Problems · NHTSA complaints
2020 Honda HR-V problems
Owners filed 86 complaints about the 2020 Honda HR-V with NHTSA between Jul 2020 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (21).
Complaints
86
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system21
- Power train14
- Fuel system, gasoline14
- Fuel/propulsion system12
- Engine10
- Air bags7
- Lane departure6
- Forward collision avoidance6
- Vehicle speed control5
- Service brakes4
- Steering2
- Wheels1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Seats1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
4
3
5
31
25
16
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 31 |
| 2025 | 25 |
| 2026 | 16 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
21 reports
“Honda HR-V uses a battery current and voltage sensor (part of the Battery Management System) attached to the negative battery terminal to monitor electrical flow and optimize fuel efficiency. It helps determine alternator output. If the voltage sensor degrades or fails, the vehicle's electrical system voltage may be too low to operate the electric power steering. If this happens, the steering wheel suddenly becomes very difficult to turn. It may result in loss of control of the vehicle. Luckily this happened at low speed. There are no codes or warning lights. Repair shops have been unable to diagnose it correctly and want to replace unrelated parts. A Honda dealer refused to look at it because they did not believe the driver's claim of an issue.”
Power train
14 reports1 crash
“The CVT is defective and failed while driving, causing immediate loss of motive power. This has been diagnosed and confirmed by the dealer. Honda has a voluntary extended warranty in place for this exact issue for certain VIN's, but because this particular VIN was assembled at a location where less VIN's were assembled with the faulty CTV it is not covered. This should be a mandatory safety recall as losing motive power while driving can easily cause an accident. There were no warning signs, just a loud sound and immediate loss of motive power while driving. For us this happened in a busy intersection, but could easily have happened on the highway causing a serious safety hazard. Honda is not denying that the CVT is defective, but this particular VIN is not covered in the extended warranty due to the location the vehicle was assembled.”
Fuel system, gasoline
14 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that occasionally the vehicle failed to start. Additionally, occasionally while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 30,000. The VIN was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.”
Fuel/propulsion system
12 reports
“AMENDMENT TO SAFETY COMPLAINT: FAILURE OF RECALL REMEDY / USE OF LEGACY PART Vehicle: 2020 Honda HR-V NHTSA Recall Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Low-Pressure Fuel Pump) [The 2020 Honda HR-V is under an active, massive federal safety recall for low-pressure fuel pump failure.] Chronological Safety History: •January 2025: Mandatory fuel pump safety recall performed at an authorized Honda franchise. •September 2025: Catastrophic engine stall occurred at highway speeds. •June 12, 2026: Second catastrophic engine stall occurred at highway speeds. Critical Update: Following these severe stalling events, I presented the vehicle to franchised dealer Zeigler Honda. The dealership service department engaged in fraudulent diagnostic practices to evade liability. They falsely claimed the stalling was due to "bad gas," refused to perform a secondary repair, and released a hazardous vehicle back onto public roads. Due to the immediate threat to public safety, I brought the vehicle to a certified independent mechanic. Upon replacement of the system, a component breakdown revealed that the recall part installed in January 2025 was actually an identical, low-density defective…”
Engine
10 reports1 crash
“While stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle failed to restart when the light turned green. On another occasion, the vehicle stalled during operation and would not start. The engine would crank but there was no ignition. This created a safety risk because the vehicle was disabled in traffic and unable to move out of the roadway, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision or other crash. The vehicle was towed to a dealership for inspection. The dealer diagnosed a failed Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The diagnosis indicated no spark and that the ignition coils were not receiving signal, although the crank sensor signal was present. The PCM was replaced, and the vehicle started and operated normally after replacement. No additional wiring, fuse, or grounding issues were identified. There were no prior warning lights, dashboard messages, or drivability symptoms before the failure occurred. The failure happened unexpectedly at approximately 52,889 miles. The replaced PCM is available through the servicing dealership if inspection is requested.”
Air bags
7 reports2 crashes2 fires2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle, there was abnormal white smoke inside the cabin of the vehicle, and the contact stated that a white cakey substance was in the smoke, which the contact inhaled. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact was concerned that the air bag might deploy unintendedly. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 53,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.