The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 75 MPH, a deer ran across the highway and hit the left driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. A grayish smoke began to emit from the vehicle as the contact's wife immediately pulled off to the side of the road. Due to the damaged cause by the impact of the deer, the contact's wife had difficulty exiting the vehicle. The contact's wife used excessive force to open a crack in the door, which was enough to slide herself out of the vehicle. The vehicle became engulfed in flames soon after exiting the vehicle, and the authorities were called to the scene. The fire department arrived at the scene and managed to extinguish the fire. The contact's wife sustained bruising to her left shoulder, left leg, and left arm but did not seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent tow yard and was later towed to an insurance holding facility. The contact stated that the vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire, but the insurance adjuster had yet to determine a final ruling on the vehicle. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had yet been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
2019 Subaru Ascent engine problems
48 complaints (11% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 9,600. 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 48
- of this car's complaints
- 11%
- typical mileage
- 9,600
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Exhaust system1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Subaru Ascent engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2019 Subaru Ascent engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Won't start 28Check engine light 15Loss of power 12Stalling 12Knocking 6
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Crosstrek, Forester, and Ascent vehicles. The aluminum Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve can separate, allowing the separated components to enter the engine, resulting in a loss of power while driving.
- Risk
- An unexpected loss of power while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the PCV valve, free of charge. If the PCV valve has separated and the components cannot be found, the short block engine will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1‑844‑373‑6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUW-08.
Recall number 19V856000 · Recall details
What 2019 Subaru Ascent owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while the engine was idling, exhaust fumes entered the cabin of the vehicle. Additionally, immediately after starting the vehicle, there was a loud ticking sound coming from the exhaust system. The vehicle was inspected by the local dealer, and it was determined that the exhaust manifold lines were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 120,000.
My vehicle smokes when starting it. A lot of white smoke that can fill a parking lot. The smoke has a strong chemical smell.
The Y pipe that connects the exhaust from the engine to the turbo charger, has cracks from poor welds. It happened 8-12 months ago we started to notice that during warm up our Ascent would sound real loud then quiet down once it warmed up. We didn’t know there was an issue as there were no lights that came on and we had no loss of power or MPG. The safety issue would be that we finally took the car in once we started to smell exhaust fumes coming from the car that we would start to smell from inside the car. We had to start to air out the car after warming up if we couldn’t immediately drive away once started. We contacted Subaru and they offered a partial credit for a repair but after researching I have seen they have had recalls in the past regarding similar cracked Exhaust manifolds on another model car.
During an inspection at the dealership in December 2023, the tech found the oil pan to be leaking. It was resealed during the same visit. Approximately 8 months later, the same problem was found again at the dealership. It was again resealed. Upon further research, this appears to be a recurring problem on similar vehicles.
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.
Over the course of 5 years, a lot has been mechanically wrong with our vehicle. Each service appointment yielded a 'cannot duplicate' response. Recently, my car has been in the service department a few times. My car had recall work performed on a ground bolt, and my husband advised them that the car had a 'rich fuel' smell when starting with the hood open. I've complained since 2021 of a smell when pulling up the mountain. The smell is what I described as a perm solution smell. Each time, the response was 'cannot duplicate.' In February, I took the car in to have the exhaust inspected because it was getting louder each passing day. I was advised that the entire exhaust needed to be replaced, and I would be responsible for costs. I brought my car home, unrepaired, and called Subaru of America to file a claim through them. I had repeatedly expressed concerns, and nothing was done, yet I'm expected to foot the bill now. Since February 12th, I have been back and forth with Subaru and just made the appointment to get the exhaust work completed, with a small contribution from Subaru. However, this past Saturday, [XXX] my vehicle caught on fire while driving. I am fine, but my vehicle has now been deemed a total loss. As I was descending the mountain, I smelled the same 'perm solution' smell, and shortly after, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The smoke entered the cabin as I pulled off the road. Upon exiting the vehicle, flames and smoke were visible from the hood. I grabbed my purse and ran, called 911, and watched my vehicle engulfed in flames. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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.
Clouds of smoke at startup scince car was new.
Battery draining problem
Questions about the 2019 Subaru Ascent engine
Does the 2019 Subaru Ascent have engine problems?
Owners have filed 48 complaints about the engine of the 2019 Subaru Ascent, 11% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2019 Subaru Ascent engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 9,600 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2019 Subaru Ascent engine?
Yes, 1 recall: 19V856000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Subaru Ascent have bad engine?
The Subaru Ascent model years with the most engine complaints are 2019 (48 complaints), 2020 (30 complaints) and 2021 (13 complaints).
Other 2019 Subaru Ascent problems
Electrical 160Transmission 90Visibility 81Brakes 26Driver assistance 16Fuel system 16Body 12Suspension 11Airbags 7Lights 7Steering 7Acceleration 5Wheels 4Locks 3Seat belts 2Tires 2Seats 1
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