Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%

Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Finalize now

Free Preview

#BS-2021-SUBASC-41EE

2021 Subaru Ascent

Based on reports from 129 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints

129

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

333

🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 129 complaints, 4 crashes, 2 fires, and 1 recalls. Complaint rate is 5.2x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the ElectricalHIGH

17 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 3K miles.

!Inspect the VisibilityMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

0–30K

30–60K

60–90K

90–120K

120–150K

150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (24 reports) • Median: 3K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Electrical (17 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Electrical17 (13%)

Visibility15 (12%)

Other14 (11%)

Lane Departure: Assist12 (9%)

Drivetrain12 (9%)

Engine9 (7%)

Brakes8 (6%)

Steering6 (5%)

2021 Subaru Ascent: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2021 Subaru Ascent, with 17 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 2,500 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 3K-mile mark.

Visibility Issues

Visibility complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2021 Subaru Ascent, with 15 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to visibility-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Lane Departure: Assist Issues

Lane Departure: Assist complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2021 Subaru Ascent, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to lane departure: assist-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2021 Subaru Ascent, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2021 Subaru Ascent. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

Get Report — From $1.20

Recall History (1 recall)

22V907000Park OutsideJan 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Ascent vehicles. The ground bolt that secures the ground terminal of the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater may have been improperly fastened, which could result in melting of the ground terminal and surrounding components.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

The worst model year for the Subaru Ascent is the 2023 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is electrical.

2021 Subaru Ascent vs. Class Average (Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD)

This vehicle

129

Class avg

5.2x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical standard sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 129 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Subaru Ascent Model Years

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019

View all Subaru Ascent years →

2021 Subaru Ascent: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Subaru Ascent?

The most commonly reported issue with the 2021 Subaru Ascent is related to the electrical, with 17 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 2021 Subaru Ascent reliable?

The 2021 Subaru Ascent has 129 complaints, 4 crash reports, and 2 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 5.2x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.

How much does it cost to fix 2021 Subaru Ascent problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 2021 Subaru Ascent have any recalls?

Yes, the 2021 Subaru Ascent has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Subaru Ascent problems start?

Based on 26 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 2,500 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.