2020 Honda Civic
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Vehicles › Honda › Civic › 2020
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2020 Honda Civic. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
5 recalls name the 2020 Honda Civic. Newest first.
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…
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.
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…
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.
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…
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.
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…
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.
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…
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.
"The dealer invoice for my 2020 Honda Civic explicitly diagnosed a seatbelt 'internal failure.' Honda Corporate verbally denied coverage by claiming an undocumented seat cover obstruction. I was forced to pay $482.32 out-of-pocket for a safety component covered under Honda's 15-Year/150,000-Mile safety warranty."
I own a 2020 Civic Si. At about 29,000 the clutch started slipping in higher heats and going up hills. Once I noticed this the clutch degraded very quickly to the point it was unsafe to drive. By very quickly I mean in about 100 miles worth of travel. I notified Honda Corporate and opened a case with them. There is a TSB 22-017 out about the faulty clutches stating the friction material was faulty in some 19-20 models and to replace the clutch and included all parts associated to be replaced. However my car was just one year outside of the warranty even tho it was within the mileage. Since they were going to replace with the same parts that failed, I decided to do the replacement myself with an OEM clutch made for the Type R which is more appropriately matched to the torque of the vehicle and a different flywheel as the factory one increases the wear due to being dual mass. I took pictures of the process for documentation. When the transmission was opened up the friction material had basically disintegrated into chuncks. The pressure plate also seemed to be putting unnecessary amount of pressure on the bearing. Almost like the clamping force was far too much for the hydrolic system to counter and thus caused excessive slippage. Honda was going to charge $2000 to diagnose the clutch and the clutch replacement would have cost $6,000. That is an absurd amount to charge for a known faulty part. Tho the new clutch also required an upgraded CMC, I was about to install a far superior OEM part for 1/3 of the price. I wanted to submit a report in hopes that with enough complaints Honda will do a proper recall before someone in the future loses function of their clutch and potentially has an accident.
ac compressor failure. This is a known defect in ALL 10th Generation Honda vehicles. My 2020 Honda Civic Sport at 44K miles AC compressor has failed. The extended warranty that Honda issued will not cover a new compressor that Honda has diagnosed it needs. I have been fighting very hard with Honda Corporate to Goodwill a compressor replacement which they priced at over $2,500 out of pocket. I have been driving in over 100 degrees weather for over 2 months with no cold air. Pacific Honda in San Diego did make an attempt to repair but only the 2 parts that were covered by the extended warranty which is the cam shaft seal and the condenser however this failed to fix the underlying problem which is the entire compressor. For almost 2 months have been going round and round with corporate to Goodwill a compressor replacement and after several phone calls and heated conversations they refused to help me and said a goodwill replacement on the compressor is not possible and closed the case! This is absolutely unbelievable that Honda has been making me drive in the extreme heat for so long I almost fainted several times driving and that could cost my life. Also we are expecting the most severe storms this winter in Southern California where I reside and am stationed in the US Navy and I fear my defroster will not function properly during severe rain and storms causing blinding and non-visibility which not only threatens my life but the life of my family in the vehicle and other drivers on the road near me when my vision will be completely impaired by this malfunction of the defroster. Honda has ignored my safety concerns and the imminent threat to my life and others and closed the case. Please help me. No owner of the 10th gen Hondas should ever have to go through this and Honda should absolutely be held responsible and repair any AC Compressor that fails to these owners at no cost to the buyer. Lives are at risk.
The wheel becomes sticky/ jerky when driving at speeds over 40 mph and causes overcorrecting. It is worse around bends and makes holding the wheel straight difficult. The stickness is consistently present when on the highways making it incredibly dangerous to drive at these higher speeds as I am constantly having to overcorrect the wheel. The dealer and an independent service center have both said they have been able to reproduce the sticky steering and that it is the steering rack. There is not any warning on my dashboard to indicate this part is failing which is also problematic as I should be made aware before my steering wheel completely freezes when driving at high speeds.
My 2020 Honda Civic experienced engine overheating and a cylinder 3 misfire (P0303). Two independent mechanics diagnosed a blown head gasket with coolant leaking into cylinder 3. The vehicle underwent a head gasket repair under Honda’s extended warranty. Less than a week after the repair, the engine overheated again while I was driving. I pulled over, waited approximately an hour for the engine to cool, added coolant, and drove to the dealership. The dealership later reported that the cylinder head was cracked near cylinder 4, close to the exhaust valve. When I picked my car up from the dealership, I scanned the vehicle and found the P0303 cylinder 3 misfire code. I am concerned that the engine may have an unresolved problem that could cause it to overheat again, sustain further damage, or lose power while driving. The vehicle is still in my possession and available for inspection. I have an appointment with an independent mechanic on October 24, 2026, to have the engine and cooling system inspected and determine what may have caused the repeated overheating. I am submitting this complaint to bring attention to a potential engine or engine-cooling safety defect and ask NHTSA to consider whether similar problems may be affecting other vehicles.
My car 2020 honda civic has an issue with the steering wheel. I have noticed in the past 6 months that the steering wheel has become increasingly stiff and gets stuck during turns. This is a concern of mine because at times it becomes difficult to keep in traffic lanes. The car has not been inspected by anyone.
On September 27, 2026, at approximately 90,800 miles, the body control module (BCM) in my 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback failed. Symptoms included the alarm sounding on its own, warning lights illuminating on the dash, the vehicle turning its accessories on unprompted while parked (key fob was present), the battery draining, and the key fob intermittently not being recognized.
The air conditioning condenser failed prematurely due to a known manufacturing defect covered under Honda's 10-year warranty extension (TSB 19-091), but the dealership, Stokes Honda North and American Honda Motor Co.’s refused to honor the coverage. I reside in Charleston, South Carolina, where summer temperatures and humidity levels are extreme. Because of this defect, the vehicle's cabin becomes dangerously hot within minutes. I frequently transport my two young children in this vehicle, and the lack of functional climate control places them at an immediate risk for severe heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heat-related illness. Furthermore, the failure of the AC system means the vehicle can no longer properly dehumidify the cabin air. During sudden South Carolina rainstorms, the windshield and windows instantly fog over, rendering the defroster useless. This causes an immediate, severe loss of visibility while driving on high-speed roads, creating a catastrophic safety hazard for myself, my children, and other drivers.
Steering rack malfunction which is a major safety issue. It was said to be only in 2022-2025 civics but it is very clear this is happening in the 2020s as well
When driving, especially at highway speeds where only minor tracking adjustments are needed, the steering wheel can feel like it is momentarily sticking or catching. Having to exert sudden, extra physical effort to "break" the wheel free from this sticky point. This often leads to momentary overcorrection, significantly increasing the risk of a crash.
I am writing to file a complaint regarding the air conditioning system failure in my 2020 Honda Civic Sport. The air conditioner in my vehicle began blowing hot air instead of cold air starting in January 2024. I took the vehicle to a mechanic for inspection, I was informed that the evaporator has failed and needs to be replaced. While researching this issue, I discovered that many other Honda Civic owners have reported similar air conditioning problems involving the evaporator and AC system. I also became aware of a 2021 letter involving American Honda Motor Co. and Honda dealership personnel regarding evaporator leaks in vehicles with VIN numbers beginning with 2HG or 19X. The letter stated that Honda was researching these vehicles in an effort to better understand the issue. Given the number of similar complaints and Honda’s apparent awareness and investigation into evaporator leaks, this appears to be a potentially widespread defect affecting these vehicles, even when properly maintained. The failure of the air conditioning system has caused significant inconvenience, medical issues and financial burden. I have severe Hyperthyroidism, and reside in CA. Due to extremely hot weather & no A/C, the heat affected my heart rate and health severely. My honda is utilized daily for employment & commitments. Without proper air conditioning in almost 3 years now, while driving my car, I was admitted into the hospital last summer 2026 for 5 days due to the extreme heat affecting my heart and almost causing me to go into a coma aka [thyroid storm]. I believe this issue should be investigated further, as it may indicate a defect in the vehicle’s air conditioning system. I respectfully request that the NHTSA review this matter and investigate whether the evaporator failure in the 2020 Honda Civic Sport is a recurring manufacturing defect that may warrant further action or assistance for affected vehicle owners. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Honda Civic. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 87,000. At the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 247,000.
The turbocharger bypass control solenoid valve circuit on my 2020 Civic Si has developed an intermittent open, setting DTC P0035. I diagnosed it myself: the solenoid coil measures 45 ohms and functions when commanded via bi-directional scan tool, and supply voltage is present at the harness connector. However, the control circuit reads approximately 9V in the off state when it should be near ground, and the reading fluctuates when the harness is flexed near the connector — indicating a partial break in the wiring consistent with vibration fatigue. This is a safety concern because the ECM fault cascades to other systems. My scan report shows U0401-68 in the ABS module and U0416-68 in both the EPS and Integrated Driver Assistance modules. The result is that VSA stability control is disabled. I first noticed the problem because warning lights appear during hard cornering — precisely when stability control is most needed. Honda has acknowledged this exact failure mode. Service Bulletin 18-044 (NHTSA ID 10142655), issued June 2018, covers the 2017 Civic Type R for DTC P0035 and states the cause as: heat and the natural frequency of the harness cause the coupler wire to oscillate, producing an open circuit to the turbocharger bypass control solenoid valve. The remedy was a replacement engine wire harness kit. The Si shares the same L15B7 engine family and the same bypass control solenoid circuit, but no campaign covers it. Owner forums document numerous P0035 wiring failures on non-Type-R 1.5T Civics. I am requesting that NHTSA consider whether this defect and its effect on stability control warrants a safety investigation and expansion of the existing remedy to other 1.5T Civic models.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the compressor shaft failed, and the shaft seal caused further damage to the compressor and caused an additional failure. The contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: 23-039. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with compressor failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the warranty only covered the shaft seal and not the compressor. The failure mileage was approximately 166,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the headlights failed to operate properly and failed to provide adequate illumination while driving. The dealer was contacted, and headlight failure was repaired; however, headlights were not recalibrated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the steering wheel was sticking with resistance while turning the steering wheel to the left. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not under a recall associated with the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
on 7-28-26 After filling my vehicle with gas at the next red light, all lights on dashboard went on flickering warning (Christmas tree effect). on 7-29-26 After researching online Roadside came out and did Battery and alternator test that passed. I did hard reboot from instructions I found online and after several attempts the lights cleared twice, the morning of 7-30-26 when leaving for work the flickering lights came back on. Vehicle had a slight tremble but cleared after a few seconds while vehicle warmed up. I went to get the battery checked at the shop and it passed also had air filter changed. Lights still on, car is running fine, but I feel unsafe to drive and have an appt at the dealer for a diagnosis check on 7-31-26.
The A/C went out on this vehicle. The A/C only worked half way in the car. It would only cool the passenger side and not drivers side. When I took it in to get it fixed, they said it was the condenser. There was a recall for the compressor shaft seal but not the condenser. They replaced the condenser and compressor shaft seal. As I checked the Internet I found a recall for this problem in Canada but not in the U.S. I asked Honda about it. They said it was VIN specific right now unless enough people complain about this problem. If it happened in Canada it should be dealt with here. According to my search there are others in the U. S.that have had this problem. How many complaints does it take before this is dealt with?
At least a half dozen times the car would brake automatically when nothing was in front of the car. The BRAKE warning light would appear on the dashboard as the car abruptly slowed down. The car slowed down but never came to a complete stop. This happened at various speeds. Once on the freeway at high speeds, 3 times just before an intersection where I had a green light and other various times. I brought the car to 2 different dealers. They could not replicate the problem so they said there was nothing they could do. The courtesy car driver who gave me a ride said they occasionally experience the same thing in the courtesy car.
On passenger side, 4 of 5 wheel hub bolts (lug bolts) broke off during driving. The lug nuts did not come loose. The bolts actually broke off with lug nuts attached. This caused the wheel to separate from the car while driving. This caused an accident and $5,500 damage to the car. There were no warnings from the in-car information center.
I reported this issue to insurance. The facts are that when I was watching a family member’s toddler, I went to my vehicle to grab a stack of papers. While holding her, I reached in and grabbed the papers sitting directly on the back seat of the coupe vehicle (I.e., easy to reach). Upon grabbing the papers in one hand and holding her on my left hip, I shut the drivers side door and began walking toward the home. Immediately, I heard an odd sound like a rustle or possibly an animal scurrying. I looked around confused because I hadn’t seen anything and it wasn’t too dark. Then I looked closer and the entirety of my back windshield was shattered into a billion pieces leaking into my back seats and onto the car seat placed there for when I frequently pick up the toddler. I can’t help but think of what would’ve happened if she was in her car seat and the glass shards (which were many, sharp and permeating through each crevice and likely will remain until somehow discovered or hurting someone) would’ve fell there. Many honda owners experienced this issue of combustion in the rear windshield. It’s not safe or right. A recall should be made.
I am the second owner of this year and model of Civic. I initially bought it back in 2021 with 14,000 miles on it. The clutch slipped and blew at around 29K miles in 2023. I brought it into a honda dealership and they were at least able to replace the clutch with the SAME CLUTCH under warranty but now it's 2026 and the clutch is going out again. Clutches should not be going out this frequently. I've driven several manuals and if you were to look up this specific year and model, it is a known issue across several forums online and youtube videos for having a "weak clutch". Despite it being a known issue, Honda refuses to announce a recall or make right by their customers who bought this specific year and model. I along with other owners of this specific year and model had our "Good Will" declined after the warranty period ended; how convenient for Honda. It would've essentially cost at least $10K in repairs for an average owner over 5 years on a relatively brand new car. That's more than 30% of the car's worth and value at MSRP.. They keep saying that all of these issues and feedbacks are being reported to the NHTSA but I honestly believe they're waiting for it to be long enough for warranties to expire and hop they can sweep it under the rug. I've driven Hondas all of my life and have loved their cars but their refusal to do right by this well known issue is leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
The vehicle has experienced a complete failure of the A/C condenser unit due to refrigerant leaks originating from manufacturing defects in the tube walls. This matches the exact physical failure described in Honda Service Bulletin TSB #19-091. However, the manufacturer is refusing coverage because this specific VIN falls just outside their current arbitrary cutoff list. This component failure directly impacts vehicle safety by disabling the vehicle's capability to dehumidify the cabin and clear a heavily fogged windshield during sudden humidity or temperature changes, causing an immediate visibility hazard.
I am writing to file a complaint regarding the air conditioning system failure in my 2020 Honda Civic Sport. The air conditioner in my vehicle began blowing hot air instead of cold air. I took the vehicle to Honda for inspection and paid $545.15 to have the system recharged and dye inserted in order to diagnose the issue. After this service was completed, I was informed that the evaporator has failed and needs to be replaced. I was then quoted $2,475.13 for the repair. While researching this issue, I discovered that many other Honda Civic owners have reported similar air conditioning problems involving the evaporator and AC system. I also became aware of a 2021 letter involving American Honda Motor Co. and Honda dealership personnel regarding evaporator leaks in vehicles with VIN numbers beginning with 2HG or 19X. The letter stated that Honda was researching these vehicles in an effort to better understand the issue. Given the number of similar complaints and Honda’s apparent awareness and investigation into evaporator leaks, this appears to be a potentially widespread defect affecting these vehicles, even when properly maintained. The failure of the air conditioning system has caused significant inconvenience and financial burden. I believe this issue should be investigated further, as it may indicate a defect in the vehicle’s air conditioning system. I respectfully request that the NHTSA review this matter and investigate whether the evaporator failure in the 2020 Honda Civic Sport is a recurring manufacturing defect that may warrant further action or assistance for affected vehicle owners. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally address a serious issue regarding my recent service experience at Freeway Honda and the unfair handling of my case by American Honda concerning my Honda Civic (VIN: [XXX] ). On January 2, 2024, I brought my vehicle to Freeway Honda due to recurring air conditioning issues. My service advisor, Erick Zermeno, informed me that the system had three leaks: the condenser, the compressor, and the evaporator. While he acknowledged that the condenser and compressor were covered under warranty, he stated that the evaporator was not and quoted approximately $1,900.00 for the repair. Furthermore, he refused to repair the warranty-covered parts unless I agreed to pay out-of-pocket for the evaporator repair at the same time. When I declined, the manager, Jamie, required me to pay a $175.00 diagnostic fee to have my vehicle released, despite the fact that the inspection identified defects covered by the extended warranty. Seeking a second opinion, I visited Norm Reeves Honda in Irvine on January 31, 2024. Their technicians determined that only the A/C condenser and compressor were leaking. They repaired both parts at no charge under the warranty and found no issues with the evaporator at that time. It appears Freeway Honda attempted to charge me for an unnecessary repair and wrongfully collected a diagnostic fee for a warranty-related inspection. This matter has been reported to the Bureau of Automotive Repair. I previously filed a complaint with American Honda (Case #XXX) and requested a full refund of the $175.00 fee. Later on, the defroster and the A/C started to cause problems. On October 8, 2024, the A/C failed again, and Norm Reeves Honda confirmed the evaporator was leaking, resulting in a repair cost of $1,797.79. Although American Honda initially offered a partial reimbursement of approximately $960.00, which I declined due to the ongoing nature of these failures. Now, they rescinded the offer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.