Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2021 Subaru Ascent submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
The lane assist failed by over correcting while I have my hands on the steering wheel. It over corrects to the center lane when you are driving with normal behavior. This can cause a collision if it were to over correct while a car was there, this is also easily reproducible in my car.
I have a 2021 Subaru Ascent that falls under an extended warranty regarding the windshield due to a faulty windshield. My windshield has cracked, reduce visibility, and does not allow the forward collision warning to work properly. Subaru recognizes the faulty windshield and refuses to remedy the issue. I question the safety and integrity of this windshield to protect from normal road debris strikes, allow normal visibility, and the integrity of the lamination of the from windshield in the event of a collision.
I was driving along with no traffic in front of me and no oncoming traffic when the automatic braking system engaged with no vehicles in front of me, this was at 7:42 AM on Monday August 12, 2024. This was not the first time it had done this, but the first time I had the time and no traffic anywhere around to confuse the system. My concern is that if another car was following too closely they would have hit me since there was no reason for the emergency breaking system to engage.
The driver was driving into a parking lot preparing to park, when the vehicle accelerated and started going forward at a higher speed. The vehicle struck a parked vehicle, then travelled across the parking lot, over curbs, a grass median, landscaping, and struck a rock building at a high rate of speed, causing a partial collapse of the wall. The vehicle is available for inspection through the insurance company. No analysis of data was done and nothing was inspected. There were no symptoms of the problem beforehand. The vehicle has automatic emergency braking, but it evidently didn't operate. It is unknown if this was caused by driver error in accelerating and never braking.
Vehicle drifts on the highway and pulls hard to the left, which is a very concerning safety issue. I have already taken the vehicle to the dealer; they did a calibration of the eyesight. The problem still persists, especially when driving the vehicle on the highway. This has almost pulled me into traffic on a few occasions!
Vehicle wanders on the highway and pulls hard to the left, which is a very concerning safety issue. I have already taken the vehicle to the dealer, did an alignment and took it back a month later because the issue persisted. The problem persist, specially when driving the vehicle on the highway. I am really concern about my family safety and the safety of others in the road.
Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance, Eye Sight, RAB, some ! Symbol, and check engine light are all on and not working. You know everything that makes a Subaru. This is not the first or even second time. We are on the fourth instance of this happening. We live 2+ hrs away from the closest dealers. The first few times it occurred, we called to make a appointment. Each time was always a few weeks out and the issue would clear a day or two before. This last time has been going on for 6 weeks. We both work full time and have a very sick kid so making a appointment is hard. This last time I asked if I can drop in just for a scan due to being in town for an appointment. Was met with we are backed up with way to many repairs. Also it would not be fair to any other people. It is most likely your gas cap. I have made sure the cap is tight as it can get every time from the first time it occurred. So all safety features on the Subaru Ascent just stop working if the cap is not tight. Not only is this a major safety issue their QA is asleep at the wheel. Known issue, just check the forums.
It is actually the lane centering system. Even a gentle hand on the wheel, which is required, will gradually pull you to one side of the lane. When ever you lift your hand or when the car thinks you have gone to far one way or the other it will throw you into the other lane, into a car, motorcycle, semi, or even off a cliff. This system is so dangerous I cant believe it hasnt been recalled. If using this you will get thrown one way or the other several times during most trips. Dealer states its normal and I got that in writing.
My mirror on my car has started melting. They told me it was a outside force, from a lighter. I told them it was electrical or something wrong from the inside of the mirror. There are forums recently posted up regarding this and Subaru has ignored them all claiming it is reflective light from the sun. That they can’t do anything about it. Others have replaced their mirrors 3 times now. This is a potential fire hazard and could be unsafe. They are not addressing this as it should be. https://www.thesubaruforums.com/threads/melting-side-view-mirror.12397/
The car constantly over-corrects when it tries to keep me centered in a lane on the highway. It always over-corrects to the left shoving me to the left into the adjoining lane, and potentially side swiping vehicles in the adjoining lane. It never over-corrects to the right. I reported this to the dealer and I was told that this is normal.
The lane keeping assist pull abruptly into the other traffic lane when traveling on the highway for example when on a 4 lane road with two lane in the same direcstion and passing a semi truck the steering assist abruptly pulls the car into the truck's lane and requires immediate hard handed reaction to keep the car from hitting the truck. The lane assist on this subaru vehicle is more dangerous than it is helpful. Subaru is terribly un response to request for help although the car is less than 1-year old and has a mult-year extended warranty---subaru's customer service is the worst we've experienced. BTW my son's Honda Acura's lane assist is excellent!
On several occasions while using the lane centering feature, vehicle has taken a sudden violent move to the left into the on coming lane. No warning lights illuminated. Problem hasn’t been replicated by dealer.
LANE ASSIST WITH CRUISE CONTROL OVER CORRECTS. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHILE ON THE FREEWAY USING CRUISE CONTROL THE LANE ASSIST PULLED ME INTO THE OTHER LANE INTO OTHER VEHICLES. I HAVE ALMOST HIT OTHER VEHICLES. THE PULL IS TOO STRONG AND CROSSES LANES. IF NOT FIXED BY SUBARU, ACCIDENTS WILL OCCUR.
LANE ASSIST WITH CRUISE CONTROL OVER CORRECTS. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHILE ON THE FREEWAY USING CRUISE CONTROL THE LANE ASSIST PULLED ME INTO THE OTHER LANE INTO OTHER VEHICLES. I HAVE ALMOST HIT TWO OTHER VEHICLES. THE PULL IS TOO STRONG AND CROSSES LANES. I HAVE TO KEEP IT OFF. FORWARD COLLISION DOES NOT ENGAGE.
THE 2021 ASCENT HAS LANE CENTERING ASSIST WITH VERY STRICT MARGINS. IT IS A CONSTANT TUG OF WAR WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN LANE CENTERING IS ACTIVE. WHEN YOU LET THE CAR TAKE OVER, IT VIOLENTLY JERKS YOU INTO THE NEXT LANE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CROSS CHECKED WITH OTHER USERS ON A SUBARU FORUM AND ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THE CAR OVERCORRECTS AND IS PRONE TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AT SOME POINT. I AM LUCKY NO ONE WAS IN THE LANE NEXT TO ME WHEN THE CAR SWERVED ME INTO THE NEXT LANE. MY 2021 IS A REPLACEMENT OF A 2020 MODEL BECAUSE THE 2020 WAS DEEMED A LEMON. THE 2020 MODEL DID NOT HAVE LANE CENTERING BUT LANE KEEP ASSIST INSTEAD. THE 2020 DID NOT VIOLENTLY JERK INTO THE NEXT LANE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO LESLIE KARPIAK AT SOA WHO HELPED ME THROUGH MY LEMON ISSUE ON THE 2020 MODEL. I REQUESTED A FULL BUY BACK AND SHE SUGGESTED I HAVE MY CAR INSPECTED AT A DEALERSHIP, BUT THAT IS A LENGTHY PROCESS AND I HAVE ALREADY SPEND 3 MONTHS IN AND OUT OF DEALERSHIPS WITH MY 2020 MODEL. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE ON ALL 2021 MODELS AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FULLY. I AM HOLDING SUBARU 100% LIABLE WHEN AN ACCIDENT OCCURS BECAUSE OF THIS LANE CENTERING ISSUE. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS ON A CONTINUOUS DRIVING BASIS. YOUR HELP AND ASSISTANCE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED FOR THE SAKE OF SAVING LIVES.
THE LANE ASSIST FEATURE (ONLY AN OPTION WHEN USING ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL; NOT THE SAME AS LANE CENTERING WHEN NOT USING THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL [THE BASICS LANE CENTERING WORKS JUST FINE]) SEEMS OVERLY AGGRESSIVE. EACH TIME I HAVE USED LANE ASSIST WITH CRUISE CONTROL, IT JERKS THE CAR VERY ABRUPTLY AT TIMES, ALMOST TO THE EXTENT OF SENDING IT INTO ANOTHER LANE IF I DO NOT INTERVENE. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE USING LANE ASSIST, SO I TURN IT OFF WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL. I AM VERY CONCERNED IT'S GOING TO CAUSE AND ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES NOW WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (EVERY TIME I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO USE LANE ASSIST).
VEHICLE WANDERS ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN PASSING A VEHICLE ON THE ROAD THE LANE CENTERING ASSIST TRIES TO HUG THE CENTERLINE AND THE DRIVER MUST KEEP PULLING HE VEHICLE BACK TO THE CENTER OF THE PASSING LANE. A SHORT LAPSE OF STEERING COULD PULL THE VEHICLE INTO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BEING PASSED. FULL TIME JOB TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM WANDERING WHEN VERY LIITLE WIND AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT FROM WANDERING WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING 15-20 MPH. NOT A PLEASANT RELAXING DRIVE.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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