2020 Honda CR-V
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Forward collision avoidance is the leading concern among 353 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 21st highest complaint count among 26 CR-V model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 21 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 17 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
Equipment, other, labelsJul 27, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017, 2020, and 2022 CR-V vehicles. The certification label on the driver's side door states incorrect Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR), and tire size information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
An incorrectly sized tire may cause premature tread wear, or a tire blow out, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will install a new corrected label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is CF7.
Campaign 23V524000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, buckle assemblyMar 9, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2020 CR-V, 2018-2019 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019 Insight, and 2019-2020 Acura RDX vehicles. A manufacturing issue with the front seat belts may cause the seat belt buckle channel to interfere with the release button, preventing the seat belt buckle from latching.
An unlatched seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt buckle release buttons or the buckle assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are NDA, QDB, BDC, MDD, LD9. TDF, FDG, ODH, YDI, ZDE.
Campaign 23V158000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblyMay 26, 2022
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020 CR-V vehicles. The clip for the absorber inside the fuel tank was not secured properly and may detach, which can cause an inaccurate fuel gauge reading.
An inaccurate fuel gauge may result in the vehicle unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 5, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is RCB.
Campaign 22V380000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, frame and membersDec 5, 2019
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 CR-V vehicles. The rear subframe bolts were improperly manufactured and may loosen, allowing the rear subframe to separate.
A separated rear subframe reduces vehicle handling and can suddenly disable the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear subframe bolts and retorque them or replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is R6M.
Campaign 19V865000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: forward collision avoidance
73 reports, newest first. Show all
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 27, 2022
too frequently the car automatically hard brakes & flashes "BRAKE" on the dash with no collision imminent but has almost caused accidents in doing so. This has happened turning slowly thru a busy intersection, driving moderate speed straight on a dappled sunlit road with no car around, driving in light traffic on a multi-lane highway at higher speeds. I have had the local Honda techs look at it last year and all they could do is ask if I want the sensitivity turned down. What good is the system if one thwarts what it is supposed to actually do?? Also there is no way to clean the front cameras which might have debris causing this. As it is happening more frequently, perhaps a debris collection is precisely the issue. Honda needs to take ownership of this faulty system & fix it!
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 10, 2022
Driving north toward Lebanon, Ohio on Route 48. One passenger and one dog in backseat. No one in front passenger seat. Car beeped and alerted to BRAKE then suddenly braked very hard with no cars around or in front.
Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 30, 2022
1. The vehicle will inadvertently and without warning, apply the brakes (phantom braking). 2. The Lane keeping assist will not follow the road, especially when the road curves. The vehicle will sometimes not negotiate the required turn to stay in the lane.
Forward collision avoidance, Aug 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the Collision Mitigation Braking system engaged and the vehicle stopped abruptly. There were no other vehicles or objects nearby. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and resumed normal driving. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred on four different occasions. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.
Forward collision avoidance, Aug 8, 2022, crash
I was in an accident this morning on the freeway where they are doing road construction. The lanes are VERY narrow due to cement wall placed for construction. The vehicle in front of me slammed on their brakes suddenly so when i did the Automatic brakes kicked in on my car surpassing the level of my own braking and took over. The car came to a compelete stop. IT was terrifying because i didnt have control to keep moving to try and get out of the way from the semi driving behind me. I moved over as much as i could even with a cement wall so close. I ended up getting rear ended by the Semi. This automatic braking system is DANGEROUS. With the car taking over my brakes lost me time to try and get out of the way even more which ccould have possibly prevented the accident from happening.
Air bags, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 23, 2022, crash
When I was driving my vehicle on 7-21-22 at approximately 4:20pm my emergency breaking system was flashing and breaking on it's own. There was nothing in front of my vehicle at the time. Later at approximately 4:25pm a woman hit my passenger side after running a red light. My passenger side airbag did not deploy. However, about 5-10 seconds after impact my steering wheel airbag deployed and hit me in the left side of my face. The delayed reaction has caused lacerations on my face, burns on my hand, bruising and loss of part of my tooth. I am also suffering from head issues and pain in my chest from this delayed airbag deployment. Vehicle had to be towed away to a garage and is not drivable.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 8, 2022, crash
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while her husband was driving 5 mph, the brakes were depressed by mitigation braking system. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver was depressing the accelerator pedal but failed to accelerate causing the vehicle behind him to rear end their vehicle. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. A police report was not filed. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer but they were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and the driver deactivated the forward collision on the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a collision shop and had the rear bumper replaced. The manufacturer has been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 6,028.
Forward collision avoidance, Jun 29, 2022
On 5 separate occasions the CRV has automatically braked HARD while driving down the highway. On none of the occasions has another vehicle or obstacle warranted this automatic braking. We were about rear-ended while on the interstate driving 70 when the car automatically braked. I am including the latest automatic braking incident in this report.
Forward collision avoidance, Jun 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly came to a complete stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home safely. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.
Forward collision avoidance, May 16, 2022
Car brakes on its own when no vehicle in front of or around my vehicle.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, May 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle began to brake suddenly. The contact deactivated the cruise control and the vehicle began to function normally. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
Forward collision avoidance, May 10, 2022
My car has been braking on its own the last 5 months. Today it braked for no reason. There was no car in front of us or to either side of us. There was nothing in front of us either. It braked super hard and there was someone behind us who luckily slammed on their brakes and didn’t hit us. It gave me and my kids whiplash. Other times it will brake on its own if there’s a shadow from a bridge or something. Again when it does that there are no cars in front or next to us or even remotely close to us. This is beginning to be a frequent thing happening once or more a week. It’s super dangerous and I don’t feel safe with it braking for no reason.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 6, 2022
While driving the Automatic Braking System engaged even though there was nobody in front of me. The first time was on a freeway, it suddenly engaged even though there wasn’t a vehicle anywhere close to the front of my vehicle. This could have been bad and I could have been hit from behind if a driver behind me wasn’t paying attention and my vehicle stopped all of a sudden without warning. The second time it happened I was driving on a city road. My lane was empty ahead of me. The system automatically engaged and stopped my vehicle. I noticed the vehicle behind me had to stop quickly because of this. I have not had this checked by Honda yet. I did see that Honda has recalled other year model vehicles for having the same issues. If my vehicle is having the same problems then I would hope Honda would inspect it at no charge. There were no warning lights or advanced warnings that this was going to occur. I feel it is very dangerous because the vehicle just stops all of a sudden and as the driver you are jerked forward. The first occurrence was not very long ago, within the last month. The latest incident was 3/5/22.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 28, 2022
I have a 2020 Honda CR-V that is having a Phantom Braking issue. It has happened several times, 3 of which were while on the expressway and a tractor trailer was behind me. The CR-V warning system would flash "BRAKE" and then stop suddenly, there was nothing in front of me, nothing to either side of me. When I took it to the dealership, the technician could not replicate the issue and said 'it was a common issue with all vehicles' and recommended that I 'just turn it off, I did so on my vehicle.' After seeing the news I now know that I am not the only one with this issue. I purchased this vehicle from the dealer in June 2020, and this began in September 2021.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 27, 2022
On multiple occasions during highway or other driving, the automatic emergency braking has engaged causing the car to either slow quickly or attempt to come to a stop which required immediate intervention to avoid potentially being rear ended. Driving was occurring during daylight hours and not in traffic.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 26, 2022
On several separate occasions our Honda 2020 CRV has applied braking in circumstances where it should not have. On one occasion the vehicle ahead was maintaining the same speed and distance and our car applied brakes although the vehicle ahead was more car lengths ahead than 1 per 10 MPH. On other occasions there were no vehicles ahead or beside, while we were traveling at highway speeds on open highway and the car abruptly applied brakes. In each instance the braking stopped after a short jerk. In other words, it behaved as if the driver had lightly tapped the brakes, although that was not the case.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 25, 2022
We were cruising along Rt 130 in New Jersey when suddenly the Automatic Emergency Braking System "Brake" flashed on my dashboard and my vehicle braked for a while (from 50mph to 30mph) although there were no cars or any obstacles ahead of us. I had to step on the gas pedal to avoid any rear-end collision on me. Luckily, there were no vehicle behind me at that time.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 25, 2022
Almost 2 weeks ago I was driving on the Florida Turnpike (about 77mph) and suddenly the gas quit on the car. It slower down to about 50mph as I kept trying to give it gas but to no avail. Meanwhile I was lucky enough to be able to steer it into the right lane. This seemed to last a long time but in. truth it was probably only about 5 - 7 seconds. Then suddenly the gas came back on. This happened two more times during the same trip but these were shorter in duration amounting to a big hiccup on the gas. It has never happened to me again. I took it to the Honda dealer. They said they took it out for a spin and couldn't replicate it and had no idea what was wrong. Now I rarely drive on roads that are high speed so perhaps that is why it has not happened again. I see that you are investigating a similar issue for CRV's that are 2018 -19 but mine is 2020. It sounds as though it's the same problem. Luckily I was never in an accident with the car so the police and insurance was never involved.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 25, 2022
My car has applied the automatic emergency braking 4 times with no emergency needed as no other cars were around. All events included shadows from either a highway sign or a group of trees and occurred throughout the summer/fall of 2021.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 24, 2022
Automatic Braking applied even when nothing in front of vehicle, on freeway at freeway speeds.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 24, 2022
Following a car that then pulled over in to the breakdown lane the automatic braking engaged when there was nothing in front of us reducing the speed causing other cars behind us to have to lockup their brakes for no reason. This was very dangerous to myself and the cars behind us. The system does this often with nothing in the lane.
Forward collision avoidance, Oct 14, 2021
My 2020 honda cr-v will randomly auto brake on the hwy when approaching a shadow at a hwy overpass. It doesn't happen every time so not predictable. It is terrifying when it does happen as I am driving at hwy speeds and then my car randomly slams on the brakes. This is not ok! I have experienced this about 5 times in the last 6 months.
Forward collision avoidance, Aug 28, 2021
When I bought the car it had collision mitigation technology. Now it does not. I took it to Airport Honda in Alcoa TN yesterday for this problem along with regular service. They said they contacted Honda, who had no answer on why this system failed to work. I paid for a safety system that worked. Now it doesn't any Honda has not idea why and offers no solution or recourse. I consider this a safety issue that I hope you will take some involvement in. Thank you very much. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).