2020 Honda Accord Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2020 Honda Accord, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance12424.9%
- Engine7715.5%
- Fuel system6412.9%
- Brakes5911.9%
- Electrical5410.9%
- Airbags367.2%
- Steering234.6%
- Powertrain (other)163.2%
- Interior & seats91.8%
- Body & structure81.6%
- Seat belts71.4%
- Suspension61.2%
- Visibility51.0%
- Exterior lighting40.8%
- Tires & wheels30.6%
- Other / unspecified20.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the Collision Mitigation Braking System unexpectedly engaged, causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop, and the vehicle jerked while there was no other vehicle or obstacle nearby. The local dealer was contacted by phone and advised the contact to bring the vehicle in for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 82,605.
Hello, I am requesting immediate attention to an issue with my vehicle that I believe is related to a factory defect. The recall service was completed, but the problem was not corrected. The warning lights are still illuminated on the instrument cluster, including ACC and LKAS. Since this issue appears to be related to a factory defect and the vehicle is still under warranty, I am requesting that the vehicle be properly diagnosed and repaired under the factory warranty at no cost to me. I am also concerned about the safety of operating the vehicle while these warning lights remain on. Please document this concern on the repair order and provide me with a clear explanation of the cause and the repairs needed. Please treat this as an urgent warranty repair request.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after coming to a stop, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power, accompanied by multiple warning lights illuminating on the instrument cluster and an abnormal coolant odor entering the cabin. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where an inspection determined that the head gasket failed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where diagnostic testing determined that the engine and head gasket required replacement. The dealer informed the contact that coolant leaked into the engine, causing damage to the timing chain guides and timing chain tensioner. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: 26-003. The failure mileage was 112,000.
A mechanic inspected or evaluated the vehicle and told me that the small fuel filter/strainer inside the fuel pump assembly may be causing the problem. The vehicle has intermittent starting difficulties, rough engine operation, and sudden loss of engine power while driving. The accelerator sometimes becomes unresponsive until I pull over, turn off the engine, and restart the vehicle. I am concerned about a possible fuel delivery system malfunction and the risk of losing power unexpectedly while driving. I am requesting an investigation into the fuel pump assembly and its internal filter.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
A mechanic inspected or evaluated the vehicle and told me that the small fuel filter/strainer inside the fuel pump assembly may be causing the problem. The vehicle has intermittent starting difficulties, rough engine operation, and sudden loss of engine power while driving. The accelerator sometimes becomes unresponsive until I pull over, turn off the engine, and restart the vehicle. I am concerned about a possible fuel delivery system malfunction and the risk of losing power unexpectedly while driving. I am requesting an investigation into the fuel pump assembly and its internal filter.
On 09/18/2026, at 103,000 miles, my vehicle suffered a dangerous powertrain failure where numerous dashboard warning lights illuminated and the car suddenly dropped into "Limp Mode" with an immediate loss of acceleration while in active traffic. I took the vehicle to a certified Honda dealership, where technicians officially diagnosed the issue as a "Fuel System Too Rich" condition (Diagnostic Trouble Code P0172). The dealership confirmed that the factory-installed direct fuel injectors are failing prematurely and leaking raw fuel into the engine cylinders. This manufacturing defect causes severe engine oil dilution, where gasoline contaminates the oil pan, creating an immediate stalling hazard and an extreme risk of a high-speed rear-end collision. Online owner forums and dedicated global social media groups indicate that thousands of other 10th-generation Accord owners are experiencing this identical safety defect. Honda corporate has formally denied goodwill assistance, treating this severe engineering flaw as standard wear and tear. The vehicle and failed components are fully available for inspection upon federal request.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH and attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped, and the brake pedal was depressed while the vehicle was entering ongoing traffic. There was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly lunged in the opposite direction while driving. The contact expressed concerns that the vehicle was unsafe to drive and that the failure could have caused a chain-reaction crash if the vehicle behind had not stopped. The contact did not feel safe driving the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure via telephone. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle was jerking abnormally. The Brake System, TPMS, Power Steering, and Check Engine warning lights were illuminated. The message “Reduce Speed” was displayed with an audible beeping alert. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,309.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Unknown cause - Heavy Traffic I get all warning lights (idiot) come on. No performance loss but every advisory and caution is illuminated. Tested battery 550amps and regulator was putting out 14 volts so all seemed fine. Check battery terminals and connections, all good. After two days lights go away and everything works fine. When lights and advisory are on, no cruise control, TMPS, lane departure, assisted steering, and anything else in the caution light display doesn't work. Good thing all other aspects of the car work fine. Unable to determine the issue with Why this happens. Seen on line others have had this same issue.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, several warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the battery was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to three independent mechanics, where the failure was confirmed, and the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the battery was replaced four times within three and a half years. The contact stated that the warning lights turned off temporarily upon replacing the battery. The contact stated that the failure was a common issue.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
The Supplemental Restraint System Problem message along with the airbag light comes and goes on my dash randomly. Anytime I am able to take it to get scanned, it doesn’t show up. Then when I’m driving down the road it will randomly appear. It also appears sometimes when I first start the vehicle. My car has 66,200 miles on it and it first happened at 59,771 miles. The vehicle has never been roughly treated or heavy objects placed in the seats. I believe it is something electrical that is faulty because of failing Honda parts. My car shows there are no recalls for this, but other Accords do have a recall for this issue.
My parked 2020 Honda Accord had a spontaneous side curtain airbag deployment with the engine off, which matches the known humidity/short-circuit sensor defects that are currently under Federal safety recall. The deployment caused damage to the interior of my car, as well! There have been no warnings, indications or issues before. There was no collision or impact of any sort. The car will not start and had to be towed to Hugh White Honda, Columbus Rd. Athens, OH. The service department reported that they can’t find the “why” of how it occurred, nor would they be able to repair the damage that occurred from the airbag deployment. The insurance agent said without visible “cause” they will deny any claim.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was reversing my 2020 Honda accord and the power steering light came on. The power steering and steering wheel was hard. The steering then locked up. I couldn’t move the car. This could have been dangerous of another vehicle was coming. After shifting it back to drive, it went away. Now I am concerned the car may do this problem on the road.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle was jerking abnormally. The Brake System, TPMS, Power Steering, and Check Engine warning lights were illuminated. The message “Reduce Speed” was displayed with an audible beeping alert. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,309.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The car has a blown head gasket at 72k miles the odometer. This seems to be a major problem with 2018-2022 honda accords with the 1.5 turbo engine. it also has a bad fuel pump.
The car keeps giving me misfires
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
Seat weight sensor failure resuling in the illumination of the SRS warning indicator
When setting something on my passenger seat such as a water bottle filled with water and a purse, the SRS light is triggered on the dashboard. After doing some research there was a safety recall for the passenger weight sensor on my vehicle model however my vin was not included.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The plastic cover on the bottom is to low to the ground. Multiple times over the years it’s been torn or stuck on parking space separators or when I have to get my car towed it falls down. By this point half of it is gone and all the things under the car are exposed. Right now I barely have any plastic left. I pulled into a parking spot and it caught after it had been repairs and clipped back up there and almost ripped the whole bumper off. That part is too low or not built properly to even allow someone to park in a parking space properly. It’s very dangerous for multiple reasons. The way this was built is not even functional in real life
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while an occupant was seated in the front passenger’s seat, the supplemental restraint system (SRS) warning light illuminated. The message "Please see Dealer” was displayed. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the emissions system warning light remained continuously illuminated, and the engine was idling roughly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fuel pump failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, several systems malfunctioned and became inoperable, with unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number 20V771000 (Electrical System, Back Over Prevention, Visibility/Wiper, Visibility, Exterior Lighting). The vehicle was diagnosed with a body control module (BCM) failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
On December 26, 2025, the supplemental restraint system problem appeared on the dashboard. On January 6, 2026, vehicle was taken to Stockton Honda service department to performed a diagnostic test and multi-point inspection was completed. During this time the diagnostic results showed a code B0020-13, open or increased resistance in the left side airbag inflator. They recommend starting with the inflator replacement parts, SRS unit and program, and driver seat belt.
Red Warning comes on: supplemental restraint system problem Warning has come 3-4 times in past 2 months
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Loud, audible grinding noise when braking, usually in reverse. Sounds like metal on metal. Drove vehicle to dealer today, was told this is a common problem, Honda is aware. Awaiting recall, etc. Issue is very distracting, especially in a parking lot. Issue also occasionally happens when slowing to a stop at low speeds.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
On the morning of Nov 1, 2022, I was driving on an open rural highway in cool, clear weather with no other vehicles on the road. Suddenly I heard an explosive crashing sound followed immediately by the sound of broken glass falling. I was afraid to stop right there because a few years ago, there were several vehicles hit by rifle fire not far from me in northern Colorado. As I drove, I felt a little air flow, as if a back window was partly open. When I came to a parking lot for a hiking trailhead, there were other vehicles in the lot and I felt safe to pull over. Examination showed that the sunroof on my car had shattered. Luckily, I had the sunscreen closed, or I would have gotten a face full of broken glass while traveling 55 mph. I reported to the sheriff. We tried to imagine what could have happened. I actually wondered if a random piece of meteorite had fallen from the sky, but there was no foreign object along with the broken glass. I filed an insurance claim. The damage has been repaired. I was not injured, but certainly shaken up because of the close call. Later I learned that other sunroofs have shattered spontaneously. I believe there should be a safety recall.
Driving on the freeway when the sunroof just exploded. there was nothing that hit us as there was no vehicle in close vicinity to us. Thankfully we had the cover closed or it could of resulted in personal injury from people inside and additional damage.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
I own a 2020 Honda Accord EX-L with a 1.5T turbo engine. The problem happened on January 20, 2026, when my car had 66,988 miles. While my husband was driving it, the engine warning light came on, and the car suddenly lost power in the middle of the road. Fortunately, there was no car behind me at the time. Otherwise, he could have been in a serious accident. He was able to pull into a nearby parking lot. To avoid further damage, we had the car towed to a certified Honda dealership for diagnosis. The dealer told me that the fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. The total repair cost was $1,851. The dealer checked my vehicle identification number (VIN) and told me there was no recall for my car, even though some vehicles of the same model and year do have recalls for similar issues. Because of this, I had to pay the full repair cost out of pocket. I kept the repair receipt. I later contacted Honda’s customer service to report the issue. However, the representative informed me that Honda could not provide assistance because my VIN was not included in the recall list.
Right front turn signal does not work also fm/am radio does not work as well as trunk release button on trunk itself. Had both head lights replaced thinking it was an LED issue with turn signal and was told by mechanic that BCM is the issue. Called Honda regarding the recall to the BCM and was told my car is not apart of said recall because it didn’t come from a certain region but seems to be all of Honda accords have this issue regardless of plant manufacturer
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated that upon intermittent starts of the vehicle, several, various warning messages would appear on the instrument panel. Warning messages such as tire pressure monitor, brake system problem, brake hose system,etc would all appear on the instrument panel and would remain on the instrument panel until the system would be cleared by the dealer. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer on multiple occasions to address the failure; however, the dealer could not diagnose the failure. The vehicle was then taken to Honda Of Tomball(22727 Tomball Pkwy, Tomball, TX 77375) where they diagnosed the vehicle with a defective head gasket. The contact refuted the diagnostic and took the vehicle back to the original dealer where they agreed with the contact that there was not an issue with the head gasket. The contact stated that both the battery, coil pack and spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure would return within weeks after repair. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
My Honda accord has been acting up and it has Several problems including, adaptive cruise control system problem, collision mitigation braking system problem, road departure mitigation system problem, electric power steering system problem steering assist reduced, see your dealer, emissions system problem aviod heavy acceleration and high speed. Vehicle stability assist system Problem, traction and handling.Hill start asist. make an appeal and the car is having too much problems and it's costing me a lot of money!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
The harness isn’t secured. It doesn’t click or fasten. We’ve had this car seat for about two months
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A THUMPING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO IMPERIAL VALLEY HONDA (664 THOMAS LANE, EL CENTRO, CA 92243) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR WHEELS COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED WHILE PERFORMING AN ALIGNMENT ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE SHOULD PURCHASE A CAMBER ADJUSTER KIT TO FIX THE ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THERE WOULD BE NO ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .