2020 Honda HR-V Owner Complaints

AMENDMENT TO SAFETY COMPLAINT: FAILURE OF RECALL REMEDY / USE OF LEGACY PART Vehicle: 2020 Honda HR-V NHTSA Recall Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Low-Pressure Fuel Pump) [The 2020 Honda HR-V is under an active, massive federal safety recall for low-pressure fuel pump failure.] Chronological Safety History: •January 2025: Mandatory fuel pump safety recall performed at an authorized Honda franchise. •September 2025: Catastrophic engine stall occurred at highway speeds. •June 12, 2026: Second catastrophic engine stall occurred at highway speeds. Critical Update: Following these severe stalling events, I presented the vehicle to franchised dealer Zeigler Honda. The dealership service department engaged in fraudulent diagnostic practices to evade liability. They falsely claimed the stalling was due to "bad gas," refused to perform a secondary repair, and released a hazardous vehicle back onto public roads. Due to the immediate threat to public safety, I brought the vehicle to a certified independent mechanic. Upon replacement of the system, a component breakdown revealed that the recall part installed in January 2025 was actually an identical, low-density defective legacy component subject to the original recall. The independent mechanic's invoice factually confirms a total mechanical failure of this fuel pump component [The 2020 Honda HR-V is under an active, massive federal safety recall for low-pressure fuel pump failure.]. The system breakdown confirms the plastic impeller deformed and jammed, completely disproving Zeigler Honda's fabricated "bad gas" diagnosis [Honda’s official recall documentation states that the low-pressure fuel pump fails because the plastic impeller absorbs fuel, deforms, and jams against the pump housing, causing the vehicle to stall.]. Regulatory Request: I request that the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) audit this dealership immediately. Zeigler Honda is actively falsifying safety diagnoses to cover up the defective fuel pump

NHTSA ID

11755834

Incident

Jun 12, 2026

LKAS lights all came on and ACC warnings. Brake system and auto high beams. Mechanic seems to think it’s the camera, car only has 84,000 miles on it and very well taken care of. This seems to be a big common issue with a lot of HRVs and it’s expensive to fix.

NHTSA ID

11754823

Incident

Jul 22, 2026

Instrument Cluster Failure Complaint – 2020 Honda HR-V VIN [XXX] I am reporting an intermittent instrument cluster failure affecting a 2020 Honda HR-V. The digital display that contains the fuel gauge, odometer, and mileage information intermittently becomes heavily pixelated or goes completely blank. I have been dealing with this issue for over a year. The car has 83K + miles. The problem occurs most often during cold weather but has also occurred during warmer temperatures. More rececntly it is happening daily. The display begins functioning again after the vehicle has warmed up, although the failure remains intermittent and unpredictable. Because the display fails without warning, the driver cannot reliably determine the vehicle's fuel level or view odometer and trip information while operating the vehicle. This creates unnecessary distraction and could present a safety concern, particularly during longer trips or in unfamiliar areas where accurate fuel level information is important. After researching this issue, I found numerous reports from other Honda HR-V owners describing nearly identical symptoms involving the instrument cluster on vehicles of the same generation. The consistency of these reports suggests that this may not be an isolated incident but rather a common manufacturing defect. I respectfully request that this matter be investigated to determine whether the instrument cluster failure is widespread enough to warrant corrective action, including the possibility of a Technical Service Bulletin or safety recall. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11751499

Incident

Jan 1, 2025

On 3/15/26 the CVT transmission on my 2020 HRV EX-L failed while driving on I-95 near Fairfield, CT. My dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree and the car decelerated and would not go past 20 miles per hour. My safety was put at risk because this happened suddenly doing 60 mph highway. There was no indication of an issue with the transmission when I visited the Honda Service center on Friday, 3/13 to repair a lose panel. They saw no issues. There were two Service Bulletins 21-046 dated 4/27/21 and o6/1/21, respectively that listed certain HRV VIN numbers that had the warranty extended to cover the full replacement cost of the CVT transmission. My VIN is not included. Many of the steps taken by the dealer to determine the transmission failure came from those service bulletins. I would like the NHTSA to look into this issue and contact Honda in order to extend the warranty in order to have the full replacement cost of the transmission covered.

NHTSA ID

11727834

Incident

Mar 15, 2026

The whole radar that controls collision mitigation, steering, lane departure, etc. quit working. The car is only a few years old. All these lights go off in the car often times causing the car not to work properly. When we went to the dealership, the maintenance man said that this is a common issue due to the fact that they put the radar system in a location that gets overheated. We filed a claim, but they only will pay for a small portion of it to be repaired. Many of these cars have the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11726832

Incident

Nov 1, 2025

•What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The transmission failed and yes it’s available upon request. •How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My car stop in the middle of the street. No warning or anything. •Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes •Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Manufacturer •Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, everything happened on 03-09-26. L

NHTSA ID

11726648

Incident

Mar 9, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle bucked, and several warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with CVT failure. The contact was informed that the CVT needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,700.

NHTSA ID

11725279

Incident

Feb 17, 2026

Mileage

122,700 mi

2020 Honda HR-V — OBD Monitors Fail to Reset After Battery Replacement. Dealer Refused Help. Cannot Pass MA State Inspection. Following a routine battery replacement, my 2020 Honda HR-V OBD monitors will not reset, making it impossible to pass Massachusetts state inspection. I have followed Honda’s recommended drive cycle exactly — driven 562 miles, completed 142 warm-up cycles — and the system still shows “not ready.” I have made multiple trips to inspection stations, waited in long lines each time, and been turned away every single time. I have lost significant time, wasted fuel, and face real risk of registration penalties — for a car that runs perfectly. When I contacted Honda of Newton Corner — my exclusive service dealership — they told me they could not help me. No escalation. No fix. No support. I am not a mechanic. I am a customer who followed every instruction, trusted the brand, trusted the dealer, and has been left completely alone to deal with this! This is a safety concern. If Honda’s OBD system cannot confirm its own monitors are functioning after 562 miles and 142 cycles, there is no assurance the vehicle’s emissions and safety systems are working properly. This issue is not isolated — multiple HR-V owners across 2019–2022 model years report identical problems. Honda has issued no software fix and no dealer protocol to resolve it. I am requesting NHTSA investigate Honda’s OBD monitor reset failure across HR-V models and require Honda to issue a remedy — including dealer-authorized in-shop resets and a software update. Honda created this problem and has abandoned its customers entirely.I should not have to choose between driving an uninspected vehicle and being stranded. This is a defect in Honda’s drive cycle reset logic. Honda needs to issue a software update and instruct dealers to perform monitor resets!A dealership that exclusively services your vehicle should have all the necessary tools and the obligation to help. Deeply disappointed.

NHTSA ID

11724359

Incident

Mar 14, 2026

While stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle failed to restart when the light turned green. On another occasion, the vehicle stalled during operation and would not start. The engine would crank but there was no ignition. This created a safety risk because the vehicle was disabled in traffic and unable to move out of the roadway, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision or other crash. The vehicle was towed to a dealership for inspection. The dealer diagnosed a failed Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The diagnosis indicated no spark and that the ignition coils were not receiving signal, although the crank sensor signal was present. The PCM was replaced, and the vehicle started and operated normally after replacement. No additional wiring, fuse, or grounding issues were identified. There were no prior warning lights, dashboard messages, or drivability symptoms before the failure occurred. The failure happened unexpectedly at approximately 52,889 miles. The replaced PCM is available through the servicing dealership if inspection is requested.

NHTSA ID

11721088

Incident

Feb 20, 2026

I have a 2020 Honda HRV and the gas gauge flickers on and off. I have overheard technicians say this is a common problem with the HRV. The dealer wants to charge 177 to hook it up on the computer to diagnose the HRV. This HRV has only 20,000 miles on it. It has struts that are going bad and this HRV has had all the services done. My wife drives it 2.6 miles a day. I think these issues need to be looked into further.

NHTSA ID

11719264

Incident

Jan 31, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH or faster, and while driving uphill, the vehicle suddenly stalled. During the first failure, the message “Emergency – Stop Driving Vehicle” was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was turned off and restarted, and the message was no longer displayed. The vehicle was then driven to the residence. The vehicle had stalled three times on three separate occasions. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

NHTSA ID

11717473

Incident

Feb 1, 2026

Mileage

37,000 mi

The HRV is available for inspection upon request. It was taken to local Honda dealer for inspection based on the below: December 2025 - Highway driving slightly over speed limit posting 70mph when a majority of the lights on the dashboard came on (transmission, abs brake, awd, engine light, almost all lights) and the car immediately lost speed power and had to emergently pull over into safe lane off the highway. RPM revved irradically up to 6000. Tried to accelerate but it would sputter forward and did not want to shift transmission gears. Honda dealer has inspected the care and state that it needs transmission. The tech looked at it and did a magnet test which was positive information for him to tell me that it needed a transmission and AC belt. There is already a safety bulletin on this issue issued in 2021 covering all HRV models 2016-2000. The car has 112k and is 2020. It fits within the guidelines of the bulletin issued by Honda acknowledging that there is an issue with parts and manufacturing. It is bulletin #21-047: [XXX] Honda has stated my vin does not qualify. Online forums discuss that other people have the same problem in which honda corporate has told them the same thing. No notable warning signs. My safety was challenged and at risk when this happened without any warning at all. I was driving in high speed left lane and could have caused a severe accident with the immediate drop of speed by the car automatically. I have always taken great care of Honda cars that I have owned and this should have never happened. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11711268

Incident

Dec 21, 2025

Multi purpose camera warnings. All radar lights on and won’t go off

NHTSA ID

11703435

Incident

Dec 2, 2025

I bought this car because of the Honda name and it’s been a disappointment. Not only does my display flicker in and out, my heater has completely gone out. The heater box and connecting wires need to be replaced, which to me is a factory default, but nope it’s coming out of pocket. And beaches of the location it’s going to be expensive. Don’t buy the 2020 HRV

NHTSA ID

11695689

Incident

Sep 10, 2025

Car has 22,000 miles and has a bad fuel pump causing multiple cylinder misfire and loss of power. There was a recall on others in the same year but not this one giving the year and millage and the fact that it's the same issue as the recalled other units logically it should have been part of the recall, and the recall needs to be broadened to include these batches of fuel pumps as well. as is its and expensive repair for a defective part that could be a safety issue. Thanks

NHTSA ID

11691539

Incident

Oct 3, 2025

My car keeps stalling. It stalled on me about 10 times already. It keeps happening when I’m driving slow and on a stop light. I took it to 2 mechanics and they said the system is not showing anything. I took it to the dealer and said the same thing. The dealer had my car for 3 days, trying to test drive it but they said nothing happened and they don’t know what’s wrong. I took the car back, drove it the next day and it stalled on me again. It stalled on a parking lot, it stalled on a stop light 4 times today 9/25/2025. I took it to another mechanic and they said it’s the fuel pump. They told me that 2020 Honda HRV had recalls for the fuel pumps but my car VIN is not part of it.

NHTSA ID

11689726

Incident

Sep 18, 2025

I bought my car used when it had around 11,000 miles on it. It didn't take long (maybe a month) before I noticed that the fuel gauge indicator above the steering wheel was malfunctioning. The screen stays off for a period of time and sometimes flickers on with indistinguishable text. There are times that it works just fine, but it is becoming less and less common. At first, I thought it was attributed to the cold weather, but it also happens in the heat. I recently had a separate recall repaired and asked the mechanic about this issue. He stated that several people had told him the same story and he said I would have to replace the entire gauge cluster to fix it. This is very unfortunate because I am someone who travels often and I can't be stuck in the middle of nowhere without gas because I was unable to determine how much I had. There should be another way to monitor how much gas you have. I can't see how much oil life I have left either, or the mileage on my car when the screen goes out. My car was at low mileage when I bought it, and it still only has around 30,000 miles on it so I do not understand why this issue is happening.

NHTSA ID

11685463

Incident

Apr 2, 2024

The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there were several unknown warning lights illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact stated that several features of the vehicle intermittently failed to operate as needed. Most recently, the contact stated that the panic alarm turned on independently, activated during the day and at night. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

NHTSA ID

11685339

Incident

Jun 5, 2025

Mileage

38,000 mi

LCD screen inside instrument cluster does not read cannot get fuel amount or mileage.

NHTSA ID

11682615

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The steering wheel, ABS, TPMS, and braking system warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was more prominent while turning to the right and depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure became progressively worse. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11680097

Incident

Jul 2, 2025

Our Honda hrv driver side visor has broken. It’s been broke 2 years. My warranty won’t cover it, but it hangs in the driver eyesight. You push it up and it hangs down at a 45 degree angle in the drivers eyesight. It you pull it back, it won’t go back up to the roof.

NHTSA ID

11679957

Incident

Aug 11, 2025

As I was driving, the car slowed down and wouldn’t go past 20mph. It also lost power to the radio more than a few times and I just purchased the vehicle on 06/26/25.

NHTSA ID

11678860

Incident

Jun 28, 2025

I have had a recall for 2 years and they haven't fixed it.

NHTSA ID

11676318

Incident

Jul 26, 2025

Started vehicle and it lit up with every warning imaginable. Dealership said it's the Honda Sensing unit is defective. After reviewing online, it certainly seems everyone's unit is defective.. Now we were quoted 3k to fix safety related stuff. Can't afford to fix so now, just driving it until it crashes! Woohoo fun! And no recall!

NHTSA ID

11666109

Incident

May 7, 2025

I have been experiencing an issue with my car alarm activating unexpectedly when I park. I took it to the dealership for assistance, and they informed me that the car is unable to recognize my key. They recommended reprogramming it to resolve the issue. With an estimate of $ 1167.88.

NHTSA ID

11655063

Incident

Apr 1, 2025