Collision Avoidance complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Eye sight freezing when car purchased brand new. I was told that this was a known Issue. Radio freezing and then resuming at blaring volume, I was told that this was a known issue and Subaru was waiting for an update. Burning smell from car when purchased, notified dealer, smell did not go away. I was told that this was normal. Starling freezing and not working, this was a service that I paid for, I was told that this was a known issue and was waiting for an update. On 6/9/2024 I was driving, while entering a tunnel, and using the adaptive cruise, the car did not track the car in front of me. I braked, this did not stop the adaptive cruise (according to Subaru) and the car collided with the car in front of me after the emergency braking system failed to also stop the car in time. …
When driving below 5 mph-forward or reverse-with the rear passenger door fully open, the only alert is a small "door ajar" icon on the dash. This icon is the same drawing, whether the door is completely open or semi-latched, so the driver has no way to know the extent of the hazard. Without an additional warning, an fully open door can strike pedestrians, poles, garage, or other vehicles, and any passenger seated beside it is needlessly exposed to injury.
On [redacted], I was operating my vehicle heading Pocono PA, on I-80 in [redacted]. At approximately mile point 142.4, the vehicle's onboard Forward Collision Avoidance System (FCAS) suddenly and unexpectedly activated without any obstruction, hazard, or vehicle ahead. The abrupt, automated braking and system intervention caused an immediate loss of vehicle control, forcing the car into a 180-degree spin. The violent shift in momentum caused the vehicle to roll over on the highway before coming to a stop. No other vehicles were involved in the initiation of the crash.
Subaru Eyesight will turn off randomly while driving or while parked (turn the vehicle off, unlock the door, sit for a minute or two and when restarting the vehicle, eyesight indicator is orange - off. Example - getting fuel at a full service gas station. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection. Our safety is put at risk. Once Eyesight is off it will not reset/restart, so you are driving without the number one Subaru safety feature. We can reproduce the error. The Dealer just looked at the codes and said it was normal operation. We reported the error to Subaru Customer care and we have a case number. Subaru Customer care is going to contact the Dealer. There is a small red "i" indicator light in the dash that will light up after Eyesight fails. There are no warnings of the failure. We understand rain, snow and fog will impact Eyesight. …
I was driving slowly through a parking lot. I found a spot to park my car and noticed that there was a curb painted bright yellow so I knew I could not pull through. I started to turn into the parking spot with my foot on the brake when all of a sudden my car was speeding towards the curb and a tree. My foot was on the brake but the car did not stop nor did the forward collision feature work and the air bag did not deploy. The accident has been reported to both my insurance and the auto maker. The car will be inspected tomorrow.
My vehicle will abruptly break coming to a complete stop if a vehicle behind me approaches too quickly or gets too close to my vehicle. Yes the its uptoday on inspections and no errors show with in the vehicles computer system.
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.
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. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Ascent years have collision avoidance problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2021 (17), 2020 (15), 2019 (13), 2023 (8) and 2022 (7) model years. Collision Avoidance complaints make up 17% of all complaints for the 2021.
Is there a recall for Subaru Ascent collision avoidance problems?
No. NHTSA lists no driver assistance 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 collision avoidance problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 4,000 miles; 100% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic emergency braking (27 mentions), followed by the warnings (26).
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.