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Home›Honda›2020 Honda CR-V› engine problems
Owner complaints · Engine

2020 Honda CR-V engine problems

62 of the 435 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Honda CR-V name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 49 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.

62 complaints 14% of this model year’s typically at 50k miles

What owners filed about the engine

Source: NHTSA complaint database
62complaints name the engine

0 of the 62 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.

Filed per year: 2020: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 11 · 2026: 27

50kmiles, typically

Half of the 22 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 15,000 and 70,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

14%of this model year’s complaints

435 complaints in all about the 2020 Honda CR-V, 27 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →

Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.

Across model years: Honda CR-V engine problems, every year on file →

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In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the message that the engine was reaching the max engine temperature and to pull over was displayed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the EV water pump needed to be replaced.
Engine at 122,000 miles Aug 6, 2025 NHTSA owner report
Sudden engine failure while driving on highway with immediate loss of power. Engine failure was due to blown head gasket from failure in sealed coolant system. Engine failure occurred prematurely at 84k miles. Honda allegedly is aware of this failure in their system, and has not addressed it.
Engine Apr 4, 2025 NHTSA owner report
While driving my 2020 Honda CRV Hybrid the check engine light came on and my speed reduced to 30mph on the highway. This first happened 5/31/2024 and I had it towed to Honda and Honda could not find the problem. I was told to bring it back in if it happened again.
Engine at 39,000 miles Mar 22, 2025 NHTSA owner report
There was no crash, but it is the second time within a month the vehicle stalls on the highway. The engine keeps running gives a loud banging sound. Also, the hybrid batteries are drained quickly to 0. The first-time the car started work again as normal after 1/2-1 hour standing on the side of the highway.
Engine Mar 4, 2025 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure recurred.
Engine at 70,000 miles Feb 24, 2025 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the engine

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

NHTSA investigation

49 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading

The 8 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

Trouble codes named on this system

P0172 P0087 P0304 P0300 P0441 P04F1 B123F P0299

Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2020 Honda CR-V names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.

Other systems with a record on the 2020 Honda CR-V

Source: the same files
From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Are engine problems common on the 2020 Honda CR-V?

They are documented: NHTSA holds 62 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (14% of everything owners filed about it), and 49 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.

Is there a recall for the engine on the 2020 Honda CR-V?

No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 9 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.

When do engine problems show up on the 2020 Honda CR-V?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 50,399 miles; half of them between 15,000 and 70,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?

The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.