Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Honda CR-V owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked with the engine on, the emergency parking brake was not engaged, she reached the vehicle to push the push/start button to turn off the vehicle, and the vehicle started to roll backward. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled over both legs and she required medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped once it collided with the neighbor's house across the street. The vehicle was towed to a collision shop for diagnostic testing and body repairs. The diagnostic testing has not been performed on the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and advised the contact to call the Honda manufacturer. The contact stated that she has not been able to reach the manufacturer to make them aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while reversing out of a driveway, when depressing the brake pedal it failed to stop and crashed into a high voltage box. The contact stated she was unaware if any warning lights were illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustain injuries on her neck and back but did not seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive to her residence. The contact called the local dealer and they were made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,300.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the brake pedal depressed independently, and the contact heard a beeping sound coming from the instrument panel. The contact stated that the passenger who was asleep inside the vehicle, struck the dashboard with his hands; however, there was no injury reported. The contact also stated that while coming to a stop and depressing the brake pedal, the message "BRAKE" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. There was warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that approximately four times while driving approximately 35 MPH, the brake warning light flashed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly came to a complete stop for several seconds before unintendedly accelerating. The contact expressed concerns about driving the vehicle with his grandchildren inside the vehicle due to the failures. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer who also failed to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving in a parking lot and depressing the brake pedal, there was a clunking sound coming from the braking system before the brakes became inoperable. The contact forcefully depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle eventually came to a stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with an electrical wiring short. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 13,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the brake warning light flashed and illuminated, and the vehicle hesitated while depressing the brake pedal. Neither an independent mechanic nor a dealer was contacted. The failure had occurred four times. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 44,505.
My wife and family left Evans, Georgia, on 06-Apr-2023 for their first cruise that departed from Miami, Florida. As they traveled down the interstate on 07-Apr-2023, the cruise date, the vehicle's right brake came off. My daughter steered the CR-V to safety without causing a major accident on a major Interstate Highway. They contacted the local Honda, Brickell Honda, 690 S. W. 8th Street, Miami, Florida, who dispatched a tow truck. The Service Representative was [redacted]. She asked whether the brakes had been worked on before; they had never since purchased the CR-V. Also, she confirmed that the damage was not due to road debris. Brickell Honda repaired the CR-V for $1151.31. The communication with Brickell Honda was good while the CR-V was in the shop. However, when we tried to reach out to the Service Advisor after the repairs were completed, it differed from Honda's standards. …
The brake warning light remains illuminated on the dashboard even when the parking brake is fully disengaged and while the vehicle is in motion. Same when the car is on or turned off. The brake warning light remain on continuously. Because this warning light is associated with the braking system, it creates uncertainty about whether the braking system and related safety systems are functioning properly while the vehicle is being driven. This raises safety concerns. The vehicle currently has approximately 50,000 miles and has been regularly maintained. The vehicle was inspected by a Honda dealership. After evaluation, the dealership indicated the issue may be related to the VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) modulator. However, they stated they cannot confirm with certainty that replacing this component will resolve the issue. …
At under 36,000 miles, the vehicle experienced a sudden and total failure of the factory electronic brake booster assembly. The vehicle's dashboard illuminated multiple critical braking system warning lights. The vehicle was taken directly to an authorized Honda dealership for diagnostic testing. The dealership pulled Diagnostic Trouble Code DTC C1250-98 (ECU Internal Malfunction - Over Temperature), confirming a hard internal electronic processor failure within the brake booster unit itself. The dealership had to completely remove and replace the faulty electronic brake booster assembly, costing $3,206.00 out of pocket for parts and labor. An internal computer processor overheating on a critical, non-maintenance braking component at this incredibly low mileage represents a severe safety hazard and indicates a manufacturing or supplier defect. …
Almost 2 weeks ago I was driving on the Florida Turnpike (about 77mph) and suddenly the gas quit on the car. It slower down to about 50mph as I kept trying to give it gas but to no avail. Meanwhile I was lucky enough to be able to steer it into the right lane. This seemed to last a long time but in. truth it was probably only about 5 - 7 seconds. Then suddenly the gas came back on. This happened two more times during the same trip but these were shorter in duration amounting to a big hiccup on the gas. It has never happened to me again. I took it to the Honda dealer. They said they took it out for a spin and couldn't replicate it and had no idea what was wrong. Now I rarely drive on roads that are high speed so perhaps that is why it has not happened again. I see that you are investigating a similar issue for CRV's that are 2018 -19 but mine is 2020. …
Brake complaints in other CR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2020 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the brakes of the 2020 Honda CR-V, 8% of the model year's 356 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2020 Honda CR-V brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2020 Honda CR-V, though it has 7 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 CR-V brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 13,000 miles, and 67% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to brakes 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.