2020 Honda Accord Hybrid Owner Complaints

The engine failed catastrophically. White smoke out of the exhaust at 145,000 miles. Dealer checked out the car and they initially though it was a head gasket failure. After taking the engine head off, it turns out it was a 'structural defect' (verbatim words from the mechanic), which was a divot in the engine block. The head gasket was in great shape. Therefore, I needed a 'new' used engine (at $9K) instead of a head gasket replacement (at $4K). A search on the internet shows that forums (driveaccord.net, facebook groups) shows that many Honda Accord owners have similar head gasket failures. I contacted Honda USA and they said there's no recall so I won't get reimbursed.

NHTSA ID

11753391

Incident

Jun 2, 2026

WHEN USE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, AUDIO [RADIO] CUTS OUT. WE REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER IN [XXX], THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM [XXX]- USE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, RADIO CUTS OUT. HONDA DEALER REPLACED ELECTRICAL HARNESS WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY [XXX] - SAME PROBLEM - USE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, RADIO CUTS OUT. HONDA DEALER REPAIRED ELECTRICAL HARNESS - no longer under warranty. DEALER CHARGE $190 INSPECTION FEE [XXX]- SAME PROBLEM - USE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, RADIO CUTS OUT. - no longer under warranty. DEALER CHARGE $190 INSPECTION FEE - DEALER WANTED $3212 TO REPAIR 6/13/25- CALLED AMERICAN HONDA CORP. Spoke with [XXX] 800-382-2238, Case#[XXX}. 9/15/25- After MONTHS of emails/ documentation of repair bills/ phone calls , AMERICAN HONDA CORPORATION REFUSES TO PAY FOR ENTIRE $3212 REPAIR BILL. TOLD US TO PAY $1000 TOWARDS THIS REPEATED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11687709

Incident

May 31, 2022

I am reporting a potential safety issue with my 2020 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid. On September 4, 2025, my dealership identified a non-genuine purple quick-splice connector in the driver’s door harness, which they attribute to error codes B1142 (Driver’s Door Lock Knob Switch Circuit), U0199 (Lost Communication with Driver’s Door Module), and U3003-16 (Electric Servo Brake Control Unit Power Source Low Voltage). This connector, not installed by the recent audio installer who put only upgraded speakers and deemed non-Honda, may be an aftermarket modification (possibly an alarm/tracker or anti-theft device) causing electrical faults. While no water was found, the issue could impact brake assist (U3003-16), posing a safety risk. I request NHTSA investigate whether this reflects a widespread manufacturing or modification defect, especially given reports of similar quick-splices at dealerships for repos or fleet locking. A Reddit user said, “ We see these at our dealer frequently. Those are quick-splices, usually used to piggyback off your oem wires to supply voltage/signals to an aftermarket alarm/tracker. Other dealerships install this in the event of repos/auto locking an entire fleet/or additional anti-theft.”

NHTSA ID

11685172

Incident

Sep 4, 2025

Five times the past year, while driving on the freeway, the first incident I cannot remember, but I do know that the other four incidents were on a slight incline. The car acted as if it wasn’t getting enough gas and slowed down and was shaking. Giving gas would not help, and it kept slowing down. The check engine light would come on and once I turned off the car and turned it back on, the car acted normal again. Sometimes I had to keep it turned off at least a minute before it would run normal again. I took it to the dealership twice and both times I was told that because the engine light was not on, they did not know what was wrong. I asked if they could check the computer to look for faults, and they said that is a waste of time because not only would I have to pay for the service,but they could guarantee that faults will not be found so it would be a waste of my money. The fact that this has happened so many times., once every a few months, and the fact that there has been similar problems on other models/years, I would like to report that I think it also has to do with my model and year. While filling out this report, it only showed that it was a 2020 Honda Accord and did not include the fact that it is a hybrid if that makes a difference. My car is a 2020 Honda Accord hybrid. Last incident was this past Saturday. August 9, 2025. This was the worst incident due to it took longer to correct itself and took three tries.

NHTSA ID

11680006

Incident

Aug 9, 2025

While diving at highway speeds (first at 55mph in may 2025 and then again in July 2025 at 65mph) I got a warning on screen about power loss and a critical failure and that power will be reduced and to stop at the side of the road. Within 30 seconds or a minute of the warning the car power cut out significantly impacting the speed and both times almost causing traffic behind me to hit me from behind. I took it to Honda dealership in dulles, va back in may 2025 and they told me it was the electric water pump which I had replaced. Now in July it happened again and this time I had my wife and child with me in the car as well as a guest. I had to pull over and all the warning lights started to flash (everyone of them). I have taken it back to Honda but having a car that goes from 65mph to 25mph on the highway with no warning to others is a recipe for disaster. Apparently this is a known issue with the hybrid system and the battery needs replaced (from online honda forums) which Honda is not doing unless forced. I am still waiting for my dealer to get back to me but its exactly the same problem as the other notes I saw online. My car only has 46,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11671387

Incident

May 14, 2025

Mileage

46,002 mi

When picking up speed, the steering wheel is difficult to turn. And not working line keep Assistance. U0416 code in ecu (eps). No any errors on dashboard.

NHTSA ID

11663308

Incident

Dec 1, 2024

The Collision Avoidance system activated twice for no reason. Inspection is available. I and my passenger were jerked by the rapid stop & could have been rear ended if anyone was behind me. The second event was in an intersection when I and the driver behind me were driving slowly. if the car behind wasn't alert, he or she could have collided with me. No one was travelling in front of me and yet the brake suddenly engaged. The dealership rep. did not confirm the problem after driving it 5 minutes. There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms before the brake engaged in both instances.

NHTSA ID

11611973

Incident

Aug 17, 2024

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); 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 dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11593765

Incident

Jun 11, 2024

On several occasions and almost never under similar circumstances, my entire Brake System suddenly shows there is a problem and flashes warnings on my dashboard - parking brake, power steering, vehicle stability assist, hill start assist, adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, road departure systems - each systems shows there is a problem and says “see your dealer”. The first time it happened, I was driving on the interstate, and my only way of getting to safety was pulling off the road and trying to override the brakes manually to get my car to eventually stop. I had my car towed to the nearest Honda dealership the first and second times this happened. They assured me everything was fine or they would “restart my system”. The problem still exists, and it often leaves me stranded on the side of the road, in random parking lots, or just stuck at home unable to get to work.

NHTSA ID

11588179

Incident

May 10, 2024

At speeds between 50mph a howling noise begins and gets louder as the speed increases to 55mph. The howling noise is quite loud. It stops after you get above 55pmh or you open a window. The dealer said he was not aware of this problem.

NHTSA ID

11570082

Incident

Feb 5, 2024

Overnight while parked in the garage, the front windshield became cracked without signs of impact. The next night before I had even had the chance to bring it in for a scheduled inspection at the dealership, the crack spidered out to cover almost 15-20% of the windshield. When I took it into for inspection at the dealership, they also mentioned that it looked like there was no impact and the crack was internal to the glass. They agreed that it looked like the same situation as described in Honda TSB 20-118, but said that it could not be covered because it wasnt in the identified VIN range even though it looked like a similar situation described in the TSB.

NHTSA ID

11551903

Incident

Oct 23, 2023

FREON LEAKING FROM THE EVAPORATOR.

NHTSA ID

11545706

Incident

Aug 1, 2023

Power system error and warning lights pop up or off no were

NHTSA ID

11524575

Incident

May 30, 2023

Without driver intervention, the vehicle engaged the brakes. Threw both passengers forward until the seat belt restraints engaged. Bruising both passengers shoulders. The vehicle would not respond to either pedal - brake or gas for a few seconds. There was no visible traffic in front of us. The day was clear. And no construction or overpasses. The vehicle was taken into a certified Honda dealer and inspected. No “flags” or diagnostic issues found. The car was driven by the dealer. The issue wouldn’t reproduce. The dealer stated that they did find a large “smashed” bug on one sensor and wondered if it could have caused the issue. Prior to the vehicle initiating the panic stop, no indications of a event were posted on any device in the vehicle

NHTSA ID

11482123

Incident

Aug 14, 2022

On 2 incidents, I've had the collision mitigation braking system (CMBS) issue driver warnings/alerts and automatically hit the brakes without warning when there are no obstacles in front of the vehicle and it has not deviated from its lane. Both incidents occurred during highway speeds. 1 incident was in a construction area where the car entered a steep decline and then rise as the construction was part of lane resurfacing. The 2nd incident was while driving over an overpass (not sure, but possibly a steep incline).

NHTSA ID

11469545

Incident

Jun 15, 2022

My car is a hybrid. At times, a Very loud humming noise is produced, due to glitch in software with the ANC. Noise starts and stops suddenly, intermittently, without warning, and is a safety hazard. Noise can build to be extremely loud and jarring, and can last for several minutes. Honda claims this is a cosmetic issue only and they are working on it. But the issue has been repeatedly reported by thousands of drivers over a multi-year period. Honda is ignoring any real resolution. Please help! This is frightening and disruptive, and makes operating the car unsafe. Thank you. It started about 1 year after ownership and was occasional. IT is now happening multiple times, every time I drive my car.

NHTSA ID

11457388

Incident

Mar 10, 2022

I was driving yesterday accordingly to the speed limit on a main city street. There were no cars in front of me AT ALL when all of a sudden my car hit the breaks 3 times back to back out of nowhere causing my car to swerve! I felt completely out of control of my vehicle and I am so thankful I wasn't on the highway and that no one was near me! I first noticed issues with the breaking system, previously on 3 other occasions throughout my time of owning/leasing the vehicle. 3 other occasions before receiving an alert on the screen that read "the brake system has a problem. Avoid high speeds and sudden braking. Have your vehicle checked by a dealer immediately." That was February 13, 2022. I called immediately to take my car in and was told I would have to pay out of pocket to have this issue addressed which seems outrageous to me since it is something that I have no control over. So without the ability to pay such a high fee for a vehicle that I thought would keep me safe, I took it to a local auto shop and had my brakes checked while I had my routine maintenance done. I was told everything was fine, which in my opinion indicates it is at fault of the manufacturers.. I don't want to die before something is done. There have been many claims about the same thing happening. I'm truly shocked there hasn't been a recall due to this issue.

NHTSA ID

11456268

Incident

Mar 10, 2022

I have had two (2) separate incidents of the automatic emergency braking system engaging suddenly & without reason as I was driving. Once on a residential street & the second on the freeway at approx. 65 mph. The AEBS released very quickly each time, but is a highly and potentially dangerous thing to happen. There are numerous reports & complaints about this in the 2016-2019 Honda Accords, but it is now happening in the 2020 year cars.

NHTSA ID

11454137

Incident

Feb 4, 2022

This seems to carry over from problems with prior year models. I can be on the highway with no vehicle in front of me and the brakes apply by themselves (foot not even near the brake pedal). It is a brief braking, but it can be dangerous when someone decides to ride on my tail. I notice it does happen when I'm going around a curve and a railing next to me on the outside of the curve is near the lane. It also happens at times when a vehicle is in the next lane (right or left) and slightly ahead of me, even on a straight-a-way. It has happened multiple times. Date below is just the latest. I approximate my speed at 65MPH and my car low mileage.

NHTSA ID

11453895

Incident

Feb 19, 2022

While driving at highway speeds (50 -55mph), the ANC (active noise control) unit delivers a loud Booming sound through the speaker system. The sudden and unexpected booming noise startled the driver causing temporary loss of control of the vehicle. The solution has already been identified in a Service Bulletin from Honda as Service Bulletin 21-053. The ANC unit has incorrect software and requires replacement to fix and eliminate the safety hazard. The issue was noted June 29th, 2021; but, has not been escalated as a Safety Recall. I have replaced the ANC as directed by the Service Bulletin and it has resolved the problem; however, other Honda vehicles have this same safety issue and if not Recalled will continue to be a safety concern for all drivers on our highway. I would like to see this escalated to a Safety Recall level and customers notified to replace. I am disappointed that Honda has not proactively Recalled this.

NHTSA ID

11450960

Incident

Jul 5, 2021

The contact's client owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while his client was driving at about 45 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated on his own, drove off the road and drove down in a steep embankment, hit 8-9 fence posts, ramped up over the driveway of the embankment, and crashed into a tree. The contact did not know whether the air bags deployed. The contact's client sustained severe injuries including broken bones. The contact's little brother who was in a forward-facing child seat in the rear driver's side seat was pronounced dead at the scene. A police report was filed. The contact's client and her brother were transported to the hospital by emergency services. The vehicle was towed to a garage where it was totaled. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11448374

Incident

Sep 21, 2021

I was on the Freeway ramp from I11N to I215 in Henderson, NV. I tapped off the interactive cruise control because my exit was Gibson - immediately after the ramp. Within a few seconds, the car braked heavily on its own, no dash warnings, and almost caused me to get rear ended. I pushed on the brake and then the gas and it stopped the car from braking on its own.

NHTSA ID

11430783

Incident

Aug 27, 2021

My car died as we pulled into traffic. Honda said the fuel pump failed. It took months to get the fuel pump replaced. Honda said that my vin # wasn't included in a recall.

NHTSA ID

11430782

Incident

Jun 21, 2021

A loud booming / vibrating noise from the speakers while traveling between 52 & 54 mph with windows closed. Sound starts as a low noise / vibration and escalates to its maximum before abruptly ceasing. Noise / Vibration first noticed when taking car home after initial delivery 3/28/2020. Vehicle use was minimal (due to COVID shutdowns) and noise not noticed again until late fall / early winter of 2020. Vehicle was taken to dealer at regular service interval in February 2021 and problem was evaluated at that time. Vehicle has been evaluated once and microphone for Noice Cancelling system replaced. Issue subsequently returned. Vehicle going for second repair.

NHTSA ID

11419169

Incident

Mar 28, 2020

THE PAINT IS DEFECTIVE , THE CLEAR COAT IS PEELING OFF A LOT OF SCRATCHES ALL OVER THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE IN MANY PLACES .THE IS 2020 AND HAS LESS THAN 1400 MILES.ABOUT 6 MONTHS OLD GARAGE KEPT .

NHTSA ID

11414001

Incident

Dec 1, 2020

Mileage

300 mi