[DocRock]

So, how many recalls (in total) for the 2019MY Ascent does this make?

 

[Bphillips32_nj]

This new recall makes four on my 2019.. dropped car off yesterday for the AC recall and they told me about this new one!

 

[smart_alec]

Our 2020 is not part of this. Might this be a case of “yet”? Are the boffins at Subaru sure enough about which cars are affected that they won’t be adding more?

 

[Robert.Mauro]

So, how many recalls (in total) for the 2019MY Ascent does this make?

That depends on production date and other factors, for instance, this will be my third, but, unlike Bphillips32_nj below, the AC line wasn't one of mine.

This new recall makes four on my 2019.. dropped car off yesterday for the AC recall and they told me about this new one!

My third - fourth if you're counting the ECU reprogram. Mine were PCV valve, CVT chain slip (harness) recall, and ECU customer satisfaction.

Our 2020 is not part of this. Might this be a case of “yet”? Are the boffins at Subaru sure enough about which cars are affected that they won’t be adding more?

What is the production date of your 2020? 2020's produced after a certain date aren't in the recall group - probably because they're running different TCM code.

 

[Robson13]

This will be my 4th recall.

 

[RobertD]

Robert - You did not get the fuel pump recall?

 

[Nanangko1234$]

My19 ascent has a total of 4 total
Including this one! The AC LINE and the fuel pump are not complete yet so i might let them do all 3 the next time i take my car for service

 

[smart_alec]

I’m not sure what the production date of our car is…

thanks for posting all of this Robert. I’ll keep an eye on the MySubaru app for any developments.

 

[Scoobydoo]

I’m not sure what the production date of our car is…

thanks for posting all of this Robert. I’ll keep an eye on the MySubaru app for any developments.

Should be on the VIN sticker in your door jamb; it's usually in month/year format.

 

[E-EC-ECU]

... I’ll keep an eye on the MySubaru app for any developments.

Just FYI: For me, the MySubaru App didn't show anything for my car. But, when I entered my VIN here, it showed my 2020MY as affected by this recall. May want to check your VIN separately from the app.

 

[E-EC-ECU]

Our dealer has looked at "shuddering" twice on our car and was not able to replicate.

Thanks for the update on this, @Robert.Mauro .

I am very interested in what you just mentioned. While I know what a clutch feels like when it slips as it happened on my '04 WRX, I don't necessarily feel that in my 2020MY Ascent. But, I have felt the "shuddering" a number of times. I almost want to call it a "sedated lurching" because it only happens around 20-30mph and while at steady speed. The car just seems to not know which "gear" to use, so it "bucks" a little and I either power "through" it, or I reduce speed. It's very infrequent and probably couldn't be replicated on demand, hence no trips to the dealership. I mentioned it once to them, but nothing came from it.

BTW, my 2020 Ascent is affected by this recall.

 

[hokiefyd]

I am very interested in what you just mentioned. While I know what a clutch feels like when it slips as it happened on my '04 WRX, I don't necessarily feel that in my 2020MY Ascent. But, I have felt the "shuddering" a number of times. I almost want to call it a "sedated lurching" because it only happens around 20-30mph and while at steady speed. The car just seems to not know which "gear" to use, so it "bucks" a little and I either power "through" it, or I reduce speed. It's very infrequent and probably couldn't be replicated on demand, hence no trips to the dealership. I mentioned it once to them, but nothing came from it.

Ours does something very similar also, and it's distinct from the shudder.

During light acceleration (throttle in the 20-27% range), and in the 25-35 mph region, the transmission will very momentarily feel like it's upshifting (reducing engine speed), and just as quickly shifts back down (raising engine speed) to where it was before the engine speed changed. It's difficult to explain because the CVT is always adjusting its ratio here to keep the engine speed constant as the car accelerates, but there's a slight and momentary "dip" in engine speed followed by a restoration of engine speed. It's like the engine "cuts out" for a brief second. It will sometimes do this twice in a row back to back, making it feel like it "bucks" as you describe it. It happens only every now and again, and only under that light acceleration. I've found that if throttle is at least 28% or more, it won't do it. I feel this is entirely in the programming of the CVT, and not a mechanical problem with the CVT or anything with the engine.

The shudder will usually happen at higher speeds, and it's always after a duration of coasting or where the engine is at its lowest RPM the CVT will have it at for that road speed, and the shudder happens during the resumption of power. If the resumption is abrupt, it'll sometimes shudder, as if the chain is skipping or the variator adjustment is studdery or the torque converter chatters. I can usually "sneak up" on it with smooth and ginger application of throttle and avoid it. But on the other hand, it will usually not do it if I'm trying for it. It's annoyingly very intermittent. It feels like you've driven over rumble strips. A search for "rumble strips" on this forum reveals much discussion of this.

I definitely do NOT know anything about this recall other than what's been posted, but I presume that if either of these behaviors are known to Subaru and are addressed here, it'd be the second behavior...the shuddering. That seems like it could be consistent with not enough clamping pressure under certain scenarios from bad software or a bad lookup table or whatever it is. I doubt the first behavior is a result of clamping pressure, but perhaps it is connected somehow.

Our dealer has stated they couldn't replicate our symptoms, and they applied a TCM relearn about a month ago. The CVT definitely acted smoother after that, but it's mostly back to how it was before the relearn now, several hundred miles later. Despite complaints to SoA from several board members here on several CVT driveability issues, Subaru doesn't seem interested in issuing a programming update for general driveability concerns. I'm excited for this because I feel this is likely the only TCM programming update we're going to get. For those of us with driveability issues, this is probably our only shot.

 

[hokiefyd]

I should follow-up and say that neither of the behaviors I describe above happen during manual shifting. That is, if I have the shifter in M and I'm telling the CVT what to do with the paddles, neither of those negative behaviors happens...ever. It's only when the TCM is telling the CVT what to do...

 

[E-EC-ECU]

... It feels like you've driven over rumble strips. A search for "rumble strips" on this forum reveals much discussion of this.

The "rumble strips" is an excellent comparison to what my car does at times (separate from the stutter/shudder/buck). So much so that this link here is favorited in my browser just to keep up-to-date on the thread activity (none lately).

But, to be completely honest ... these things happen so infrequently that I don't really worry about it. Also, I don't have the noises the OP has in the link above.

 

[Reubenmc]

5th recall for me. CVT was replaced at ~4700 miles, about 6 months before the initial harness recall and TCU update. Interesting that they are still pushing new updates. No noted issues in 32k miles since the original replacement.

Just for information my progression in reverse time order below. Still love my car, just sharing my experience. I suppose once it flips from "remedy not available" Subaru will let me know it's time to come in.

Type: Safety|Safety Recall: WRK21|NHTSA Campaign: 21V955000
Ascent CVT Chain Guide Breakage with CVT Oil Cooler
Open-Remedy not yet available
Incomplete

Type: Customer Satisfaction|Service Campaign: WRK20|NHTSA Campaign: N/A
2019 ASCENT A/C EVAPORATIVE COOLING PIPE REPLACEMENT
Completed Jan 2021

Type: Safety|Safety Recall: WRD20|NHTSA Campaign: 20V218000
19 Ascent Fuel Pump Replacement
Completed Apr 2020

Type: Safety|Safety Recall: WUV07|NHTSA Campaign: 19V855000
Ascent CVT Chain Slip
Completed Nov 2019

Type: Customer Satisfaction|Service Campaign: WUU06|NHTSA Campaign: N/A
ECU Reprogramming C1424
Completed Nov 2019

~May 2019 - Transmission failed and was replaced under warranty at ~3 months and 4700 miles.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Just FYI: For me, the MySubaru App didn't show anything for my car. But, when I entered my VIN here, it showed my 2020MY as affected by this recall. May want to check your VIN separately from the app.

They do the official US Postal thing first to owners with affected VINs and then hit the app for these kinds of things, AFAIK. So yes, for the moment, the online resource that was identified is the only way to currently determine if your particular Ascent is participating in this recall action.

 

[Cosmo]

I jumped into Subaru with great enthusiasm a couple of years ago when I was looking for a mid size SUV. I grew up on the West coast and the brand was very popular there. However...I will admit that I am pretty discouraged with Subaru at this point. I've had to replace a battery and am requiring a 3rd brake change because of, "Whistling" and my 3rd set of seat ventilation fans because of rattling. I am getting things fixed, but the fix doesn't fix the fix. And now this transmission recall. My Ascent only has 18k on it and it has spent more time in the shop than my Dodge Ram did in 50,000 miles or the Volkswagen before that. In fact , more than both of them combined now that I am thinking about it. I am seriously considering parting ways with this car.

 

[Robert.Mauro]

Robert - You did not get the fuel pump recall?

Nope. I'm guessing the pump in question didn't make it into the Ascent production line until later on (my Ascent was built on May 30th, 2018 in the first batch). So, I lucked out on that one.

 

[mdub]

I have to agree with Cosmo. I still love the Ascent and appreciate Subarus willingness to make these fixes, but these recalls are certainly annoying and now starting to get to me. Plus, I was just in the shop twice as the dealer cant replicate my banging strut noise. They better get this programming right as I think another 1 or 2 transmission recalls may mean this is my last Subaru, though I will have this one for awhile.

 

[2021 XT_Owner]

For what it's worth, the 2021 Outback XT loaner that I had a month or so ago drove pretty well compared to our Ascent. I wrote about it a little bit at the time. Our Ascent drove better after the TCM relearn they did, but it's mostly gone back to what it was doing prior to the relearn. I wonder if some of the stuff I feel in ours is due to small chain slip events that weren't really a factor during the transmission's relearn due to very conservative baseline values...the small slips not significant enough to cause a massive squeal event, but just enough for a momentary impulse...I wonder if all of that will be cleaned up with the revised program and the Outback XT is really what my Ascent should drive like...

I can't lie -- I'm pretty excited for this recall.

I just today got my 2021 Outback XT back from having its transmission replaced, with only 5,800 miles on it. It's build date was some time in September 2020. I brought it in because it was making sounds coming from the rear end and shaking a bit when making a left or right turn from a stop. Never really experienced any issues in a straight line. According to the service manager, they got the transmission to bind up any time they accelerated and cut the wheel hard. According to the paperwork, the tech heard noises more in the front diff area. They drained the fluid, found it dark and smelling burnt, and ordered a new transmission.
What worries me, is that the very first turn I took in the car from a stop after getting it back, it made the exact same noise that I brought it in for, which to me still sounds like it's coming from the rear end. Brought the car straight back and went for a ride with the service manager to make sure he heard what I was experiencing, which he did. . Seemed to think it's normal because the extra torque from the turbo. I want to believe that, but I just don't know anymore. I just have this uneasy thinking that I'm going to be replacing the transmission again. When Subaru of America calls me back later this week to ask how the repair went, I'm going to mention that to me it feels like I'm going to end up having the same problem again.