2020 Honda HR-V power train problems
13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2020 Honda HR-V — 16% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“While on the highway vehicles warning light illuminated and the vehicle immediately slowed down and would not go over 20 miles per hour. Prior to the warning lights illuminating there were no warning lights already illuminated and no drivability issues. You could hear a griding noise when driving…”
filed Aug 20, 2026
“On 3/15/26 the CVT transmission on my 2020 HRV EX-L failed while driving on I-95 near Fairfield, CT. My dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree and the car decelerated and would not go past 20 miles per hour. My safety was put at risk because this happened suddenly doing 60 mph highway. There was no…”
filed Mar 29, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Service Bulletin - Due to the possibility of early deterioration of the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) drive belt, American Honda is extending the warranty coverage on these CVT models to 7 years from the…
A21-047 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 20, 2025Service News - Some customers have complained of fluid leaking from the rear differential after it has been serviced due to over-torqueing of the drain plugs during servicing.
A23110A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 3, 2023Service Bulletin - Due to the possibility of early deterioration of the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) drive belt, American Honda is extending the warranty coverage on these CVT models to 7 years from the…
A21-047 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 3, 2023
Power Train problems in other HR-V years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 HR-V | 1 | 2% |
| 2024 HR-V | 3 | 3% |
| 2023 HR-V | 1 | 0% |
| 2022 HR-V | 18 | 21% |
| 2021 HR-V | 5 | 8% |
| 2019 HR-V | 14 | 6% |
| 2018 HR-V | 15 | 10% |
| 2017 HR-V | 32 | 26% |
| 2016 HR-V | 74 | 31% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2020 Honda HR-V
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.