Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
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 that while his wife was attempting to park the vehicle at 1 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The vehicle jumped a curb and crashed into a tree which stopped the acceleration; the contact, who was in the passenger seat, was able to place the vehicle into neutral and shut off the engine. The contact stated that the airbags did not deploy upon impact. The police were called the scene and a police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle back home despite the severe front-end damage. The contact was also able to drive the vehicle to an independent body shop as several warning lights had appeared on the instrument panel which he linked to the accident. They remained in the possession of the body shop for repair. …
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked next to the home and under the carport. After starting the engine, the husband exited the vehicle, and moments later, flames were present inside the cabin of the vehicle. The fire department was called to the home and extinguished the flames. During the incident, the carport and carport driveway were damaged, the side of the home was damaged, and the home endured smoke inhalation. Also, the contact's personal oxygen tank was located inside the vehicle and was destroyed. The cause of the fire was not determined. A fire report was taken at the scene. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 127,000.
While operating a 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, the vehicle suddenly caught fire with flames originating from the rear seat/rear passenger compartment area. There was no crash involved. Smoke and flames rapidly spread inside the vehicle, creating an immediate safety hazard and risk of serious injury. I evacuated immediately and emergency services were contacted. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The vehicle sustained severe fire damage and was declared a total loss. The fire appeared to start from inside the cabin near/under the rear seating area. The incident occurred without warning and there were no prior signs of mechanical issues immediately before the fire. This failure put the safety of the occupants and the public at risk due to the sudden and aggressive nature of the fire. …
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at various highway speeds, the vehicle intermittently downshifted without warning. The contact stated that on one occasion, he lost control of the vehicle as the vehicle drifted into another lane, which activated the lane assist warning feature. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where he was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle; the mechanic also could not diagnose or duplicate the failure. The dealer recommended that the contact disengage the STOP/START feature each time he started the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred him to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started losing automotive power. The check engine warning light started flashing and then remained illuminated, and the vehicle failed to accelerate above 15 MPH. The contact stated that the battery was drained and showed only one bar of battery charge on the instrument panel. The contact stated that after pulling over and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle was started, and the gear shifter was stuck in park(P). Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact researched and became aware of an unstated recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power, decelerated, and entered LIMP Mode. During the failure, the check engine, ABS, and Emissions warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000. The contact stated he has to pay $70 and says what?
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.
I was attempting to park in front of a medical professional building with my foot on the brake slowly rolling between the parking lines when the car experienced sudden unintended acceleration. Although I realized the car was accelerating and lurching forward, the brake was not stopping the vehicle. The car jumped the parking curb and crashed into the building causing damage to both the exterior and interior wall of the doctor's waiting room. While neither myself, my passenger, nor any patients in the waiting room were injured, someone could have been. The air bags did not deploy, and the Collision Mitigation system did not engage preventing the collision. Damage to the vehicle consisted of mostly front bumper and grill damage. …
On Sep 19, 2023 at about 6:10pm I got into my car at the CVS parking lot to drive home. As I reared back to get out of my parking spot, I heard a loud sound as if I had hit something on the passenger side and I returned my car to the initial spot to get out of the car and check what had happened. When I put the car into parking and tried to stop the engine, the car refused to stop. My foot was on the break, I was trying to turn off the engine but the car accelerated, went forward, then backwards, and kept going back and forth in all directions without me being able to control it. At the end it headed on the road when finally another car hit my car and this caused the car to stop. When the car stopped, it was still on Park and I was then able to turn it off. This happened in the evening. …
Electrical complaints in other CR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2020 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the electrical system of the 2020 Honda CR-V, 12% of the model year's 356 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Honda CR-V electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system 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 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 12,000 miles, and 69% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 2 fires and 3 injuries to electrical system 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.