RoadVitals

2020 Honda Accord Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
57
Latest Feb 2, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
17%
of 345 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2020 Honda Accord submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 57 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

The 25 most recent of 57, in the owner's own words

BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 2, 2026

9 warnings lights turned on on my dashboard and when going slow and accelerating it brakes by it self also brakes on freeway going 70 mph and then recovers

NHTSA ID
11714884
Incident
Jan 31, 2026
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jan 29, 2026

Driving on the white horse pike in Berlin New Jersey at 1:39pm on January 21st and my BREAK light warning light came on. There was nothing in front of me, I was doing 40mph. The roads were dry, There were no cars near me, and no traffic. It happened again on the same day January 21st, on the White Horse Pike in Lindenwold New Jersey. This one happened at 520pm, I was doing 45mph and my BREAK warning light came on. The road was dry, there was no traffic on the road, and no cars or debris in the road either.

NHTSA ID
11714328
Incident
Jan 21, 2026
BrakesFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 12, 2026

Was operating the vehicle at about 30mph and the braking system started malfunctioning by giving me limited braking power and throwing a bunch of lights on the dash along with sudden loss of acceleration. Tried to press the pedal again and it didn’t respond I drifted to a stop in the middle a lane in the road. Had to shut vehicle off then restart to regain function. All conditions were clear outside. The dealer I bought it from has been very suspicious since the purchase. Bought as a “certified pre-owned” but have had nothing but problems in the couple weeks of owning. Such as the TPMS system continuously going off saying “low tire pressure” the dealer has seen it multiple times and still can’t figure out the problem. They said they’re gonna start “throwing random parts at it” Issues just continue to get worse with little to no cooperation with the dealership. Will be inspected in the morning once it’s towed in. No longer feel safe operating vehicle. Warning lamps came on after the malfunction. Then flickered on and off a few times then stayed on when I restarted the vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11710278
Incident
Jan 11, 2026
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 15, 2025

While I was driving on the highway, the brakes of my car suddenly were violently activated and I had not touched the brakes. If there had been a car behind me, it would have been a major rear end collision. It was over quickly and I accelerated back to the normal speed. I talked to the Honda Service Mgr where I purchased the car and he said he was unaware of the problem although I see that that nearly 3 million Hondas have experienced this issue.

NHTSA ID
11705031
Incident
Dec 2, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes independently activated, and the transmission independently shifted into neutral. The contact stated that there were no other vehicles nearby. The brake warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to clean off the sensors and see if the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that she did not want to see if the failure would recur. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,660.

NHTSA ID
11703338
Incident
Dec 5, 2025
Mileage
59,660 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Nov 18, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brakes were independently activated without the driver depressing the brake pedal. The “Service Brakes” warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. In addition, the contact related the failure to Honda Recall: TN2; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

NHTSA ID
11700148
Incident
Jun 15, 2025
Mileage
67,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Nov 3, 2025

Driving on a clear road on a clear day with no car in front of me, the brake warning flashed and then the car braked on its own. There was NO reason for the warning or for the car to brake on its own. Automatic breaking isn’t even a feature on this car.

NHTSA ID
11697259
Incident
Nov 3, 2025
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Oct 27, 2025

I tried to take my car to the dealer because my car brakes on its own and it had a alert that something was wrong with the air bags . I can ve driving anywhere and without reason the car breaks putting my life in danger and my family. I have tried to contact the dealer about this serious matter but I don't get anywhere. I am reaching out to see what solution we can come to ?

NHTSA ID
11695958
Incident
Jun 25, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Oct 5, 2025

I was driving down US Route 42 on 10/4/25 at 1:10 AM and my car phantom break itself while I was doing 60 miles an hour on the highway.

NHTSA ID
11691456
Incident
Oct 4, 2025
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 5, 2025

The vehicle keeps braking automatically with nothing in front of me, I see numerous people reporting it so I figured I should aswell, nothing in front or near me when it automatically brakes, it is scary as heck tho!

NHTSA ID
11691420
Incident
Oct 5, 2025
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 2, 2025

Good Morning, I have new Honda Accord 2020 which always been taken care of regular services and oil changes etc. This morning I tried to start my car going to work but suddenly all brake related warning signs came off. My card still not starting the engine. I researched online and found out many people who have same Honda facing same issues. So I figured it's better to be reported before someone gets really hurts while on road. Please find attached pictured with this incident report please.

NHTSA ID
11690912
Incident
Oct 2, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 5, 2025

On September 2, 2025 at 1004-1005 EST, my car phantom braked, when there was nothing in front of me and this time instead of just flashing brake on the dashboard, it actually breaks itself and threw me into the steering wheel thank God my seatbelt caught me, but it really choked me up. This has happened quite a number of times before, but this is the first time that it breaked when I actually stepped on the brake pedal it break itself myself also. The component is the automatic breaking for the collision impact that keeps phantom breaking on me. It has never been looked at by a dealer or anyone otherwise. The lamp that came on was the BREAK lamp where the rpm are at.

NHTSA ID
11685302
Incident
Sep 2, 2025
Brakes
Filed Aug 29, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Service Brakes" was intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions, but no fault for the issue was identified. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and eventually, the dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the brake booster was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 10,000.

NHTSA ID
11683831
Incident
Nov 1, 2022
Mileage
10,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Aug 28, 2025

There has been multiple times that when I am driving on the highway doing 60 miles an hour, the dashboard will light up to BRAKE the car when there is nothing in front of the car, no other car no trash nothing. It has done this on slower roads where the speed limit is 40 mph and under but it will actually brake the car and I have had cars behind me when this happens. This keeps happening multiply times a week.

NHTSA ID
11683679
Incident
Aug 28, 2025
BrakesElectrical
Filed Aug 21, 2025

Electrical drain in system causing premature battery failure and electrical misfiring that causes the car to shut off and flashing a brake warning message to contact dealer and once this occurs car won’t start until Honda link and hands free pairing are reconnected. Issue is if the misfiring drains the battery, driver is not able to reconnect the cars apps and pair the Bluetooth, therefore, car is not will be immobile until battery is recharged.

NHTSA ID
11682206
Incident
Aug 18, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jul 31, 2025

When driving my car it will phantom break when there is nothing in front of it going down the highway 5060 miles an hour and it’s done at numerous times. I have not been in an accident yet, but it’s something that keeps occurring on my car.

NHTSA ID
11677516
Incident
Jul 31, 2025
BrakesSteeringSuspension
Filed Jul 23, 2025

I noticed a loud grinding noise and reduced braking power coming from my 2020 Honda Accord while driving at normal city speeds. A local mechanic inspected it and found that the rear brake caliper was sticking and causing premature wear. I contacted Honda service, but they refused to cover the cost or inspect it under goodwill, even though similar issues have been reported with other Honda models. This issue puts my safety at risk as braking is compromised and steering becomes harder. The problem was confirmed by a local certified mechanic and is available for inspection if needed.

NHTSA ID
11675720
Incident
Jul 20, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jul 22, 2025

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally report a serious safety issue involving the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system on my Honda Accord 2020. The system has been engaging randomly and without cause, abruptly applying the brakes when there is no obstacle or hazard present. On multiple occasions, this malfunction has occurred while driving at normal speeds, including on highways and in moderate traffic. These sudden, unprovoked braking events have created extremely dangerous situations, nearly causing rear-end collisions and putting both myself and other drivers at risk. Despite there being no obstruction in front of the vehicle, the system behaves as though an emergency stop is necessary. This issue not only undermines the purpose of the safety feature but also significantly increases the risk of an accident due to unexpected deceleration. I urge Honda to thoroughly investigate this issue, as it appears to be a potentially widespread and dangerous defect. I am requesting that the company: •Address and correct the fault in my vehicle’s AEB system at no cost •Provide a clear explanation of the root cause •Inform me of any recalls or technical service bulletins (TSBs) related to this problem

NHTSA ID
11675390
Incident
Jul 22, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jun 27, 2025

Vehicle will randomly slam on brakes to a dead stop, engaging my seatbelt when engine braking behind a vehicle. Usually happens on surface streets when the vehicle in front of me is turning into a driveway/tight right turn. My velocity is decreasing & I am not at risk of colliding with the vehicle every time. System does not seem to register engine braking with a manual transmission as “braking.” I’ve nearly been rear ended several times due to coming to a dead stop in traffic. I’ve asked Honda how to permanently disable the system, with the only advice to turn it off manually every single time I start the vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11669773
Incident
Jun 27, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed May 27, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the brakes had erroneously activated, causing the vehicle the suddenly decelerate. During the failure, the "BRAKE" light was flashing. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Action Number: EA24002 (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the investigation. Additionally, after starting the vehicle and driving forward or in reverse, there was a squeaking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure, and informed the contact that the failure was a common issue, but the manufacturer had not issued a service campaign to address the issue. The failure mileage was 30,000.

NHTSA ID
11663113
Incident
Nov 1, 2023
Mileage
30,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 13, 2025

The car brake by itself with no obstacles in the way

NHTSA ID
11654339
Incident
Apr 13, 2025
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Mar 6, 2025

Brake system light keeps coming on

NHTSA ID
11646814
Incident
Feb 20, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jan 19, 2025

When I was attempting to merge into the turning lane the car slowed down by itself and abruptly stopped in the middle of both lanes while a car was behind me.

NHTSA ID
11636917
Incident
Jan 19, 2025
BrakesElectrical
Filed Mar 18, 2024

The ANC module malfunctions already at only 67000 miles and causes a humming noise which is very annoying when driving. The ebreak also malfunctions during cold weather conditions. I have had to restart the car due to the electronic parking break not working properly. In case of an emergency I might need it and it may malfunction.

NHTSA ID
11578012
Incident
Feb 2, 2024
Brakes
Filed Sep 25, 2023

Rear brakes wearing before front brakes

NHTSA ID
11546495
Incident
Sep 25, 2023

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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