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 Passport owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Passport. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle with the Push-To-Start feature, the Adaptive Cruise Control, Road Departure Mitigation, Collision Mitigation Brake System, and Lane Keeping assist system, and the high beam messages were displayed on the instrument panel. An audible alarm sounded while the messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the multipurpose camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost, and because the parts were on back order. Upon further investigation, the contact stated that the windshield heat exposure might have caused the failure in the hotter weatehr. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,078.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Passport. The contact stated while attempting to stop at a red light, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was restarted after the third attempt however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 31,000.
When driving at any speed vehicle computers (system and entertainment) loose communication and malfunction, causing loss of display and function. This loss of communication causes a loud crackling & popping noise to be generated by the system through the vehicle speakers. This problem persist while driving until the vehicle is stopped, turned off and door opened. Research on Honda internet forums has revealed thousands of postings from owners with the same and similar problems. I have taken this vehicle to Honda service more than 3 times. Each time was told a manufacturing defect in wiring harness of the MOST system is the cause. Each repair has been unsuccessful in permanently correcting the defect. This problem, being random and tied to rough terrain or road bumps can happen at anytime. When this happens it is a major distraction. …
I am reaching out to you because I have no options further and am very frustrated with this never ending problem going on with the electrical system in my vehicle. I leased this vehicle brand new in August of 2020, starting in February 2021 started coming across this persistent problem with the Infotainment system where it will shut off unexpectedly followed by loud crackling and popping noises that emit from the speakers. It is a safety issue because it seems to affect other systems in the vehicle that make warning sounds say if someone is in a blind spot as well as being an overall distraction especially if I am using the vehicle for directions. The noises are very loud and distracting and there is no fix other than pulling my vehicle over and shutting it off waiting for a few minutes and rebooting everything and even then the problem can reoccur. …
While at a stoplight with traffic behind me, my Honda quit and couldn't be moved out of road, or restarted for service. No warning on dashboard or lights to let me know what problem was. It went through every error in the system! I had to call police to block traffic and call a wrecker to come tow me to AutoZone for a replacement battery. It was the wrecker service that advised it was not the first time he had seen this happen. My car is only 3 years old and did not give a warning, it just stopped in traffic putting me and others in danger. I had unnecessary cost and repairs that should never had to be made. The local police had to use resources that took time away from them as well. This was on a busy Saturday afternoon on a well traveled road. This is NOT in the best interest of the public! Now I have to take time off work to have it looked at with dealer. …
The improperly designed or manufactured MOST coaxial cable can deform its terminals. This leads to intermittent connection losses between the audio display unit and the vehicle cable connector. If connection loss lasts for more than 20 seconds while the vehicle is in reverse, the rearview camera image fails to display. This increases the risk of a crash or injury. Honda issued a recall notice to replace with a new harness. The replacement did not fix the underlying problem. Our vehicle was "repaired" under the recall but the problem persisted. We were told by our local Honda dealership that we would need to replace the entire AV system to remediate the issue. We paid to have that work done, and the issue has started again. The dealership called Honda to consult with its technicians and they say that the issue is caused by the replacement harness. …
On 4-5 occasions, the auto shutoff system will shut the vehicle down at a stop light when the brake is depressed. The vehicle did not restart as normal. In order to get the vehicle to restart, the vehicle has to be turned completely off and allowed to sit for 1 minute. The battery was fully charged and less than 1 yr old. The dealer was asked and did not find any problems and could not determine a cause. As a retired couple, this is quite concerning especially when in a major city, fully stopped and unable to get the car moving. The other drivers get upset and angry, which is scary these days. I am concerned that the auto shutoff might engage in heavy interstate stop and go traffic, which could lead to a major highway crash. Interestingly, I just received a note from a law firm filing a class action suit against Honda, if repairs were made. …
This is the third time that the Auto Idle Engine has caused an issue while driving. If I attempt to turn the system off at a stop light it will automatically force my car into neutral and will not allow me to put my car back into drive. I have to turn the car off completely which it also does NOT allow easily and takes several attempts while I'm sitting in the middle of the road with my hazards on and praying I don't get rear ended! Once I finally get the car to turn off it then allows me to restart and drive again. This should not be happening and is very unsafe yet when I took it into Honda they couldn't replicate the issue so they said they couldn't fix it even though it is a very common and known problem with the Auto Idle Engine!
Was at a red light and the car just shut off. NOTHING! After about 5-10 seconds I pushed the start stop button and it hesitated for a few seconds and I let go and then tried it again. It hesitated and then came on. No problem the rest of the day. I have had the car for a year and zeo issues with the. My Mother had it for 3 years previously and she never had the issue. The battery is good (and only 1 year old) because I put it on my tester a few months ago. 70,000 miles. I looked up the symptoms and found that this has been an on going issue for a few years. NOT NEW. I reached out to Honda and they said I have to have it diagnosed and pay for it.
With the Idle-Stop activated, the engine shut down while stopped at a red light. However, when I disengaged the brake and tried to push the gas pedal to start, the car did not restart. It went "dead." I had to attempt to restart the car, and it took multiple attempts to get it to restart. I ultimately had to put the vehicle in park and then re-start the engine manually once the 2020 Passport "re-set" itself. This was dangerous, as I was in a very active intersection at dusk/night and the Passport became hard to see as the electrical system + engine shut down and would not restart promptly with cars trying to go through the green light.
Electrical complaints in other Passport years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2020 Honda Passport?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the electrical system of the 2020 Honda Passport, 31% of the model year's 104 complaints. The component named most often is starter assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Honda Passport electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2020 Honda Passport, though it has 10 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 Passport electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 6,000 miles, and 80% before 25,000 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.