2020 Honda CR-V problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
352 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
16,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 85 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking is the most frequently named component, appearing in 66 of 352 complaints (18.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 92 | 26.1% |
| Steering behavior | 40 | 11.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 27 | 7.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 26 | 7.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 15 | 4.3% |
| Engine operation | 15 | 4.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 66 |
| Air Bags | 47 |
| Electrical System | 42 |
| Engine | 38 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 38 |
| Steering | 38 |
| Unknown Or Other | 35 |
| Service Brakes | 30 |
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 66; Air Bags: 47; Electrical System: 42; Engine: 38; Fuel/Propulsion System: 38; Steering: 38; Unknown Or Other: 35; Service Brakes: 30
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 48 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 18 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 48; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (48). 267 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 22 |
| 2021 | 28 |
| 2022 | 49 |
| 2023 | 55 |
| 2024 | 66 |
| 2025 | 60 |
| 2026 | 72 |
2020: 22; 2021: 28; 2022: 49; 2023: 55; 2024: 66; 2025: 60; 2026: 72
Recurring complaint themes
The selected narratives raise several distinct concerns rather than one consistent failure mechanism. Braking examples include a hard pedal when starting the vehicle and repeated warning messages. Another owner describes a battery requiring a jump start after the vehicle was parked. A steering-related keyword match describes noise during steering and suspension work, which illustrates why a topic match should not be treated as a confirmed steering-system diagnosis. The examples provide questions to investigate, not an estimate of failure probability.
AI interpretation of four selected source narratives, checked against their recorded text. This is not a summary of every complaint. Generated 2026-09-13 (September 13, 2026). Evidence: 11329027, 11341150, 11403336, 11326329. This interpretation does not establish a defect or predict reliability.
Owner report 11326329 · 2020-05-28 (May 28, 2020)
I PURCHASE A HONDA CR-V 2020 ON FEBRUARY 3 2020 TWO MONTH LATER I STARTED TO HEAR A CLICKING AND CLOCKING NOISE WHILE STEERING AND DRIVING ALONG ALSO ON BUMPS IT WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP ON APRIL 22 2020 TO CURRY HONDA ON APRIL 23 2020 I RECEIVED A CALLED FROM CURRY THAT IT WAS THE FRONT SIDE AXLE THEY REPAIRED THE AXLE AND THE NOISE OCCURRED. CURRY HONDA CHECK SWAYBARLINK AND REMOVE THEM AND THE NOISE STILL OCCURRED THEN CURRY HONDA SAID IT WAS THE STRUCK ASSEMBLY AND THEY SAID THEY REINSTALLED THE STRUCK AND THE NOISE STILL HAPPENED CURRY HONDA …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11326329 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11329027 · 2020-06-15 (June 15, 2020)
APPROXIMATELY 10-15% OF THE TIME, WHEN TRYING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE PRESSING THE 'START' BUTTON ON MY 2020 HONDA CR-V, THE BRAKE PEDAL CANNOT BE DEPRESSED. IT IS FIRMLY LOCKED/JAMMED IN PLACE. IN SOME INSTANCES, I CAN APPLY VERY FIRM PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL, JUST ENOUGH TO GET THE ENGINE TO START, BUT IN OTHER CASES, THE PEDAL CANNOT BE DEPRESSED AT ALL. WHEN THIS OCCURS, PRESSING THE 'START' BUTTON INITIATES THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS BUT DOES NOT START THE ENGINE. ONCE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS ARE ON, THE PEDAL SOMETIMES REMAINS FIRMLY LO…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11329027 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11341150 · 2020-07-23 (July 23, 2020)
I BOUGHT THE CAR ON THE 22 OF MAY 2020.ON THE 17TH OF JULY 2020, I LOST ALL BRAKES, TPMS, LANE CONTROL, EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY KEPT IF FOR 5 HOURS. THEY TOLD ME THE COMPUTER WAS UPDATED. ON MONDAY THE 19TH I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON TUESDAY THE 20TH OF JULY, I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY KEPT THE CAR AND GAVE ME A RENTAL TELLING THEY ORDERED THE PART FROM GHE MAINLAND(I AM IN HAWAII). THEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE 5 TO SIX DAYS TO GET THE PART AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A NEW CA…
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11341150 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11403336 · 2021-03-16 (March 16, 2021)
IF MY VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR A WEEK OR MORE, THE BATTERY HAS TO BE JUMP STARTED. THE CAR HAS UNDER 2000 MILES ON IT. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT WHEN THE CAR WON'T START AFTER THAT SHORT OF A PERIOD. THE DEALERSHIP SAID TO DRIVE IT MORE OFTEN! THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,670 miles reported. Look up ODI 11403336 at NHTSA ↗
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11329027 · 2020-06-15 (June 15, 2020)
APPROXIMATELY 10-15% OF THE TIME, WHEN TRYING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE PRESSING THE 'START' BUTTON ON MY 2020 HONDA CR-V, THE BRAKE PEDAL CANNOT BE DEPRESSED. IT IS FIRMLY LOCKED/JAMMED IN PLACE. IN SOME INSTANCES, I CAN APPLY VERY FIRM PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL, JUST ENOUGH TO GET THE ENGINE TO START, BUT IN OTHER CASES, THE PEDAL CANNOT BE DEPRESSED AT ALL. WHEN THIS OCCURS, PRESSING THE 'START' BUTTON INITIATES THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS BUT DOES NOT START THE ENGINE. ONCE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS ARE ON, THE PEDAL SOMETIMES REMAINS FIRMLY LO…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11329027 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11341150 · 2020-07-23 (July 23, 2020)
I BOUGHT THE CAR ON THE 22 OF MAY 2020.ON THE 17TH OF JULY 2020, I LOST ALL BRAKES, TPMS, LANE CONTROL, EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY KEPT IF FOR 5 HOURS. THEY TOLD ME THE COMPUTER WAS UPDATED. ON MONDAY THE 19TH I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON TUESDAY THE 20TH OF JULY, I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY KEPT THE CAR AND GAVE ME A RENTAL TELLING THEY ORDERED THE PART FROM GHE MAINLAND(I AM IN HAWAII). THEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE 5 TO SIX DAYS TO GET THE PART AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A NEW CA…
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11341150 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11326329 · 2020-05-28 (May 28, 2020)
I PURCHASE A HONDA CR-V 2020 ON FEBRUARY 3 2020 TWO MONTH LATER I STARTED TO HEAR A CLICKING AND CLOCKING NOISE WHILE STEERING AND DRIVING ALONG ALSO ON BUMPS IT WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP ON APRIL 22 2020 TO CURRY HONDA ON APRIL 23 2020 I RECEIVED A CALLED FROM CURRY THAT IT WAS THE FRONT SIDE AXLE THEY REPAIRED THE AXLE AND THE NOISE OCCURRED. CURRY HONDA CHECK SWAYBARLINK AND REMOVE THEM AND THE NOISE STILL OCCURRED THEN CURRY HONDA SAID IT WAS THE STRUCK ASSEMBLY AND THEY SAID THEY REINSTALLED THE STRUCK AND THE NOISE STILL HAPPENED CURRY HONDA …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11326329 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11383013 · 2020-12-11 (December 11, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS WIFE WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG FROM THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY DEPLOYED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HER MAKING THE LEFT TURN. THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS STUNNED AND IMPAIRED FROM SEEING AND THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE OPPOSITE LANE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES THAT REQUIRED BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WELL AND THE FRONT BUMPER WERE DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11383013 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11354250 · 2020-09-10 (September 10, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN DECELERATION WHILE DRIVING 75 DOWN TO 10 MPH. NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND AND THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REMAINED FUNCTIONAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GENERATE ENOUGH POWER TO DRIVE ONTO THE FLATBED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO STEER TO THE LEFT BUT ALMOST WAS HIT AND WAS ABLE TO COAST ON THE GRASS AND WAITED A COUPLE OF HOURS UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. THE C…
Owner-reported narrative. 950 miles reported. Look up ODI 11354250 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11403336 · 2021-03-16 (March 16, 2021)
IF MY VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR A WEEK OR MORE, THE BATTERY HAS TO BE JUMP STARTED. THE CAR HAS UNDER 2000 MILES ON IT. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT WHEN THE CAR WON'T START AFTER THAT SHORT OF A PERIOD. THE DEALERSHIP SAID TO DRIVE IT MORE OFTEN! THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,670 miles reported. Look up ODI 11403336 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11364113 · 2020-10-13 (October 13, 2020)
CAR WAS ONLY TWO MONTHS OLD FROM THE SHOP AND HAD A SEVERE GAS LEAK FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HONDA CR-V 2020 DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS RODENTS THAT ATE THE FUEL PUMP AND THEN LENT ME THE EXACT SAME CARE HONDA CR-V 2020 AND AGAIN A WEEK LATER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS WAS REVIEWED BY MY OWN MECHANIC AND SAID THAT THERE WAS WHOLE ON THE FUEL TANK. HONDA-CR-V LEAKS GAS WHEN TURNED ON. IT IS LEAKING LARGE AMOUNT OF GAS.
Owner-reported narrative. 52 miles reported. Look up ODI 11364113 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11419949 · 2021-06-07 (June 7, 2021)
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated she added $38 of fuel into the fuel tank and after an hour of driving the low fuel warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled due to running low on fuel. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to local dealer. The repair was still pending. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11419949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11426502 · 2021-07-26 (July 26, 2021)
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced at a tire shop and failed to shift into reverse. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing an unknown fuse to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred on July 23, 2021. The contact stated while driving 5 mph, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11426502 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11318160 · 2020-03-15 (March 15, 2020)
I AM EXPERIENCING THE ENGINE OIL DILUTION PROBLEM. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AFTER LESS THAN 2000 MILES DRIVEN BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE SPENT OIL (DARK AND CLOUDY) AND SMELLED HEAVILY OF GASOLINE. TECHNICIANS AT HONDA ADVISED THAT I KEEP GETTING THE OIL CHANGED REGULARLY, BUT THAT THERE WAS NO FIX THAT THEY COULD MAKE TO THE OIL DILUTION PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11318160 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11394304 · 2021-02-02 (February 2, 2021)
CRANKCASE FUEL/OIL DILUTION PROBLEM ON HONDA 1.5L DIRECT FUEL INJECTED, TURBO ENGINE. UPON THE FIRST OIL CHANGE ON OUR 2020 HONDA CR-V EXL AT ABOUT 6300 MILES WE FOUND THE OIL LEVEL IN THE CRANKCASE TO BE OVERFULL BY APPROXIMATELY 1 PINT. THE OIL SMELLED FAINTLY OF GASOLINE AND APPEARED THINNER THAN NORMAL. SEE ATTACHED PICTURE. WE LIVE IN A TOWN OF 22,000. MOST TRIPS AROUND TOWN ARE 2 MILES EACH WAY AT MOST, WHICH ACCORDING TO HONDA IS PART OF THE PROBLEM AS THE ENGINE DOES NOT RUN AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE LONG ENOUGH TO EVAPORATE…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11394304 at NHTSA ↗