AI Damage2020 Honda Accord: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Honda Accord filed 364 complaints with NHTSA, most often about forward collision avoidance and engine. The maker issued 258 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 364
- involving a crash
- 14
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 258
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Forward collision avoidance 28% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 20% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 14% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 8 Lane departure 5% of all complaints
- Forward collision avoidance: 103 complaints (28% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Engine: 72 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 17.
- Service brakes: 57 complaints (16% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 47.
- Electrical system: 53 complaints (15% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 76.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 51 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 10 complaints
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2 L · hybrid · 4 cyl
- automatic, 10-speed
- CVTnamed in 4 complaints
- manual, 6-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 364 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidance | 103 | 3 | 7 |
| Engine | 72 | 0 | 17 |
| Service brakes | 57 | 2 | 47 |
| Electrical system | 53 | 3 | 76 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 51 | 0 | 5 |
| Air bags | 36 | 3 | 15 |
| Steering | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 17 | 3 | 2 |
| Powertrain | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 13 | 1 | 2 |
| Fuel system | 11 | 0 | 46 |
| Seats | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 7 | 4 | 13 |
| Seat belts | 7 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
During a forward-side lane departure collision in my 2020 Honda Accord, the Body Control Module (BCM), forward collision radar system, braking assist, and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSI) all failed to activate. As a result, the vehicle did not brake, warn, or stabilize before impact.
Additionally, there was a significant amount of chemical smoke inside the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal to stop and exit the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to respond.
Check engine, right mirror, door, alignment. My safety is not good, the car jerks and merging into another lane. Yes it has been inspected by insurance representative. It appeared when I was hit on 02/13/2024
There several blind spots in this car, had a car accident due to blind spot.
I have since learned it is called unintended acceleration. After crash I drove car to another parking spot. Car was in park and I was on the phone and all of a sudden engine roared - same sound when crash occurred. Honda sent their investigator out and told me all car functions were ok.
All the airbag deploy accept the Driver airbag didn't deploy even the car was total loss. My husband hit the chin on the steering and he is complaining that his jaw is hurting.
8/31/2020 my 2020 honda accord power steering is taking control of power steering. I had a crash at 400hampton road -dallas texas. My ( power steering) pulled to the left side of the curb, I had to yank the car back to the left but the car already collided with the left curb, resulting in property damage to the side…
I was on the passenger side cleaning the inside dash board, and all of a sudden the car rolled backwards. I was in a state of shock and didn't know how to stop it. I was half way in the car, and half way outside with my feet on the ground. The car rolled out in the street and hit the car parked across street.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 172 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Accord has 419 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 364, about average.
What to check before buying
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Tech Line Summary Article - Customers may report that the center display unit changes screens on its own,…
Tech Line Summary Article - Customers may report that the center display unit changes screens on its own, registers unintended inputs, or operates erratically without user interaction. The condition may be more…
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which…
Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through…
- Dealer Message - On August 21st, 2026, American Honda issued a Product Update for certain 2018-2022 Accord…
Dealer Message - On August 21st, 2026, American Honda issued a Product Update for certain 2018-2022 Accord and Accord Hybrid models that received the accessory Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto upgrade. Refer to…
- Owner Notification Letter - Honda has developed software updates to the Honda Sensing system to enhance…
Owner Notification Letter - Honda has developed software updates to the Honda Sensing system to enhance driver experience by modifying the circumstances when the advanced driver assist system (ADAS) decelerates the…
- Tech Line Summary - Customers may report that the center display unit changes screens on its own,…
Tech Line Summary - Customers may report that the center display unit changes screens on its own, registers unintended inputs, or operates erratically without user interaction. The condition may be more noticeable when…
- Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may…
Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire, and/or DTCs P0300 through P0304 stored.
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which…
Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
- Service Bulletin - On certain 2018-2022 Accord and 2018-22 Accord Hybrid vehicles equipped with the…
Service Bulletin - On certain 2018-2022 Accord and 2018-22 Accord Hybrid vehicles equipped with the Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto software upgrade, a programming issue within the Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto…
- Dealer Message - Due to a software programming issue within the Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto system,…
Dealer Message - Due to a software programming issue within the Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto system, an invalid "License Authentication Error" message may appear on the Display Audio screen after approximately…
- Service Bulletin - American Honda has identified a condition that may affect Collision Mitigation Braking…
Service Bulletin - American Honda has identified a condition that may affect Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) operation. Due to software programming issues of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)…
- Service Bulletin - Honda has developed software updates to the Honda Sensing system to enhance driver…
Service Bulletin - Honda has developed software updates to the Honda Sensing system to enhance driver experience by modifying the circumstances when the advanced driver assist system (ADAS) decelerates the vehicle or…
- Dealer Message - Due to software programming issues of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS),…
Dealer Message - Due to software programming issues of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), unexpected vehicle deceleration may occur.
NHTSA lists 258 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Honda Accord?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: forward collision avoidance, engine, service brakes. Total complaints: 364. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (25%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (7%), fuel system, fuel smell (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 Honda Accord?
NHTSA lists 258 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2020 Honda Accord from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2020 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.