This Bulletin announces a correction to the diagnostic procedures for certain CVT related DTCs, including P0730, P0746, P0747, P0841, P0846, P0867, P1867, P1894, and P2723.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2021 Subaru Ascent electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2021 Subaru Ascent have filed 17 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 Ascent | 150 |
| 2020 Ascent | 98 |
| 2021 Ascent (this page) | 17 |
| 2022 Ascent | 3 |
| 2023 Ascent | 3 |
| 2024 Ascent | 3 |
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What stands out
Among the 6 model years of Subaru Ascent in our records for electrical problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This bulletin announces a design change to the TR690 CVT control valve body which features an enhanced line pressure sensor O-ring, designed to prevent abnormal sensor readings caused by O-ring leakage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin announces the new procedure and Warranty Fail Code for FirstTime air conditioning (A/C) performance concerns possibly resulting from an undetected A/C refrigerant leak.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin contains information to help when attempting to complete the STARLINK Telematics subscription process, an Error Code 202 and / or 204 may occur preventing the process from completing successfully
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for 2026 model year vehicles exhibiting DTC B2A20 with gen 4 Telematics.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Parasitic battery drain is the dominant complaint across 17 electrical narratives. Seven owners report batteries going dead after days or weeks of parking, sometimes within the first few thousand miles. Multiple owners replaced batteries repeatedly—one at 1,667 miles, another at 1,667 miles again, a third at 15,000 miles after two years. Some owners suspect Subaru's Data Communications Module (DCM) continuously attempts to reach discontinued 3G towers even when the vehicle is off. One owner bought a high-output Redtop gel cell battery and still carries a jump box. Subaru apparently settled a class action on 2016–2019 models for the same issue but has not released a software fix for 2021 models.
Sunroof leaks are the second major pattern. One owner experienced four leaks within a year on a vehicle under 18,000 miles; dealer repair attempts failed repeatedly, leaving the owner without the car for 34+ days. Water infiltrates EyeSight cameras, causing them to malfunction or cut off. Weather stripping also fails early, with adhesive peeling away and causing wind noise.
One owner reported a catastrophic engine fire with no prior warning. Another owner's liftgate malfunctioned, dropping onto a passenger's head. Subaru is also facing recall parts shortages for Campaign 22V907000 (Electrical System), with conflicting information between manufacturer and dealers on availability.
Same Subaru Ascent electrical reports on nearby years: 2019 · 2020
Failure modes owners describe
Parasitic Battery Drain (DCM/3G Issue)
Battery drains completely or goes dead within days to weeks of parking, even with recent driving. Owners report the issue correlates with Subaru's Data Communications Module (DCM) attempting to connect to discontinued 3G towers even when the vehicle is off. Multiple owners have replaced batteries multiple times with the problem persisting.
When: 1,667 miles to 25,000+ miles; happens within 3 weeks to 2 years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Battery dead after short parking periods (overnight to one week); Vehicle won't start or turn over; Battery goes dead while parked in garage; Battery dead after leaving liftgate open; Battery drains even with recent driving activity
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replacement (multiple replacements in some cases); one owner purchased high-output Redtop gel cell battery; Subaru reimbursed in at least one case; dealer typically replaces battery but does not resolve underlying drain
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Class action settlement exists for 2016–2019 model years; 2021 models apparently not covered; Subaru has not released a software update to disable DCM 3G connection attempts
Sunroof/Moonroof Leaks
Sunroof leaks water into the cabin repeatedly despite multiple dealer repair attempts. Water infiltration damages interior components, including the EyeSight camera system (causing it to malfunction or cut off), headliner, floorboard, and console/cup holders. One owner reported four leak incidents within one year with less than 18,000 miles, spending 34+ days without vehicle.
When: Early in ownership; one owner reported leaks in December 2021, January 2021, November 2022, and again November 15, 2022; less than 18,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Water leaking from sunroof into cabin; Water entering EyeSight camera housing; EyeSight cameras malfunctioning or cutting off sporadically; Wet headliner; Water pooling in floorboard; Console and cup holders filling with water
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer repair attempted three to four times without permanent fix; extended repair times (34+ days for one vehicle)
Sunroof Weather Stripping Deterioration
Weather stripping along the back of the sunroof separates and comes loose, causing wind noise. The adhesive fails to hold. Owner notes this is an ongoing issue across multiple owners on Subaru Ascent Facebook and Reddit forums.
When: Early in ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Increasing wind noise from sunroof area; Weather stripping visibly coming loose from rear of sunroof; No water leaks initially observed
Side Mirror Melting
Exterior side-view mirrors have melted. Owner reports Subaru blamed external sources (lighter) and claimed sunlight reflection. Owner disputes this and believes the issue is electrical or internal. Owner notes recent forum posts about identical problem; others have replaced mirrors multiple times. Owner characterizes as potential fire hazard.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Mirror surface melting; Heat damage to mirror
Repairs/costs cited: Mirror replacement (multiple replacements reported by other owners on forums)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru initially blamed external force; claimed reflective light from sun; stated they cannot do anything about it
Electrical System Fire (Engine Compartment)
Check engine light appeared, followed by smoke from engine compartment. Fire started under hood and engulfed entire vehicle in 5–10 minutes with no prior warning. Vehicle declared total loss. This represents a single catastrophic failure reported with no investigation follow-up from manufacturer.
When: Timing not specified; vehicle always serviced at Subaru dealership
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine warning light; Smoke from engine compartment; Flames under hood; Rapid fire spread
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle total loss
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru of America notified on 12/23/2025; no follow-up or investigation response provided
Power Liftgate Malfunction
Liftgate began opening and closing on its own without user command, then dropped suddenly onto a passenger's head. Liftgate subsequently failed to open properly. One narrative also mentions battery drain after leaving liftgate open for a while, suggesting the liftgate may draw parasitic power when open.
When: Not specified in narratives
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate opens and closes on its own intermittently; Liftgate drops suddenly without user activation; Liftgate fails to open properly after malfunction
Recall Parts Availability Delay (Campaign 22V907000)
Owners received NHTSA recall notification (Campaign 22V907000, Electrical System) but dealers could not perform repair because parts were unavailable. Discrepancy between manufacturer and dealer regarding part availability status. Owners placed on waiting lists and stated manufacturer exceeded reasonable timeframe for parts distribution.
When: Not specified; recall notification received before parts available
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notification issued but parts unavailable at dealer; Conflicting information between manufacturer and dealer on parts status
Repairs/costs cited: Repair not completed due to parts shortage
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 22V907000 (Electrical System); manufacturer informed owners parts were available but dealers stated otherwise; parts distribution coordination failed
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
I bought a 2021 Ascent - Touring , lately there was an ever increasing amount of wind noise. It sounded like it was coming from the sunroof, but I couldn't see anything from the inside that looked out of place and there were no signs of water leaking. I finally looked up on the roof from the outside and the weather stripping along the back of the sunroof was coming out. The glue is thin, and…
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V907000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts…
The moon roof/sunroof has leaked numerous times. The dealer has tried to fix it on three occasions. It continues to leak- it leaks water into the front eyesight cameras causing them to not work & cut off sporadically. The water leaks into the cab causing the headliner to be wet, the floorboard and the entire console and cup holders fills up with water. I have had it at the dealership on three…
Car would not start in morning. @20,000 miles. Battery dead..not even trying to turn over..Had to get car jumped then all safety features went dead..looked on Subaru sight and it showed every safety feature disabled..I did not drive car till next day to bring to dealer..next day all features fine like nothing happened..Dealer found nothing wrong. Dealer tested battery and showed fully charged..
The battery constantly drains when the car is not in use for a very short time. It appears to be an electrical drain. I have already replaced the battery two times and the car has less than 15,000 miles. Apparently this is the same problem as in the 2016 - 2019 class action suit.
The battery died after 2 years and 15000 miles. I was with my whole family ( 2 months old, 2 and 4 years old) away from home. I was able to reach the dealership leaving my family in a store and they said that nothing was wrong with the battery. Next day the car wouldn’t start and they finally replaced the battery under my extended warranty. Today I discover that there is a class action…
Had electrical trouble with your 2021 Subaru Ascent?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2021 Subaru Ascent?
It's a meaningful issue. 17 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 17 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 1,667 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/Subaru/Ascent.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.