

NHTSA ID

11531652

Incident

Jul 3, 2023

Mileage

42,000 mi

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a local dealer to be serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V907000 (Electrical System). The contact was made aware that the VIN was also included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train); however, the mechanic was unable to complete the recall repair because the vehicle had a Salvage Title. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.

NHTSA ID

11518757

Incident

Apr 20, 2023

Mileage

20,000 mi

On speeds of about 70+, both on cruise control and off, car jerks for about 5-10 seconds when accelerating on steep hills. It also happens after the car has been driving for more than 1hr or so. Fuel consumption is about 19-20mpg regardless of highway only driving contrary to advertised

NHTSA ID

11502524

Incident

Dec 31, 2022

As I am going up a hill I will be pushing on the gas and the engine will rev up loudly and the rpm will increase but the vehicle speed won’t increase or it decreases as I’m trying to accelerate. This is dangerous because the people behind me are expecting me to be speeding up to go up the hill but my vehicle will be slowing down and won’t let me increase speed. It has been to the dealer multiple times and they say they can’t find nothing wrong. We drove the mechanic around and it did the exact same thing I explained and he still said they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. I know this isn’t normal because when we first bought it, it did not drive like this. I’ve also had multiple people tell me they are experiencing the same exact issues. This has been going on for about a year now. It also has been doing a few other things as well.

NHTSA ID

11501696

Incident

Jan 9, 2023

Vehicle has experienced total loss of power while driving under normal circumstances. This has occurred in a drive-thru, at 45 and 50mph, and also twice during 70mph highway driving. The entire vehicle shuts down and multiple dash board lights illuminate at the time of power loss. I first documented this on 4/7/22 and it randomly occurs every month, once it even happened twice in the same day. I had called the dealership (where I purchased the vehicle and have it serviced) multiple times throughout the spring and summer awaiting parts for the TCM recall with the assumption that this could be the issue. However , my vehicle passed the recall and even after the new TCM was placed on 8/19, I again had the same event on 10/1. Vehicle was taken in on 10/6 for diagnostics on this issue again and nothing found. I do not feel like the dealership has been accurately documenting my issues so I will need to be more persistent in getting someone to address the problem as this could be a serious safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11488247

Incident

Oct 1, 2022

My Subaru Ascent stopped dead while I accelerated to go on the interstate. All the idiot lights came on. The steering stopped working, the gas acceleration stopped working and my Subaru Ascent 2019 died in the middle of the interstate. I had to pay $150 for a tow to the nearest Subaru dealership, even though I was 65 miles from my home. It would have cost $450 to be towed to my local dealership. The dealership wouldn’t tell me if this was covered by warranty because they didn’t know. I was at about 65,000 miles and my original warranty had ended. In the end, Subaru replaced my transmission but never gave me a loaner. Subaru also kept saying it would be done soon, but took a week. In the mean time I had to find a way to work, and pay the tow bill. Now, my Subaru Ascent is feeling like it did before, such as hesitation when stepping on the gas. I believe Subaru put in a transmission that was the previous recalled one. I also believe that Subaru lied to me about putting in a brand new transmission. I have tried to make a service appointment for the recall and problems with the transmission, but there are no appointments available. I stopped looking when I got to the bookings that were a year out. No warning lamps before this, just hesitation when stepping on the gas pedal.

NHTSA ID

11482318

Incident

Mar 18, 2022