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 serviced at a tire shop and failed to shift into reverse. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing an unknown fuse to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred on July 23, 2021. The contact stated while driving 5 mph, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she was unable to shift gears. The contact stated a bystander assisted her to manually shift the gear to be able to drive back to her residence. The contact towed the vehicle back to the local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. …
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 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.
My car, a 2020 Honda CR-V EX 1.5T AWD, was totaled in a fatal accident on a rainy night on an interstate highway. It spun on the highway a couple of turns, hit the highway barrier at all of its corners and sides, caused the airbags to all came out, and eventually deadly stopped in the middle of the highway on a rainy night. My wife and I were in our undrivable vehicle, watching countless coming vehicles approaching us rapidly. We were just waiting in the dead car unmovable, just as in a coffin for our fate to come but can do nothing. Thank GOD who made someone call 911. Thanks to the emergency rescue team. The ambulance sent us to a nearby local hospital. We bought the vehicle, the 2020 Honda CR-V EX 1.5T AWD, as new, and we realized there could be a problem at a very earlier time. It has a serious problem with its AWD control system. …
In November 2025 a new transmission was installed Curry Honda in Atlanta GA on my 2020 Honda CR-V. The new transmission came with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. In March 2026 my vehicle broke down and was towed to Tameron Honda in Daphne Al where a speed sensor was replaced at my expense of 388.44. The adaptive cruise control was not working prior to this repair. Within two weeks the vehicle experienced further issues and had to be driven in a compromised condition back to Curry Honda in Atlanta where the transmission wire harness was diagnosed as corroded and replaced at a cost of 1696.99. My vehicle has been garage-kept its entire life except when in the care of a dealership. Corrosion on a recently replaced transmission in a garage-kept vehicle cannot be attributed to environmental exposure or owner neglect. …
A warning on the dash that read, "All Wheel System Drive Problem," came up several times during the past few days on my 2020 Honda CRV with only 70,000 miles. It came without any prior warning and power was diverted from all four wheels to just the front wheels. It posed a safety risk because it came so suddenly, but I was able to drive carefully to the dealership. There is a Service Bulletin with Honda with the NHTSA (#23-031) located at [redacted]. This is a known problem with both Honda and the NHTSA, yet there is no active recall. The dealership charged $1260 to have this repaired, even though it's a drivetrain issue and not a common maintenance item. I would like the NHTSA to request a recall with Honda so that I can be reimbursed for this. I have attached a copy of the invoice that Honda provided for the services rendered.
One year after I bought my new 2020 Honda crv the Torque Converter seal leaked and the oil seal was replaced. I had only 4670 miles on it. In August of this yr 2023 my battery died in the middle of no where and had to wait for AAA in 103 temp for 45 minutes. Today October 20th,2023 my car stalled in the middle of a 4 lane busy intersection. The car was towed to the dealership and the fuel pump was replaced at only 14,400 miles! this vin has had no recalls but im so disappointed since I bought a Honda for its reliability. I have a disabled 81 yr old husband and this has been more than stressful. My warranty expires this Dec 2023 and im afraid I bought a lemon. [redacted]
While driving down the freeway at around 60 mph, I sharply accelerated to negotiate traffic and my vehicle lost power and the check engine light was flashing. I was able to roll to an exit ramp where i could barely get up a slight incline. I was able to get out of traffic but at speed of less than 5 mph. It sounded like the vehicle was running on two cylinders. I pulled over and turned the car off. I was able to re-start the car after which it ran normally. I went directly to the dealership where they were unable to reproduce or diagnose the issue.
The check-engine light comes on immediately before the vehicle loses the ability to accelerate. While driving, including at highway speeds, pressing the accelerator does not produce normal propulsion and the vehicle loses motive power. If I pull over, turn the vehicle completely off and restart it, the check-engine light clears and normal acceleration returns. The problem is intermittent and has occurred more than once. The dealership has previously been unable to identify the cause because the vehicle operates normally after restarting.
NHTSA investigations
Rear Differential Seizure
On November 29, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE 22-011 after reviewing field reports alleging rear differential seizure in 2018-2022MY Honda CR-V and HR-V vehicles equipped with all wheel drive. To date, ODI has not received any consumer complaints. Some of the field reports received alleged the vehicle's wheels locked up with no warning while the vehicle was in motion.
Transmission complaints in other CR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Honda CR-V?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Honda CR-V, 6% of the model year's 356 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2020 Honda CR-V transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 12,000 miles, and 80% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 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.