2020 Honda Civic
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 225 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 21st highest complaint count among 26 Civic model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 15 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 12 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerMay 21, 2026
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Campaign 26V332000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerFeb 1, 2024
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Campaign 24V064000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpDec 18, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Campaign 23V858000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, master cylinderJun 29, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.
Campaign 23V458000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpMar 25, 2021
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-314.
Campaign 21V215000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
225 reports, newest first.
Power train, Dec 23, 2023
Over the last few months, I noticed that the vehicle had poor acceleration when merging onto the highway. When I tried to accelerate, the RPMs shot up as the turbo kicked in, but the car did not move any faster. Previous to this, I had trouble getting the car into 1st while sitting still (50+ times). The final incident occurred during a short trip to a local store. The engine revved high and I couldn't get over 35MPH. Upon stopping, there was a burning smell coming from the car. I was able to drive it a short distance to a local transmission shop which diagnosed clutch failure. I purchased the car new from a Honda dealer in 2020 and am the only person to drive the car. There are only 70k miles on the car and everyone that I've talked to was surprised that it went out so soon. I don't abuse the clutch (never burned one out before even while living in the mountains). I see that I'm not the only one who has had this issue. Honda should issue a recall and reimburse the owners affected by this defect.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 22, 2023
A lot of times the warning collision on dash will flash to “BRAKE” when going through caution lights usually around fire stations and also approaching steel bridges… I don’t know if it sees the steel deck and thinks it’s a car, but whenever I get in my car, I deactivate the automatic emergency braking system because I don’t want it to automatically brake for me like it’s done in the past.
Steering, Electrical system, Nov 14, 2023
While driving 20 mile/hr. the car's steering wheel got extremely stiff and difficult to steer. Made an appointment with Hoda Village to fix the issue. After diagnosis, service manager told me that it was rates chowing on electric harness and informed me this was not covered under warranty. Repair cost me about $700.00. Unfortunately, now the same issue is occurring, I have check all over the engine and don't see any rodent caused harness issues. Again, I called the dealer and spoke to service manager explaining the situation, they indicated I need to pay additional diagnostic charge plush any parts/labor. It's unacceptable what the dealer is telling me. This issue is extremely dangerous, to my safety and others as it may cause serious injury or death.
Equipment, Nov 5, 2023
Purchased the vehicle on 3/5/2022 with less than 10k miles on it. Within the first 2 months of driving the vehicle, the infotainment screen would freeze while driving and reset. One of these occurrences happened while driving on the highway at which time when the screen froze, turned a different color, and all the lights on the dashboard turned on simultaneously resulting in me not having control of the vehicle mechanics. This lasted for a few seconds, however, driving at a speed of 65 mph without control of the vehicle mechanics was and is extremely dangerous which could have resulted in an accident causing damage, injury, and death. This occurrence happened a total of three times. After a few months owning the vehicle on the first attempt utilized the key fob to lower my windows which resulted in the battery draining and the vehicle inoprable. Since my vehicle is my kids and my only mode or transportation I had to go to the nearest open Autozone to purchase a new battery. Mind you this was on a Sunday night about 9:00 pm so I had to catch an Uber to the nearest open store about 25 miles away. Once I returned home I replaced the battery and the car started at which time I called it a night. The next morning when leaving home for work and taking kids to school the Infotainment Screen was frozen with a black Honda logo as well as a manlfunction with the reverse and side camera. I have taken my vehicle to the local Honda dealer twice on a Saturday since this is the only available free time I have, however, on both occasions both Service Associates conveyed they had not heard of this malfunction previously and that the vehicle would need a diagnostic test I could not afford. The incident occurred on 5/24/23.
Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 2, 2023
Fuel Injectors!!!
Power train, Oct 26, 2023
The car has a problem where the clutch prematurely wears out and the cars acceleration cuts out. this happens at different RPM ranges and in all gears. it is very unpredictable. Several others have had to repair their drivetrains and honda claims its due to a production issue with the clutch. they have a dealer service bulletin for this issue however Honda needs to recall the part since this problem doesn't come on gradually. it is a sudden loss of a connection in the drivetrain which has caused several issues merging on the highway.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Oct 23, 2023, crash
The contact owned a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle was on cruise control, and the vehicle slowed down as if the contact had depressed the brake pedal. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated or warning chime sounded. The contact crashed into a truck and bounced off the side of the truck and the vehicle hit the highway divider at the front end of her vehicle and came to a stop. The contact stated that only one side air bag had been deployed. The contact stated that the police and emergency services arrived but she did not seek medical treatment. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and later declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V458000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Other or unspecified, Sep 28, 2023
Safety Concerns, see attached file.
Steering, Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Sep 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel began to independently turn to the right and the left. The contact stated that the “Steering” and "Lane Departure" warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel had become more difficult to turn. The contact stated that the steering failure was intermittent but had become a recurring failure. Additionally, the contact stated there was an abnormal gasoline and burned engine oil odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact state that she had been noticing the odor for about a month. The contact also stated that the vehicle was overheating and was felt inside the foot wells. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there were no failures found. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,776.
Steering, Sep 5, 2023
When turning the steering wheel, there is a clicking sound and a notchy feeling where the steering wheel seems to become stuck for a split second when making steering adjustments. It is worse when turning to the right but happens when turning left as well. During high speed driving such as the highway or roads above 45 mph, this can cause issues with maintaining the car's direction and leads to overcorrecting when the wheel becomes stuck and then breaks loose causing dangerous swerving into nearby lanes. The vehicle has never been in an accident and has not had any modifications. The problem arose around the 30k mile mark and has gotten progressively worse. The issue has not been inspected by any organization or separate party yet. There are no warning lights of error codes showing, only the sound and the feeling of the sticky steering. Component is available for inspection upon request.
Other or unspecified, Aug 27, 2023
Paint defects
Visibility, Aug 10, 2023
Sunroof made loud noise and suddenly shattered without any warning while on freeway.
Service brakes, Aug 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the contact heard an abnormal clicking sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 53,049.
Steering, Aug 1, 2023
The steering wheel sticks at times. Driving straight and in turns. It's a slight stick, but increasingly more noticeable. While driving straight it happens if I don't touch the wheel for a few seconds. Then I'll need to make a minor correction and it's stuck. I have to put some decent pressure on the wheel to make it unstuck, which causes an over-correction. If i steadily make corrections it doesn't stick. Same in a turn. If I am making a slow or wide turn, wheel stays in same position for a second, it doesn't just roll out of the turn easily. I have to force it to come out of the turn. Again once it's unstuck it feels fine. Leaving it in one position for more than a second or two initiates the stuck
Power train, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 25, 2023
Bought my 2020 Honda Civic si at 48 k miles. Noticed mild clutch slip and vibration on the shift knob. Dealership states I don't know how to drive manual transmission. I've driven manual transmission for 18 years. I'm not stupid. Dealership states it's wear and tear and not part of the warranty. My window motor auto feature does not work. Bluetooth connectivity issues. Collision braking system activated with no vehicle in front of me while I was going 40 miles an hour. Could have been rear ended. I'm at 50k miles not a good buy and bad service from the dealership. Mossy Honda lemon grove ca
Wheels, Service brakes, Jul 25, 2023
I mainly am reaching out due to my brakes making a very loud creaking noise when breaking. I wanted to see if there were any recalls for brakes on my car so I could have the dealership fix it for free. The car is fairly new and I don’t think the brakes would sound like a old wood bridge creaking when I brake. Please let me know if there are any recalls on this vehicle related tot he issue. Thank you for you time and consideration to this message.
Steering, Jun 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was drifting to the left. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after a while, the contact started to hear an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer and was informed that the power steering rack was defective and needed to be replaced; however, the part needed for the repair the vehicle was on backorder. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
Power train, Jun 4, 2023
On March 29, 2023 around 6:30PM on my way home from work, my car stopped me in the middle of I-78. The engine just kept revving when i push the accelerator but won't move forward. I was able to safely pull over to the side. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem noted prior to the failure. The following day (March 30, 2023), I dropped off my car to Planet Honda at 2285 US-22, Union, NJ 07083. Tel #'s: (866)226-2469; (609)236-2393. Then, I was informed that the transmission is broken or cannot be fixed, and a new transmission (Part #: 06200-5DJ-040-RM) were ordered and was told that it is covered by warranty. It's been 67 days now (2 months and 6 days) that Honda Corporate cannot give me the timeframe when will my car be repaired after numerous conversations from calls, and texts. My Case Number Honda Corporate Customer Service gave me is: 13736133.
Engine, May 3, 2023
On 4-23-23 the altenator belt came off of the car when I was driving down the road there was nothing wrong with the belt and the belt was put back on the car and i am concerned with my safety I have a 2020 Honda Civic Sport with 12,600 on the car when the belt came off Now i am afraid to drive my car
Power train, May 1, 2023
I purchased a brand new 2020 Honda Civic SI in April 2020. Around 24,000 miles, the clutch started slipping. I took the vehicle into a Honda dealership where I purchased the vehicle and was informed the clutch assembly failed and the cost of the repair was $4,400. The dealership told me it was due to abuse of the clutch and clutches are considered wear and tear items so I would be responsible for the entire repair. I have owned 10 manual transmission vehicles prior to this Civic and I have never burned out a clutch--I was able to get more than 125,000 miles from one of my cars before the clutch had to be replaced. There are 15 complaints on this site regarding clutches wearing out on 2020 Honda Civics so could this be a problem on Honda's end. I placed several calls to American Honda customer service and their response is always the same, they don't see a problem with their clutches so they are not going to reimburse me for the repair. After many calls to the dealer, they finally agreed to cover 50% of the repair so ended up paying around $2,300.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Visibility/wiper, May 1, 2023
My infotainment center has repeatedly failed during operation. It is distorted while driving, freezes, stuck on previous screen display. This causes all safety features to be inoperable. I can’t see the camera back up display. I can’t see the map or upcoming exit/next direction. The Honda genius features are impacted by this. My vehicle suddenly thinks I am exiting while I’m driving and randomly slams on breaks with no vehicle or object in front of me, it jerks my wheel even though there is no car or barrier next to me. I have resorted to turn off all of the safety features due to the infotainment center glitches making my vehicle very unsafe to operate. I have been in several near miss single vehicle accidents. Picture added to show screen distortion and no direction listed. Should be displaying navigation and upcoming turn but is frozen and distorted.
Structure, Apr 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the weather stripping on the vehicle was previously replaced several times, in addition to the under carriage. The contact also stated that the driver's side door panel was detaching from the door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who used physical force to move the door panel into place. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired free of charge because it was out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the dealer needed to send a diagnostic report and estimate for consideration to cover the repair. The failure mileage was unknown.
Other or unspecified, Apr 20, 2023
Yesterday I was driving my 2020 civic when my sunroof exploded spontaneously. I have dash cam(front and rear facing video) showing exactly what happened. No debris hit the car, no bumps were hit, and driving conditions were perfect. I know for a fact that this happened without any reason and I looked into it and there is currently a class action lawsuit with Honda about this problem. There is a problem in the manufacturing process that caused this and should be fixed.
Suspension, Wheels, Apr 5, 2023
My car is have problems with wheel blance I don’t know why 1 year I have to took my car for alignment 2 or 3 times. It is something really wrong with the spring and the wheel blance.
Electrical system, Mar 29, 2023
Power windows rolled down on their own