Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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 owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, he heard an abnormal buzzing and grinding sound coming from underneath the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer several times, but the dealer was not able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was then taken to Curry Honda Chicopee (767 Memorial Dr, Chicopee, MA 01020) who informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who test drove the vehicle and diagnosed that the abnormal sound was coming from the transmission at the main shaft bearing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. …
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the clutch became unresponsive which resulted in the vehicle losing motive power. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 16,275.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic equipped with a manual transmission. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power and was also shaking. Additionally, the clutch pedal was going to the floorboard. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull off to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to move while depressing the clutch pedal. The contact smelled a burning odor coming from the clutch. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the manual clutch had burned out and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer - Moss Bros. Honda (27990 Eucalyptus Ave, Moreno Valley, CA 92555) where it was diagnosed that the clutch pedal needed to be replaced. …
I turn my car on To go to work realized I didn't have my phone. Car was in park. I hadn't touch the gearshift at all I get out of the car. Approximate 20 seconds after I walk away from the car, my home security camera shows the car creeping extremely slowly backwards up into my driveway going up across the crown of the road... across the street and falls into a 10 foot deep ditch. I am 100% certain that Car was in Park... There were no sounds when I open the door to alert me that it would be anything other than park.. The back up camera was not engaged, so it was definitely not in Reverse... When the tow truck pulled it out of the ditch, it was Still running It had stopped vertically before it hit the bottom of the ditch, and rear tire got stuck in muddy water.... There were no ruts from tire, spinning from the front end at all in the ditch or the grass above the ditch... …
Researched and found this has been a common issue with this make and model. Clutch slippage at random times when accelerating, reported to Honda dealership multiple times, stated there wasn't any issue with vehicle and denied this was a common issue even though it has been reported by multiple owners of this year/make/model. 3-4 days ago, clutch started disengaging while driving and constantly had the burning friction smell. Fortunately I was able to get my vehicle to the dealership without having to be towed but it was a slow with lots of praying to the car gods. Now the dealership is charging me an outrageous amount to repair, even though I reported this months ago (prior to it getting this bad) and was told there wasn't nothing wrong with it. …
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. …
Honda CVT transmission fluid seal leak cause by failed torque converter. Car has a perfect maintenance history, all fluid changes done on time with Allen Honda at Bryan Texas including filters associated. Car is garage kept, not driven hard. Always driven in economy mode for smooth efficiency. Failure occurred at 86,165 miles. Significant enough I am reporting this, as it is a safety issue, however don't know if other Honda civics have had this issue. A normal CVT transmission should last 150,000 miles before issues start according to manufacturer (Honda) who built the car. Two photos attached displaying the leak and puddle on my driveway. Leak is a slow drip, fixing it in the morning at a shop which will put me out of almost $3000 not under warranty because car is 6 years of age instead of 5 years. …
I purchased a brand new 2020 Honda Civic SI in April 2020. Around 24,000 miles, the clutch started slipping. I took the vehicle into a Honda dealership where I purchased the vehicle and was informed the clutch assembly failed and the cost of the repair was $4,400. The dealership told me it was due to abuse of the clutch and clutches are considered wear and tear items so I would be responsible for the entire repair. I have owned 10 manual transmission vehicles prior to this Civic and I have never burned out a clutch--I was able to get more than 125,000 miles from one of my cars before the clutch had to be replaced. There are 15 complaints on this site regarding clutches wearing out on 2020 Honda Civics so could this be a problem on Honda's end. …
Over the last few months, I noticed that the vehicle had poor acceleration when merging onto the highway. When I tried to accelerate, the RPMs shot up as the turbo kicked in, but the car did not move any faster. Previous to this, I had trouble getting the car into 1st while sitting still (50+ times). The final incident occurred during a short trip to a local store. The engine revved high and I couldn't get over 35MPH. Upon stopping, there was a burning smell coming from the car. I was able to drive it a short distance to a local transmission shop which diagnosed clutch failure. I purchased the car new from a Honda dealer in 2020 and am the only person to drive the car. There are only 70k miles on the car and everyone that I've talked to was surprised that it went out so soon. I don't abuse the clutch (never burned one out before even while living in the mountains). …
Clutch started slipping all of a sudden. Check to see if it was under warranty said the warranty had expired because the car was over 36,000 MI did not know about the extended clutch warranty at the time that Honda was extending it due to defective parts so we replaced it ourselves. Upon tear down it was discovered that the clutch disc was only about 30% worn down there were no hot spots in the flywheel or the clutch cover so the problem was related to the holding force of the clutch cover have we continued to drive the car the way it was it would have burnt it up because it would barely move. …
Transmission complaints in other Civic years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Honda Civic?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Honda Civic, 13% of the model year's 232 complaints. The component named most often is clutch assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Honda Civic transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 8,000 miles, and 88% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.