Car · Honda problems

2020 Honda Civic problems

233 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Honda Civic. The most reported area is electrical system (16% of them). NHTSA also lists 26 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 14. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 233 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Other or unknown38 · 16%
• Electrical system37 · 16%
• Power train (transmission and drive)32 · 14%
• Steering32 · 14%
• Fuel system31 · 13%
• Air bags29 · 12%
• Forward collision avoidance24 · 10%
• Service brakes14 · 6%

17 smaller areas not shown (69 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 26 repair bulletins from Honda for the 2020 Honda Civic. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. A26-008Received October 1, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire.

2. A25-076Received August 8, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Oil leak at timing chain tensioner inspection cover due to possible insufficient sealant adhesion on inspection cover.

3. A19-091Received July 1, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C condenser to 10 years from the original date of purchase with unlimited miles.

4. A23-039Received July 1, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Due to a new North America regulation which introduces a new refrigerant and oil requirement, the compressor shaft seal may leak.

5. A21-068Received November 1, 2023

   Speed control and throttle

   The ACC system error message comes on while driving when outside temperatures are low/near freezing due to snow and ice getting stuck to the front of the millimeter wave radar.

6. A21080AReceived October 25, 2023

   Forward collision avoidance

   If an Adaptive Cruise Control System Problem comes back on when the vehicle is driven in freezing conditions, inform the customer it is likely due to snow or ice buildup on the radar.

7. ABOM05192023901Received May 31, 2023

   Visibility and wipers

   Due to supplier process concerns, the A/C compressor may not have been manufactured to specifications.

8. A23-012Received April 20, 2023

   Visibility and wipers

   Customers have complained of the air conditioning system not blowing cold air due to the oil/refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor main shaft seal.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2020 Honda Civic. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 26V332000May 22, 2026

   Air bags

   The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

2. 24V064000February 2, 2024

   Air bags

   The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

3. 23V858000December 19, 2023

   Fuel system, gasoline

   The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

See all 5 recalls for the 2020 Honda Civic, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Civic will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Electrical system 37 complaints · 16%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Power train (transmission and drive) 32 complaints · 14%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Steering 32 complaints · 14%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Fuel system 31 complaints · 13%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2020 Honda Civic: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2020 Honda Civic?

Of the 233 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Honda Civic, 37 (16%) name electrical system, and 32 (14%) name power train (transmission and drive). A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2020 Honda Civic reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 15 of the 233 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 14 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2020 Honda Civic have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2020 Honda Civic. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 26 repair bulletins for the 2020 Honda Civic.

More

• 2023 Civic problems
• 2022 Civic problems
• 2019 Civic problems
• 2018 Civic problems
• 2017 Civic problems
• 2016 Civic problems
• 2015 Civic problems
• 2014 Civic problems
• 2012 Civic problems
• 2010 Civic problems
• 2020 recalls
• All Honda recalls
• Honda problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.