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 HR-V owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there were several unknown warning lights illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact stated that several features of the vehicle intermittently failed to operate as needed. Most recently, the contact stated that the panic alarm turned on independently, activated during the day and at night. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the right side of the instrument panel was glitching or went blank. Over time, the entire right side of the instrument panel went blank and failed to operate as needed. Due to the failure, the contact was unable to view the mileage, oil level, or fuel level. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
I bought my car used when it had around 11,000 miles on it. It didn't take long (maybe a month) before I noticed that the fuel gauge indicator above the steering wheel was malfunctioning. The screen stays off for a period of time and sometimes flickers on with indistinguishable text. There are times that it works just fine, but it is becoming less and less common. At first, I thought it was attributed to the cold weather, but it also happens in the heat. I recently had a separate recall repaired and asked the mechanic about this issue. He stated that several people had told him the same story and he said I would have to replace the entire gauge cluster to fix it. This is very unfortunate because I am someone who travels often and I can't be stuck in the middle of nowhere without gas because I was unable to determine how much I had. …
While stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle failed to restart when the light turned green. On another occasion, the vehicle stalled during operation and would not start. The engine would crank but there was no ignition. This created a safety risk because the vehicle was disabled in traffic and unable to move out of the roadway, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision or other crash. The vehicle was towed to a dealership for inspection. The dealer diagnosed a failed Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The diagnosis indicated no spark and that the ignition coils were not receiving signal, although the crank sensor signal was present. The PCM was replaced, and the vehicle started and operated normally after replacement. No additional wiring, fuse, or grounding issues were identified. …
The odometer/trip/fuel display is dark when I start the car and then it will flicker on and off with gibberish. The dealership is charging more than $2,000 to "possible have it fixed." This issue has been ongoing for some time now, and I've noticed that I am not alone in experiencing it. Based on my research, it appears this problem has been present across a variety of Honda vehicle types for over 8 years. Despite this, it seems there has been no resolution provided to customers, which I find concerning. Accurate fuel readings are essential for safe vehicle operation, particularly in situations where a driver needs to monitor fuel levels and plan refueling stops. The absence of this information compromises the driver's ability to make informed decisions, which could be a safety hazard, especially on long trips or when driving in remote areas. …
2020 Honda HR-V Sport with digital gauge cluster failure. The LCD screen that displays the gas level, vehicle mileage, and gear the vehicle is in has gone to a blank screen. Or at times, it will display random numbers and letters that don't translate to any meaning. As others have reported, this leads to us not knowing what our fuel level is or the gear the vehicle is in. There were no warning indications before this issues started occurring. It happens in all variations of temperatures.
The gauges on the dash will go blank, flash or have unreadable characters at different times. This happened the first time in February and stopped for a while. Now it is happening more often. Sometimes it will start as it is being driven down the road. There is no warning lamp or anything that happens before it malfunctions. Unless we keep track of the fuel level, we run the risk of running out of gas while driving as the fuel level is part of the gauge.
I have a 2020 Honda HRV and the gas gauge flickers on and off. I have overheard technicians say this is a common problem with the HRV. The dealer wants to charge 177 to hook it up on the computer to diagnose the HRV. This HRV has only 20,000 miles on it. It has struts that are going bad and this HRV has had all the services done. My wife drives it 2.6 miles a day. I think these issues need to be looked into further.
Faulty design by honda for sunroof drain tubes. Clogged drain tubes cause water to intrude cabin and get fuse panel wet and inoperperable. Nothing about drain tube maintenace in manual. Honda denied repair stating because of rain. No easy access to clean drain tubes on vehicle. Cost me over $2000 for repairs to be made. Had to replace all fuses and fuse panel.
Car is less than 4 years old with 35k miles and battery has been replaced twice, battery issue causes car to not start or shut off while driving, after doing research online it appears over 500 other drivers have stated they have the same issue. I'm assuming there must be an issue with wiring etc
Electrical complaints in other HR-V years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2020 Honda HR-V?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the electrical system of the 2020 Honda HR-V, 24% of the model year's 85 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Honda HR-V electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2020 Honda HR-V, 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 HR-V electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles.
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.