2020 Honda CR-V Owner Complaints

No warning lamps. Steering is "sticky". Driving at higher speeds such as on the interstate. Steering to the left then when straightening the steering wheel, it is sticky. Dangerous especially at higher speeds. May cause the driver to over correct steering. Putting them and others around them in danger of colliding. Other Honda Crv models have recalls for this issue. My vehicle is no safer with the issue and deserves to be addressed as well.

NHTSA ID

11765389

Incident

Sep 17, 2026

At 29,100 miles on the odometer I started noticing a little difference in the steering, especially at low speeds. There were no dashboard warning messages. I took it to a local Honda Service Center (Vatland Honda) and they diagnosed the problem as "Electric steering rack internal failure" and an estimated repair cost approaching $6,000 after taxes and fees. They said there's no way to predict if or when the power steering would completely fail, but it could be a sudden event. I left with the impression that even total steering failure was a possibility. Because of the high cost estimate, I took it to a second Service Center (Coggin Honda) for an estimate. They checked the car and came to the same conclusion as the first Service Center. However, their cost of repair was lower ($5,375 including tax), and I had them repair the car yesterday (9/17/26). I had also contacted Honda America and asked if they would agree to cover this repair under warranty even though I'm beyond the warranty time period. I felt there must have been a manufacturing defect to have a failure of this type at such low mileage. They reviewed my request and agreed to pay 80% of the repair cost. I'm grateful that Honda America has covered most of the cost, but I'm filing this report because I've read on some online forums that other 2020 Honda CRV owners have had a similar problem. If this is more than just an isolated event, I feel a recall may be warranted for this car part.

NHTSA ID

11765263

Incident

Sep 9, 2026

Honda Dealership (Grainger Honda in [XXX]) replaced a steering neck on my 2020 Honda CRV at approximately 87,000 miles in XXX The vehicle was brought into the dealership in XXX with symptoms of loose steering, creaks/groans during turns/curves and the steering wheel was catching during turns/corners. The recommendation by Honda was to replace the struts, which was completed at another location. The symptoms became evident again in the summer of 2026 and in XXX was advised by Honda to replace the steering neck. The dealership had to order the part and advised that this was a safety issue, and the car should not be driven until repair completed. The replacement of the steering neck resolved the steering issues with the vehicle. . My family had been driving an unsafe vehicle since 2025? No warnings from vehicle system. The 2020 Honda CRV was not part of a recall; however 2023-2025 Honda CRVs had a recall for the same issue with steering neck and symptoms aligned with symptoms experienced with a 2020 model. I have filed a complaint with American Honda as the repairs cost over $5,000 and failure of this critical component is outside expectations for a vehicle of this age and mileage. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11765031

Incident

Aug 28, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. While the contact's wife was driving 55 MPH, the vehicle operated sluggishly with an engine misfire. The contact's daughter used a scan tool and retrieved information of a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that cylinder #2 had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. Another check with the scan tool indicated a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that cylinder #3 had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact contacted another independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed and DTC: P0299 (Blown head gasket) was retrieved. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the warranty mileage was exceeded. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by phone, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the dealer where the vehicle was purchased. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ID

11764766

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

Mileage

155,000 mi

starter had short life 76k on a 2020 average is 100k or 10 year I never had a car starter die this early

NHTSA ID

11763672

Incident

Aug 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver's seat belt failed to latch as intended. The contact attempted to latch the driver's seat belt several times before the seat belt latched as needed. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall.

NHTSA ID

11763434

Incident

Sep 7, 2026

when turning the steering wheel would momenterily stick. germain honda of college hills said steering motor bad. replaced motor ,but still was sticky,said needed steering rack also. that fixed it for a total of 7500 hundred dollars. complained but have not receive any compansation.

NHTSA ID

11762356

Incident

Aug 31, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the brakes failed to operate as needed. The brake pedal was depressed, and the brake pedal almost went down to the floorboard, and the braking distance became extended. The vehicle was driven to supermarket parking lot and gradually slowed down before slowly being driven back to the residence. The brakes, VSA and road departure warning lights were illuminated with several other unknown warning lights. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with brake failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.

NHTSA ID

11762155

Incident

Aug 30, 2026

Mileage

23,000 mi

One four occasions our 2020 Honda CRV Hybrid has started after sitting overnight in the greater Seattle area in the spring and summer with a rough idle. Within two miles of leaving our home at speeds of no more than 35 miles per hour, the check engine light began to flash. All four times, the rough idle and check engine light were accompanied by degraded speed responsiveness and the error cleared with turning the car on and off again. We have taken the vehicle to a mechanic twice and each time they couldn’t find any stored codes or replicate the issue. The issue continues to occur and seems to be getting worse. I’m concerned this will happen at high speeds and result in a total loss of power which will be unsafe.

NHTSA ID

11761373

Incident

Mar 22, 2026

This appears to be the exact same problem as the Recall Campaign 24V744000 that applies to other model years of the same Honda CR-V. The steering rack for my car had to be replaced due to a defective gear box causing the steering wheel to be sticky.

NHTSA ID

11760095

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

2/19/26 My car lost power while accelerating up a hill at about 60mph and the car had been operating for an hour and a half or so. The car was shaking, running on reduced power and the check engine light was flashing so we had to pull over to safety on a busy road. The car was towed to the local Honda dealer. The dealer said the code was a misfire on cylinder #4 but once they restarted the car the error went away. They did perform multiple tests including a compression test on all four cylinders and a leak test, and the car passed them all. They were unable to reproduce the problem. They did swap the #4 coil so that if it happened again, we would have more diagnostic information. They recommended no further action at that time. On 5/11/26 we had the same experience, also while accelerating uphill, after about 30 minutes of driving, this time on the interstate which was very scary; reduced power, car shaking and check engine light flashing. We pulled over, turned off the engine, and sure enough, when we restarted the car, it started normally. When we went to the repair shop a few days later there were no engine codes showing. On 6/12/26 the same thing happened again. While going uphill, on the interstate, after a couple of hours of driving. This time, as soon as we got home, we used an engine code reader and saw code P0304 – Cylinder 4 misfire. On 8/13/26 Lehigh Valley Honda reproduced the problem on the interstate, going uphill and do not have a clear fix. They want me to spend $587 on a Valve Clearance Inspection and Adjustment that I think won't yield any result.

NHTSA ID

11759588

Incident

Feb 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was a misfire in cylinders #4 and #6. The fuel injectors were replaced. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to exceed 35 MPH, with the check engine warning light flashing. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, the vehicle failed to exceed 10 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the mechanic failed to retrieve a fault code and found no cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 103,000.

NHTSA ID

11759552

Incident

Feb 1, 2026

Mileage

103,000 mi

The check-engine light comes on immediately before the vehicle loses the ability to accelerate. While driving, including at highway speeds, pressing the accelerator does not produce normal propulsion and the vehicle loses motive power. If I pull over, turn the vehicle completely off and restart it, the check-engine light clears and normal acceleration returns. The problem is intermittent and has occurred more than once. The dealership has previously been unable to identify the cause because the vehicle operates normally after restarting.

NHTSA ID

11759311

Incident

Aug 24, 2026

I request a $2,935.58 reimbursement from Honda for a catastrophic manufacturing defect on my 2020 CR-V (78,248 miles). This includes a $2,105.58 dealer repair bill and an $830.00 emergency highway tow bill. Honda Corporate denied goodwill solely on mileage, ignoring proof of an internal component defect.THE FAILURE & SAFETY RISK: While driving on a highway, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion and entered a dangerous "limp mode" in active traffic. This immediate safety hazard forced an emergency $830 flatbed tow directly to an authorized Honda dealership.CERTIFIED DEALER DIAGNOSIS: Factory technicians diagnosed the failure at 78,248 miles. The itemized invoice documents Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0087 (Fuel Rail Pressure Too Low). Physical testing confirmed the high-pressure fuel pump suffered a total internal mechanical collapse, outputting a baseline of only 300 PSI instead of the required 2,000+ PSI. The dealer verified the failure was entirely internal.EXTREME PRICE MARKUPS: To remain mobile, I paid $2,100.00 out of pocket. The dealership charged $996.91 for the part (MSRP is ~$530) and $971.52 for labor for a highly accessible part that requires only 1.2 to 1.5 factory book hours. This is an unreasonable financial penalty for a defective part.FLAWLESS MAINTENANCE: Direct-injection high-pressure pumps rely on clean oil for lubrication. I have meticulously serviced this vehicle with professional oil changes and check-ups every 5 months without exception. My records prove zero oil dilution or neglect. The collapse was structural, not operational.KNOWN DEFECT PATTERNS: Honda has issued major safety recalls (like NHTSA Campaign 24V-763000) for internal structural cracking and sudden pressure drops within their high-pressure fuel pump assemblies on identical engine families. My pump failed in the exact same manner.REMEDY SOUGHT: Order Honda to reimburse the full $2,935.58 for the repair and tow bills. All receipts are attached.

NHTSA ID

11758480

Incident

Jul 17, 2026

All of the ADAS lights, check engine, and brake lights come on every 2-3 weeks. Has been taken to the shop multiple times now. So far have had the battery changed, spark plugs changed, and fuel injectors.

NHTSA ID

11758373

Incident

Jun 10, 2026

I am the owner of a 2020 Honda CR-V equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. The vehicle is experiencing a severe and dangerous engine oil dilution manufacturing defect where unburnt gasoline enters the oil pan. This is an active driving hazard. After a fresh oil change meant to remediate the issue, the oil level rapidly rose back up past the top dipstick indicator within less than 200 miles of driving, and the oil smells strongly of raw gasoline. This severe dilution degrades the engine oil viscosity, creating an immediate risk of sudden engine stalling, loss of propulsion, or catastrophic internal engine failure while driving at speed. Honda is aware of this defect on 1.5L turbo engines but has failed to issue a recall or provide a permanent engineering solution for 2020 models. I currently have 44,443 miles on the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11757640

Incident

Aug 4, 2026

The back glass shattered. I got into the car and shut the door. There was a loud pop and when I looked in the rearview mirror the back glass had shattered. There was nothing against the glass. It had not been in an accident. I was not aware of any issue with the back window shattering. I have read up on this and there seems to be other car owners that this has happened to. I feel lucky that I was not driving and especially with my grandson in the car. Yes it is tempered glass but if I had been driving the glass pieces could have blown back into the car. My insurance is paying for the replacement for free but it goes as a glass claim against me. I tried calling Honda but they are not open on Saturday. I sent them an email. I called my local Honda dealer but the service department does not answer. Now I do not feel safe driving my car. I thought that Honda was a reliable company and sold reliable cars. I do not feel that way any longer.

NHTSA ID

11757129

Incident

Aug 15, 2026

SRS AIR BAG PROBLEM IN THE DASHBOARD GO ON AND OFF HONDA TECHNICIAN FOUND THIS CODE AIRBAG INFLATOR

NHTSA ID

11756839

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

On the evening of [XXX], I started my vehicle while it was parked in my garage. Within approximately five minutes, the vehicle suddenly produced a violent and unusually loud mechanical noise, followed by visible smoke billowing from beneath the hood. Recognizing the immediate potential fire and safety hazard to both myself and my property, I immediately shut the vehicle down. The following morning, I took directly to Honda North, an authorized Honda dealership in Clovis, California, for a professional diagnostic inspection. The dealership's certified inspection determined that the A/C compressor had suffered a catastrophic internal mechanical failure and had completely seized. According to the dealership, the compressor's internal failure while the system was operating resulted in metallic debris being circulated throughout and contaminating the A/C system. This catastrophic seizure heavily strained the engine's drive belt system. The failure was a direct result of the factory compressor shaft seal leaking out all system refrigerant and lubricating oil, causing the unit to run dry and seize. As a result, the dealership determined that replacing only the failed compressor would not be sufficient to properly restore the system. The recommended repair requires a complete A/C system overhaul, including replacement of the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and associated refrigerant lines/components. Honda has openly acknowledged this exact factory defect in Service Bulletin 23-040, extending the shaft seal warranty to 10 years. However, Honda Corporate Customer Service is refusing responsibility for the downstream consequential destruction caused by their own defective component, citing only general vehicle age and mileage, despite the vehicle having 55,782 miles and sitting well within the 10-year extended warranty window. They have refused to provide an engineering justification or written analysis for this safety-related coverage denial. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA),

NHTSA ID

11756507

Incident

Aug 12, 2026

National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration August 11, 2026. Dear Sir, Madame, I am writing regarding a safety issue with my 2020 Honda CR-V, purchased about one year ago. There is a serious issue with the steering column, and American Honda has declined assistance with repairs. I am seeking expedited assistance from NHTSA. This issue was first noted on the day I drove the vehicle to the Honda Dealership for maintenance (XXX). My daughter has been driving this vehicle, and did not report anything abnormal. I routinely schedule maintenance for her car when I have a day off. So I noticed this "sticking" of the steering wheel during my drive, especially at higher speeds and on the highway. However, I also notice a lunge during turns at lower speed. I asked the service advisor to test drive the car to assess this (and road noise - later deemed normal). The steering wheel actually gets stuck when making even minor (fine motor) adjustments during routine (straightway) driving conditions. It is a continuous problem, not intermittent, and it is easily noticeable to me and my wife. The service advisor who test-drove the CR-V with me and later provided the repair estimate is Eric Laurendeau (832). He suggested I reach out to American Honda for assistance. I reached out to Honda, who promptly declined any assistance. This CR-V has only 54,000 miles on it and is otherwise near-new. This car has been in one minor incident; the repair shop and insurance adjuster found no structural problems. This accident was the other driver's fault (not my daughter's). The estimated repair costs total $6657.41. I have a copy of the estimate. In my view this should be a safety recall, as it involves the steering column, and I do not feel comfortable allowing my [XXX] daughter to drive the car- and I cannot afford the repairs! Is there anything the NHTSA can do to help me with this??? Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11756296

Incident

Jul 30, 2026

While driving at highway speeds, my steering wheel physically binds, catches and then suddenly jerks when trying to make normal adjustments. This creates an unpredictable control hazard. This is similar to NHTSA Recall 24V-744 and Honda TSB 24-011. The internal steering gearbox is binding due to the same design & manufacturing tolerances.

NHTSA ID

11755882

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

While driving at higher speeds and I turn to the left the steering wheel would stick. It would take a second to unstick to be able to move the wheel back to the right. I took it into my local Honda dealership and they said my power steering has an issue and needs to be replaced. I researched and found multiple 2020 Honda CR-V have had this issue and Honda has issued a recall from 2022 and newer CR-V and not for the 2020's. I have logged a complaint with Honda of America. My Honda is only 6 years old with 65,670 miles on it.

NHTSA ID

11755444

Incident

Jul 24, 2026

My vehicle exhibits a "sticky" steering column and has done so for a few years now. Honda issues a recall notice for 2022 CRV models, but mine is a 2020. The recall number is 24V-744. In June of 2023 with 25260 miles on the vehicle and while still under warranty, I took the car to my local dealer and was told they could not reproduce the issue and the steering was functioning as designed. It has done it ever since! This recall needs to be expanded to incorporate 2020 models as well.

NHTSA ID

11754948

Incident

Jun 13, 2023

All the safety lights came on on the dashboard suddenly the brake assist did not work. Honda tells me the brake servo is bad. This is a known defect as other 2020 crv hybrids were recalled for the same reason. It is a dangerous safety hazard.

NHTSA ID

11754699

Incident

Jun 28, 2026

While out of state for thanksgiving in 2025. after stopped for break, car started up with all of the warning lights and check engine lights on. Like front radar out, hybrid system fault and etc. took to Honda dealership near by immediate. Diagnosed (their words) customer states check engine light is on and flashing pulled codes had code p0562 and pOED. traction motor control module system voltage low and HV battery cell voltage sense circuit. went through honda trouble shooting and honda states to replace power control unit (PCU) and battery condition monitor module. test drove vehicle codes came back recommend replacing modules. includes reprogramming. They indicated it is not safe to drive as you may not able to start the car or it can die while running. This was at out of state and have to repair without options and get a rental car for a week. Tech said they never seen that before in hybrid. Local dealer back home said they can’t say they had issue before. Reached out to Honda Corporate before Christmas and they declined good will reimbursement request.

NHTSA ID

11754091

Incident

Nov 26, 2025