Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Honda Civic owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact's son was driving the vehicle at 30 mph and while making a right turn, the vehicle failed to turn to cause the driver to crash into a city bus head-on. The air bags on the driver's side and the passenger side did deploy but did not fully inflate. The contact's son and passenger were not taken to the hospital or received medical treatment. The contact's son later went to seek medical attention and was found to have suffered a concussion. The passenger in the front seat hit his head on the windshield and also did seek medical attention. The police were on the scene and filed a report. The vehicle was declared a total loss by the contact's insurance company. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel began to independently turn to the right and the left. The contact stated that the "Steering" and "Lane Departure" warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel had become more difficult to turn. The contact stated that the steering failure was intermittent but had become a recurring failure. Additionally, the contact stated there was an abnormal gasoline and burned engine oil odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact state that she had been noticing the odor for about a month. The contact also stated that the vehicle was overheating and was felt inside the foot wells. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there were no failures found. The vehicle had not been repaired. …
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 contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the steering wheel became sticky and jerked while turning in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the electronic steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 64,000.
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.
Twice within a one week period, some type of animal, most likely a rodent, ate through my power steering harness rendering all safety features on the car inoperable. The car was undriveable as the steering wheel could not be turned. The dealership advised that the wiring for this vehicle is made of soy which is a food source for animals. Honda is aware of this issue and now stocks rodent tape to use over the wires. Honda should not be building automobiles with soy based wiring. No other vehicle sin my lot were affected--just mine because it was a Honda. I have the harnesses from the dealership showing where they were chewed on. The dealership is aware of other customers with this same problem. It is most definitely a safety hazard. Wires that were not completely chewed through could fail while the car is operating causing injury and/or fatality. …
Electronic power steering was checked at Honda Jeff Wyler.Cost me $179.00. They are charging me $3200.00 and I have to fix this because this has been going on for a yr and has become increasingly difficult to drive. I am fixing it this week, with our savings.The steering sticks and then over corrects constantly. I am an UBER DRIVER, so driving others. Someone asked me if I was ok because they saw the jerking and was concerned. No warning lights. I searched Google and saw the beginning of a class action for the 2022 and 2023 civic. But not for 2020. We have to do something before I risk my and others lives. Another concern is that my wife and 2 daughters have 2020 Hondas as well. The cost is extremely high for cars that normally take 6 yrs to pay for. We are [redacted] and don't have an income that can easily afford this. Thank you, [redacted]
When turning the steering wheel, there is a clicking sound and a notchy feeling where the steering wheel seems to become stuck for a split second when making steering adjustments. It is worse when turning to the right but happens when turning left as well. During high speed driving such as the highway or roads above 45 mph, this can cause issues with maintaining the car's direction and leads to overcorrecting when the wheel becomes stuck and then breaks loose causing dangerous swerving into nearby lanes. The vehicle has never been in an accident and has not had any modifications. The problem arose around the 30k mile mark and has gotten progressively worse. The issue has not been inspected by any organization or separate party yet. There are no warning lights of error codes showing, only the sound and the feeling of the sticky steering. Component is available for inspection upon request.
My steering gradually stiffens then suddenly releases while traveling the highway. It cycled this way during the entire trip. It acted this way for the first time Oct 22, 2025 on the outgoing part of my hour long trip. It acted this way the second time Oct 25, 2025 on the hour long return drive home. I was the only one in the car at the time. Therefor, it put my own safety in jeopardy plus those traveling the highway at the same time I was traveling on the highway. I am calling my Honda dealership in the morning, Monday October 27, 2025, to set up an appointment to bring my car in. There were no warning lamps, messages nor other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure and when it first appeared on Oct 22, 2025. I find that I am not the only one experiencing this problem with a 2020 Honda Civic SI a 10th generation Civic.
my car has been grinding ever since I purchased the car. The vehicle only had 17,000 miles when I bought it. I took it to Honda of Hollywood and let them know that my car was grinding and they said that I needed to change my brakes. I changed my brakes and went back to the dealership and they said I needed to sand the rotors. I went to get my rotors repaired and my car was still grinding. I went back to the dealership and they said nothing was wrong with the car. I don't hear any other Honda grinding like my car. On the freeway my car is rattling. The tires in the back of my car move around they are not straight. I looked under my car and noticed that the wheel bearing is broken. I don't think the dealership should be putting my life in jeopardy like that when my car was under warranty when I reported the issue.i need help.
Steering complaints in other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2020 Honda Civic?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the steering of the 2020 Honda Civic, 13% of the model year's 232 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2020 Honda Civic steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2020 Honda Civic, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2020 Honda Civic steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 41,000 miles, and 50% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.