2020 Honda CR-V Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 26,000 miles. Parts named most: Automatic emergency braking (65), Warnings (14), Adaptive cruise control (10).

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

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.Owner complaint, filed 2026

I was exiting the freeway driving south about 110-115pm in [XXX] when suddenly my car seemed to stall or stop and brake orange light came on. It all happened very quickly and without any warning. The nearest vehicle ahead of me was very far away, at the stop turning left and I was entering the exit. Initially I thought the engine cut out…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 50,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

1 Week Ago the lights from the dashboard turned on. Next the light of the emission system came on, in which i went to Honda Autonation Hollywood FL and they did an evaluation in the computer. They tested the car and found P0172 Fuel System Too Rich and P219F No.4 Cylinder Air Fuel Ratio Variation. Caused because the faulty of the…Owner complaint, filed 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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 26,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact received a recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags). The dealer was contacted, but an appointment was not scheduled. The contact stated that the unrepaired recall repair posed a safety hazard and that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was not…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contact multiple times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the remedy parts were not yet available. The…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 12,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

I been trying to work with the manufacturer, to solve the problem, so far I only get emails and phone calls with nowhere to go, the problem starts one year after we bought the vehicle , when every warning ligth comes on the vehicle take to the dealer who's only reset the system on the car with out giving any specific reason the problem…Owner complaint, filed 2026

While operating a 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, the vehicle suddenly caught fire with flames originating from the rear seat/rear passenger compartment area. There was no crash involved. Smoke and flames rapidly spread inside the vehicle, creating an immediate safety hazard and risk of serious injury. I evacuated immediately and emergency…Owner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

My 2020 Honda CR-V (approx. 51,000 miles) developed steering resistance and an intermittent creaking noise when turning in either direction, with noticeable resistance when turning the steering wheel to the left. No warning light came on. It happens at speeds under 45 mph, during lane changes, curves, and after driving for awhile. On…Owner complaint, filed 2026

In XXX I began experiencing a sticking/notching sensation in the steering wheel. Because this involves the steering system and therefore raises an obvious safety concern, we contacted Honda Customer Service and opened Case #XXX. Honda Customer Service instructed us to take the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealer for evaluation. We took…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 50,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 155,000 miles

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 11,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

Brakes locked up while the vehicle was being driven. The owner's brakes locked up while driving in early February 2026, and the owner's husband's brakes locked up while driving on April 22, 2026. Two separate incidents, same vehicle, identical failure pattern. Reports were previously filed with Honda and NHTSA with no response. The owner…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the brake warning light flashed and illuminated, and the vehicle hesitated while depressing the brake pedal. Neither an independent mechanic nor a dealer was contacted. The failure had occurred four times. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 44,505 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 12,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Vehicle has only 100,395 miles on it (Hondas are know for being long lasting), vehicle was burning radiator fluid and repair for new head gasket and cylinder head is over $6300! Hondas are known to last a long time, a 2020 model with 100,000 needing a repair that is nearly half the value of the vehicle is shocking - i have seen similar…Owner complaint, filed 2026

"ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM PROBLEM" notification appears on dashboard of 2020 Honda CRV. Dashboard also indicates only FWD is operational rather than AWD which should be operational all the time. Honda Service Bulletin 23-031 dated April 7, 2023 states corrective action is to replace the rear differential pump motor. Per online postings…Owner complaint, filed 2025

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The past year vehicle drivers side signal light and mirror light stays on when vehicle is turned off causing the battery to drain on the vehicle. Independent mechanic ran test unable to find issue. Multiple owners of the Honda crv are experiencing the same issue with out any help from Honda causing dangerous situation in operations…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The wiper system stops working at times. The arms just stop mostly in the delay wiper setting. This makes it extremely hard to see in rainy conditions. No lights on the dash, have not brought the car to the dealership yet. I am quite frustrated that a 4 year old vehicle has an issue like this. We bought a new car to avoid fixing problems…Owner complaint, filed 2024

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The drivers front seatbelt latch has failed causing the driver to not be safely secured in the vehicle. This causes the airbag warning system to illuminate a warning indicator malfunction light on the dash display. The Honda dealership has refused to repair the item at Honda’s expense due to them stating the seatbelt latch is not on a…Owner complaint, filed 2025

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact's mother owned a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while her mother was driving at under 10 MPH, the accelerator pedal was stuck and the brake pedal failed to stop the vehicle while depressed. The vehicle went over an embankment and crashed into a house, then came to a complete stop after crashing into several trees.…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 7,000 miles

I am filing this complaint regarding a recurring and dangerous loss of engine power in my 2020 Honda CR-V, currently at approximately 80,000 miles. For an extended period, my vehicle has repeatedly experienced multiple dashboard warning lights illuminating simultaneously, followed by severe loss of acceleration. During these episodes…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 6,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (6).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle after it rained, rainwater had seeped into the vehicle from the rubber trim around the driver’s side door. The contact stated that upon inspection, the contact became aware that all 4 doors were allowing water to seep into the vehicle through cracks in…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 43,000 miles

Driving highway speed (65mph). Glass sunroof shattered for no reason. Nothing appears to have hit the sunroof, no debris on road and no trucks or other cars. Researching on web, it appears other people are also experiencing the same issue.Owner complaint, filed 2023

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the tire pressure warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the TPMS. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 30,000 miles

235/60R18 service bulletin 20-081 October 8 2020 after only 16000 miles and a trip to the dealership I advised that the wear and tear of every tire was different and need attention. I ask why the difference between the wear they suggested check the vehicle for problems with the suspension, nothing was found. I ask for replacement under…Owner complaint, filed 2023

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

Last night I turned left out of an ally and heard a loud thunk like noise similar to when you run over a rock and it shoots out from under your tire. Noise was in the front passenger side. Thought nothing of it at the time. Then today I heard it again turning into the gas station. Then while driving I heard it once while just taking off…Owner complaint, filed 2026

My car, a 2020 Honda CR-V EX 1.5T AWD, was totaled in a fatal accident on a rainy night on an interstate highway. It spun on the highway a couple of turns, hit the highway barrier at all of its corners and sides, caused the airbags to all came out, and eventually deadly stopped in the middle of the highway on a rainy night. My wife and I…Owner complaint, filed 2023