Brake complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
There was a SUDDEN and UNINTENDED acceleration without the driver input while braking to park going approximately 1 - 2 MPH. Our safety was at risk. The vehicle was not in our control. A police report was generated. Rather than stopping we crashed into the apartment building causing significant damage to both the apartment and our vehicle. There were no warnings, no automatic braking to avoid the collision, the air bags did not deploy. The total damages are still being determined by the dealer and insurance company.
unknown defects in some vehicles that could cause sudden and unintended acceleration without driver input Yes, our safety was at risk. The vehicle was clearly not in our control. A police report was generated. The car plowed through the garage no control to brake The damages are being inspected by insurance. There were no waring lights that I could see
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while driving 30 -35 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped and resumed driving repeatedly. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond as intended, causing the braking distance to be extended. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnosis and repair were completed. Additionally, the contact stated that the same dealer had previously repaired the brakes under warranty. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact to retrieve the vehicle from the dealer even though the contact had safety concerns. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes were making abnormal squealing sounds. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 2,076.
Started having problems with the brand new car shaking and brakes making grinding noises when stopping around 20K miles. Brought the car to the dealership and they ended up replacing the brake pads and rotors. It's been just over a year and less than 15K miles since the replacement and the car started shaking and brakes are making a grinding noise again. Again took the car to the dealership and the rotors are bad. After further research, this is a constant and known issue and has yet to be resolved by Subaru. Instead they wait for the new car warranty to wear off and let their customers pay out of pocket to have this fixed. Some owners have had to replace up to 4 times in less than 40K miles.
Car purchased in August 2021. Front brake rotors and pads were replaced around 7,600 miles and May 2022. They could not "cut" the rotors as they were pitted beyond being able to be cut. At 10,764 miles (August 8, 2022), the front rotors and pads were replaced again. The dealer stated the front pads had tiny chips in them and the R/F outer pad had a crack in it. The rotors also had excessive heat spots on them and small pits. The last few days the brakes have been pulsating lightly on hills and today have begun pulsating at every stop. Car now has approximately 11,700 miles on it. Subaru has been notified and I will be making an appointment with dealer on Monday.
Sudden unwanted rapid acceleration toward a building from parking lot causing head on collision: - Manual brakes failed - Automatic brakes did not engage - Airbags did NOT deploy after hitting an immovable object head on at least twice - Driver seatbelt did not lock - Starlink was not activated / notified - No collision warning was sounded (moot) Both driver and front passenger were severely injured and taken by ambulance to ER.
I bought this car brand new from Subaru dealer in Sterling VA. Starting form first week we start having issues with certain parts. (steering, line assist, unexpected breaking, shaky/wobbly brakes, raw fuel smell in the cabin and around the car.) I took the car may times to dealer to get it serviced however every time I was sent back as they couldn't replicate the issue. In one instance, they found some errors on the front brakes and changed it. After that car still having issues with breaking noise and also shakiness when breaking during high speeds. One of my biggest concern is the raw fuel smell coming into the cabin during idle or low speeds. I have to use the internal air circulation to avoid to bring raw smell from engine to cabin. I also noticed raw smell is also noticeable if you park. front of the car, front passenger and driver sides also have that raw fuel smell. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Ascent years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2019 (26), 2020 (26), 2022 (11), 2023 (10) and 2021 (9) model years. Brake complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 2019.
Is there a recall for Subaru Ascent brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for any Subaru Ascent model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Subaru Ascent brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 9,000 miles; 92% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the electrical › switch (1 mentions).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.