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.
Electrical system, Mar 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated while pressing the key fob to unlock the doors, the doors remained locked. The contact had to manually unlock the doors. The contact attempted to lock the vehicle with the key fob however, the doors failed to lock as needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 28,000.
Engine, Mar 10, 2023
Car won’t crank keep saying anti brake system lock
Other or unspecified, Feb 26, 2023
Can turn engine off but goes into accessories mode and cannot be turned off. Drains battery. This has happened repeatedly. Only option is to disconnect battery every time after you drive and reconnect before starting. Also, navigation goes blank/black while driving.
Steering, Jan 17, 2023
THE STEERING IS VERY STICKY. IT CATCHES MOSTLY TO THE LEFT AND WILL HOLD ITS POSITION TAKING YOU INTO OTHER LANE UNLESS YOU YANK IT BACK. IT STARTED ONLY AT HIGH SPEEDS NOW IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME. CAR SEEMS TO PULL TO LEFT IF YOU HAVE HAND ON WHEEL BUT GOES STRAIGHT IF YOU LET GO. IT WILL CATCH AND DART SHARPLY IN AND OUT OF LANES WITH THE SLIGHTEST MOVE. NOT ENJOYABLE DRIVING AT ALL.THERES BEEN NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY KIND. I GOT CAR AT 45000 MILES AND THIS STARTED AT 50000.DONT KNOW IF ITS RACK OR STEERING MOTOR BUT IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.CAUSES EXTREMLY ERATIC DRIVING.SO DAYS ITS ALMOST UNDRIVABLE.
Electrical system, Nov 5, 2022
Hello. I have a 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport. The stock audio system makes a VERY loud crackle and popping sound before completely cutting out, this abrupt malfunction frightens me and hurts my ears. Additionally the malfunction of this audio unit may cause other safety problems because it is connected to the back-up camera which can freeze/reboot randomly when the electrical/software malfunction occurs. I listed the most recent incident date below however this problem has been intermittent since I purchased the car new in 2020. My car is now out of warranty and Honda refuses to address the issue even though it was present before 36,000/3 years. Thank you.
Steering, Oct 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the steering wheel inadvertently seized, causing him to temporarily lose control of the vehicle. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to his residence nearby using his physical strength to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electrical wiring harness had been chewed by rodents, which caused the electrical failure. The contact notified a second unknown dealer for second opinion, and the second dealer advised that the failure could also be a manufacturing defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Power train, Oct 16, 2022
Manual transmission slipping when Turbo kicks in and you are unable to accelerate. We are contacting dealer tomorrow as they are closed. No warning lights on Just started happening .
Equipment adaptive/mobility, Aug 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that on several occasions when driving at various speeds, he sets the cruise control then it inadvertently engaged without warning. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was not engaging in speed when accelerated. The contact notified an independent mechanic and was informed to have the vehicle diagnosed by a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer nor the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 31, 2022
I was driving getting ready to switch lanes and all of a sudden my car made the beeping noise and slammed on the brakes on its own
Power train, Jul 16, 2022
2nd incident of clutch failure within a year and both almost caused a serious accident.
Electrical system, Jun 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that occasionally the windows on the vehicle independently rolled down while the vehicle was turned off. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds, the trunk opened inadvertently without warning. The dealer had been notified twice about the failure. After the first failure, a dealer employee acknowledged the failure; however, the contact was informed that there was no remedy for the defect. After the second failure, a dealer employee informed her that they had never heard of the failure before. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 15, 2022
When driving at highway speeds with adaptive cruise control, vehicle will slow down or brake without any object/vehicle ahead. This usually occurs at curves, with no vehicles in current lane. I would then need to immediately step on the acceleration in order to continue highway speeds. This may cause unnecessary stress on the vehicle due to constant issue occurrence. At times, a blinking warning message from the emergency braking system will appear on the dashboard during these conditions. This causes a safety issue because cars in the back will not expect braking/slowing down when there isn't any obstruction from all perspectives. This is dangerous on the highway due to the increased driving speeds of surrounding vehicles. I have not taken it to the dealer due to the vehicle being out of warranty, however it has always had this issue. Vehicle was bought new at dealership.
Air bags, May 24, 2022
The passenger airbag deployed while I was driving at 5mph. Which no crash
Air bags, May 9, 2022
i have experienced multiple issues with the sensors since I've had this vehicle in December 2020. The sensor issues have caused my vehicle to shut down and slowly stop as I was driving on the freeway. The latest incident caused my airbag to deploy without any reason while I was driving slowly in a residential parking lot. It went off in my face and I suffered from hearing problems. I am fortunate that this incident did not harm anyone as it put others at risk from the airbag unexpectedly blocking my view and distracting me from driving. Although the dealership, Tempe Honda, repaired the other sensor issues, they refuse to repair the airbag issue. They are claiming that I need to have my insurance pay for the repair. I have had two mechanics inspect the vehicle and confirm that this is a defective airbag sensor that caused the airbag to deploy. I have not driven the vehicle since this incident as it is unsafe for me to drive. The vehicle is available for inspection at any time. I have contacted Honda on multiple occasions. They have Case #12968314 is my case number and every time that I call, the representative tells me that a Case Manager will call me but I have not received any calls. I also sent an email to Honda on 02 May 2022 detailing this incident that occurred on 14 April 2022.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 3, 2022
Took vehicle in to repair recall. Was told recall was fixed drove off engine shut off in the middle off the hwy. After several attempts to get the car restarted finally able to drive back to dealership. Was told the new o ring broke. Was told it was fix but the recall is still unresolved and still causing engine shut off issues. No prior issue other than leaving key part off uncer car after routine oil change which caused undercarriage damages. That still unresolved. uncompleted repair and recall.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 21, 2022
Lights go off and on not sure if can drive at night. dealer said that they thought it is the control module but also stated that car could turn shut down at any unknown time. Did not offer a replacement vehicle and was told to just keep driving until part comes in. This problem has been going on sense january . was told today 04/21/2022 that it would now be june
Service brakes, Apr 18, 2022
The automatic brake system comes on and brakes when there are no cars in front of me. Then when the automatic brakes come on, it is a delay in speeding back up. So my car has slammed on breaks, with people behind me and would not increase speed. I have almost been rear ended twice because of this feature.
Power train, Apr 7, 2022
With my car just reached over 19k miles the clutch started slipping when driving on highway, problem continued to become more noticeable overtime. Many drivers with the same car have experienced the same issue with clutch slipping.
Power train, Mar 26, 2022
Clutch went out at 25k miles - never stalled this car. Have several manual transmission Hondas no problems except this one. Lost engine power and had to pull over on the highway. manufacturer error causing pre mature burnt clutch. This should not be happening. Honda will not take responsibility
Suspension, Mar 26, 2022
First tire rotation the inside of both front tires have been worn down. Got tires rotated and alignment done. Second tire rotation and new tires have the same inside wear on them.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 2, 2022
The automated emergency braking system activated bringing me to a sudden and complete stop. I was traveling at a lower speed (<20mph) with sufficient space both in front and behind my vehicle which prevented this incident from becoming an accident. This occurred at night. The braking system automatically engaged as I was releasing my foot from the gas pedal to coast. Should this happen at higher speeds or with traffic closer behind me, an accident could have happened. The system has not been inspected as of now and has not been reproduced or occurred a second time. There have not been any warning lights, messages, or other issues with the car since I bought it brand new.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Power train, Feb 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic equipped with a manual transmission. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power and was also shaking. Additionally, the clutch pedal was going to the floorboard. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull off to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to move while depressing the clutch pedal. The contact smelled a burning odor coming from the clutch. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the manual clutch had burned out and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer - Moss Bros. Honda (27990 Eucalyptus Ave, Moreno Valley, CA 92555) where it was diagnosed that the clutch pedal needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to a transmission specialist who took the transmission apart and provided the same diagnostic. The contact stated that the clutch pedal was replaced; however, the failure persisted and the transmission continuously independently jumped out of gear while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the transmission specialist where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken back to the first dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle stalled while driving. The vehicle was towed to the first dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V215000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 4,950.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 25, 2022
On multiple occasions, the collision mitigation braking system has had false-positive detections. There is one section of road where this occurs extremely frequently (maybe 20% of the time I drive through). On this section of road, it will not activate the brakes, it only beeps and displays "BRAKE" on the instrument cluster, but is extremely disconcerting and distracting. On another occasion on a different road, there was clear road ahead of me when the collision mitigation braking system had a false detection, and did activate the brakes and was incredibly close to causing a collision with a car driving behind me. On this same stretch of road, Ive had this occur two other times (out of hundreds I've driven on it), but no one was behind me and would not have caused an accident. In both of these spots, the road is fairly straight and the speed limit is 40 MPH. This hasn't been inspected by a dealer. This hasn't been inspected by Honda, the police, or insurance. There were no prior warnings to this issue occurring.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 24, 2022
The automatic braking system for my car went off in the middle lane of a 3 lane highway. luckily there was no cars driving around me so i was not hit. It sensed something and dropped my speed from 55 to 20 in a couple seconds throwing me forward. If not for my seatbelt and my arms my face could have hit the steering wheel. This happened multiple times.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 22, 2022
Warning light appeared on dashboard for obstructed radar sensor. Sensor was not obstructed. This was followed by additional warning lights that safety systems were malfunctioning, ACC, collision warning, automatic emergency braking systems are offline. Reported to local dealer.