Keeping the rear gate open, or even just opening and closing the rear gate while the car is parked, drains the battery rapidly. This can leave drivers stranded in unsafe locations. Based on discussions with other Ascent owners, this problem is widespread. This began happening almost immediately after we bought the Ascent and happens regularly and frequently. Subaru of America appears to be in denial that this is a problem and there are lawyers gathering information on a class action lawsuit..

- Soda Springs, CA, USA

Lift gate not working. Getting stuck close and draining the battery. At only 17000 miles we have had to replace the battery twice. When trying to start the car will make a vibration sound and all lights will come on but the lift gate is suspended close and the vehicle won't start. This has happened overnight. And when the battery is jumped and the vehicle will start, the lift gate will still not open.

- Bonney Lake, WA, USA

After 4 months of ownership, in April 19 the battery died while at a camping trip. Fellow campers tried to boost the battery to no avail. I had limited cell support. Road side assistance came and towed the Ascent to the dealership. They found high current drawn from the AWD system but said that beside a completely dead battery everything was normal. They provide the same battery type. In March 2020 the car wouldn't start. Contacted Subaru roadside assistance, jumped the car. In June 2020 white getting ready for a camping trip, after packing the car, which involve leaving the rear hatch open and door constantly opens and closed the car wouldn't start. Using a portable backup battery I was able to jump the car and go on my trip. While camping I kept the engine running while I was unloading the car. Did he same when I loaded the car back.

- San Jose, CA, USA

Premature battery failure. Twice since purchase, the battery has failed to start the car and had to be jump started. Both times the temperatures were moderate and the car had been driven at least 20 miles before being parked.

- Rockport, ME, USA

My battery has died on multiple occasions due to a large continuous indefinite power draw when the rear lift gate is open. The battery will die with just an hour or two of the liftgate being open. This has happened while packing the car and while camping. I bought this car because it, and Subaru in general, are advertised as good for outdoor activity. Couldn't have been more wrong. It's a serious safety concern. This could leave a family stranded in the wilderness. I've been lucky to be with people that had more reliable outdoor vehicles to provide a jump. And now I know I can't trust my car to start so I won't be using it for extended outdoor trips.

- Hermosa Beach, CA, USA

The battery drains repeatedly if you do not drive the car every day. Subaru claims there is no problem and just replaces that battery.

- Oak Park, IL, USA

Battery keeps going dead. I have had to jump this 10-month old car 4 times in the past month. I do not want to drive it as I may get stuck somewhere. The battery goes flat dead with no ability to remotely unlock the car, and no way to open the tailgate.

- West Chester, PA, USA

On ot about October 6th of 2019, vehicle(white 2019 Subaru Ascent touring) was parked in the garage and had been driven the day prior. It failed to start prior to a critical pediatric specialty appointment. Subaru sent a mechanic to jumpstart the car and the engine turned over. The apt was missed due to the delay. On or about mid-may of 2020 the vehicle failed to start after being parked in the garage. Attempts to charge the battery did not work. Subaru roadside assistance returned again and jump started the car. It was left to run for over an hour. The following day it would not start again.

- Olalla, WA, USA

Dead battery for no reason. Unable to jump start.

- Belmont, NC, USA

The first experienced the issue when the lift gate was left open for a while the battery died before the battery died on the lift gate was left open and we couldn't open the liftgate and the only way to get the lift gate to open was the unhook the battery then after the lift gate was left over with while the battery completely died then from then on the battery continued to not be fully charged when to Subaru they couldn't figure out the issue rep.

- Lynnwood, WA, USA

At freeway speed, the brake makes noise and vibrate when you press the pedal lightly to reduce speed, this happens mostly when you go downhill. Battery drains when parked inside the garage overnight, rear gate does not lock when closed.

- Elk Grove, CA, USA

Our windshield cracked and we had to replace it not too long after purchasing. We have had problems with our heater locking and not being able to turn it off or our drunk locking and we cant open it we are unable to unlock it.... we put in several complaints about a grinding noise when we break since we bought the car. I noticed it when I first drove it and they told me it was normal. When the car takes off there is a shake and stall before it moves. Also when driving it feels like it jolts and then goes again also a complaint....

- Pico Rivera, CA, USA

After leaving the rear hatch open for an extended time while loading the car for a trip to Florida, it failed to start. It also was not able to be jump start it with another car battery. It was finally towed to the dealer on 12/31/19 & they charged the battery & tested & reprogrammed it.since I was going away from home for an extended period, I didn't want to take a chance that the discharged battery would cause further problems, so I purchased a new battery & had it installed. As I understand from the service technician, a sensor on the tailgate did not shut off the cargo light when it was left open for the extended period, which discharged the battery to almost no energy remaining. This extremely low energy caused the battery not to be able to be jumped & forced it to be taken to the dealer to be charged. I understand that almost complete discharging of a battery significantly shortens its life & reliability. I believe that this model Subaru has a designed defect in the electrical system that causes the battery to be almost completely discharged by having the tailgate open for the time it takes to pack the car. This belief is reinforced by checking the internet & learning that other people have had similar experiences & have complained about it to the car manufacturer. The car manufacturer needs to be forced to institute a recall & provide a software "patch" & whatever else needs to be modified or changed to prevent the battery from discharging in the future. If part of the original problem was that the oem battery was inappropriately sized, then they should also reimburse me for the new battery that was purchased.

- Arnold, MD, USA

My 2019 Ascent was parked in garage overnight. Went out to car and found rear tailgate would not open and car would not start. Battery was dead. Jumpstarted car and drove it to the store. When I parked the car it went dead, car would not restart, and would not lock, tailgate would not open. Had to get roadside service to come out and start car. Took car to dealer and they said they could not find anything wrong but did replace the battery. Several weeks later while car was parked and locked in a store parking lot I came out and found the rear tailgate open. No one had pushed the remote to open the tailgate? today I found the car parked in the garage and the tailgate would not open, the car would not start, and the battery was dead again. I could find no reason for the battery to be dead again. The car had been driven normally around town for the last few days. It was parked in the garage. All the doors were shut and no lights had been left on. The car was purchased in June 2019 and has less than 6000 miles on it plus this is a new battery. I am concerned about driving the car and being left on the road by a dead battery or coming out and finding the rear tailgate open in a parking lot.

- Dewitt, MI, USA

After having driven the Ascent for 30 minutes or more, turned off vehicle for about 15 minutes. After rendering the vehicle it would not start. The first time this happened, coasted vehicle down slight grade to side of road, and after a few minutes it started again. The second time it happened, it would not start after several attempts. Contacted Subaru though it's starlink program. They told me to hold keyless starter button for 30 seconds, then try to start again. After doing this the car started.

- Syracuse, NY, USA

2019 Ascent with 6000 miles garage kept sustained complete electrical failure at gas station refill. Car drove and started normally going to station and after fillup failed to start.

- Woodlands, TX, USA

I purchased vehicle in December 2018 for 2019 model. The original battery only lasts slightly over one year. It is common knowledge that battery of a new vehicle normally lasts for more than 5 years. Battery ran out in less than 14 months is very weird as I have only driven around 2,500 miles only. I am strongly believe that the battery is defective.

- Whitestone, NY, USA

Driving normal, 30 mph on a flat road, when all dash lights lit up. Rab, break, check engine, every single dash light at the same time. We then lost power steering, and when we pulled over couldn't get the car into park. Eventually after fighting with it, car went into park. Attempted to restart it, and it did re-start but with the same lights on the dash. It was unable to be driven and had lost power in a potentially dangerous situation. Car was towed. Dealer has had it since then, now 01/21/20 and they know it's electrical, it has happened again while they drove it, but they cannot figure out what the problem is.

- Raynham, MA, USA

Car was shaking while idling/ shifting hard/ studdering while trying to shift and not shifting while going up an incline. The transmission was damaged from the slack in the cvt belt and now has to be completely replaced. Also the battery died. No doors were left open and no lights were left on. No reason to have a dead battery other than a large parasitic drain while the car is off.

- Hadley, PA, USA

Every week or two the car fails to start. When the ignition button is pushed, the vehicle gains power but does not turnover and start. You need to exit the vehicle, lock the vehicle and unlock the vehicle and go through this process up to 7 times before the vehicle will start. Vehicle has been brought back to Subaru service department 3 separate times for up to 2 weeks at a time and they are unable to replicate or fix the problem.

- Annapolis, MD, USA