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Honda · NHTSA safety record

2020 Honda Passport

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 102 safety complaints about the 2020 Honda Passport with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash and no death is recorded. 10 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is forward collision avoidance, named in 34 complaints, 33% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 7,600 miles, the median across the 23 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers June 2020 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

102 complaints on file

102

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints rose by half year on year: 28 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 15 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year. A further 2 defect investigations are open and unresolved.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 34 · 33%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 31 · 30%
ENGINE 16 · 16%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11 · 11%
LANE DEPARTURE 9 · 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 8 · 8%
POWER TRAIN 5 · 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 4%
AIR BAGS 3 · 3%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 3 · 3%
TIRES 3 · 3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 · 3%
0 15 31

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 102.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 27.

32 24 16 8
20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2020 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2020 Honda PASSPORT, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 17.4% 16.9%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

10 on file

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

26V365000 · June 4, 2026

The defect
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
The risk
Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 880,514 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

26V332000 · May 21, 2026

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
The risk
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 98,892 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

24V064000 · February 1, 2024

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
The risk
An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 750,114 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

23V858000 · December 18, 2023

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 2,490,460 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

23V431000 · June 15, 2023

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the MOST cable harness and install a straightening cover over the vehicle cable connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EEL, ZEM, and SFC.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 1,209,673 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

23V174000 · March 16, 2023

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
Detached mirror glass can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace both left and right side-view mirrors, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FE5.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 339,404 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES

21V165000 · March 11, 2021

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
The risk
Overcured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation, which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four tires and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2021. Owners may contact American Honda Motor Co. customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is UA2.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 1,093 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

20V440000 · July 28, 2020

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pilot, 2019-2020 Odyssey and 2019-2020 Passport vehicles. Incorrect central network software programming may cause several errors to occur that can delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
The risk
A delayed or inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners that updated software is available. Owners have the option to either follow the mailed instructions to download and update the software for free, or visit a dealer to have the software update performed, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is Y7Y.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 499,344 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

20V439000 · July 28, 2020

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019-2020 Passport, and 2019-2021 Pilot vehicles. Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selector position until the next ignition cycle. Additionally, it can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
The risk
Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument panel control module software, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is T89.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 607,786 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

20V067000 · February 6, 2020

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles. The certification label may have been printed with ink that can be wiped away with a solvent, removing the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) information.
The risk
If the operator is unable to refer to the label information, the vehicle may be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is B6T.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 10,050 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations

3 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages

EA25004

Still open engineering analysis · opened March 26, 2025

the engine and its cooling

On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2019-2022 Honda Passport, and 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The repair outlined in the service bulletins is a two-stage countermeasure to remedy the issue. The first stage is a Programmed Fuel Injection (“PGM-FI”) software update. The second stage is only deployed if the software update fails to remedy the issue. The second stage, depending on the model and model year, consists of replacement of the starter assembly, starter relays, and a valve adjustment. Additionally, Honda extended the warranty coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage for vehicles requiring the second stage component replacement. ODI continues to receive complaints of the AIS failure to restart, with many complainants alleging the campaign countermeasures had been completed.NHTSA has reviewed Honda's Information Request Letter responses involving warranty claims, lawsuits, and consumer complaints in addition to ODI's own data. This Engineering Analysis is being opened to further consider the potential safety defect, including gathering additional data regarding Honda’s service campaign efficacy. ODI is additionally expanding the scope to encompass all vehicles addressed in Honda’s service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009 as well as newer model year vehicles, which are substantially similar to the vehicles covered by the service campaign. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking

EA25002

Still open engineering analysis · opened January 17, 2025

forward collision avoidance

On March 7, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24008) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system in model year 2019-2022 Honda Insight and 2019-2022 Honda Passport vehicles. The complainants allege activation of the AEB system with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's path, resulting in rapid vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that it is aware of a total of 412 reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the AEB system and its limitations. However, many consumer complaints received by ODI allege that Honda dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or state that Honda dealerships informed the consumer that this is considered normal AEB operation. To date, ODI has received a total of 106 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of AEB in the subject vehicles.In total, ODI reviewed 475 reports involving vehicles with unique VINs that may relate to the alleged defect. Of the reports reviewed by ODI, three (3) allege a crash caused by the inadvertent activation of AEB and two (2) allege injury. This Engineering Analysis is being opened to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations. Further, the scope of the investigation is being expanded to include assessment of model year 2023 Honda Passport vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking

PE24008

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened March 7, 2024 · closed January 17, 2025

forward collision avoidance

On March 7, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24008) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system in model year 2019-2022 Honda Insight and 2019-2022 Honda Passport vehicles. The complainants allege activation of the AEB system with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's path, resulting in rapid vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that it is aware of a total of 412 reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and stated that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the AEB system and its limitations. However, many consumer complaints received by ODI allege that Honda dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or state that Honda dealerships informed the consumer that this is considered normal AEB operation. To date, ODI has received a total of 106 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of AEB in the subject vehicles.In total, ODI reviewed 475 reports involving vehicles with unique VINs that may relate to the alleged defect. Of the reports reviewed by ODI, three (3) allege a crash caused by the inadvertent activation of AEB and two (2) allege injury. This Preliminary Evaluation is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA25002) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations. Further, the scope of the Engineering Analysis is being expanded to include assessment of model year 2023 Honda Passport vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

crash

On Nov 9, 2024 I was pulling into a parking spot in a public parking garage, after turning 2 tight corners to approach the parking spot. About half way into the parking spot, the car suddenly lurched and accelerated and I crashed into a 90 degree concrete corner wall! It happened SO fast, without any warning sounds or ABS brakes deploying. The entire front passenger corner of my car was badly damaged. Luckily I was not injured, nor were there any other vehicles or persons involved. It is just not possible that I could have personally pulled into a parking spot at such a high speed as to cause such extreme damage to the vehicle! I drove the vehicle to a body shop on 11/11/24, which was one

NHTSA complaint 11639151, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 65,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle began to shake. The vehicle was steered into a parking lot and the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA complaint 11696141. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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,

NHTSA complaint 11768131, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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

NHTSA complaint 11767136, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle has excessive battery drain at times. Auto start-stop causes car to stop in traffic and difficult to restart. The original battery was replaced at 3 1/2 years of age. The replacement battery failed after about 2 years of service and replaced under warranty. That battery has now failed again. The car is a little over 6 years old and by all rights should only now need a replacement battery. I suspect parasitic drain problem but the dealer has only replaced the battery and no other parts I'm aware of.

NHTSA complaint 11764118. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Began to have a small shake in the steering wheel at first I thought i had thrown a tire weight on the front. The shaking became increasing worst to the point I felt unsafe driving the vehicle. I took it to a service center on February 2, 2026 to have it inspected. They informed me a belt in the driver's side tire had shifted, causing the steering shimmy while driving. They said that there was no visual damage to the outside of the tire. When ask they cause the reply that it sometimes happens. I had to have the tire replaced as well as a second for balance. The thread on the tire was recorded at 5/32nds. The tires that were replaced were: Continental CrossContact LX Sport 265/45/R20, DOT

NHTSA complaint 11763794, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
The 9-speed transmission in my vehicle has been acting very strange after owning it since March 2026.These issues did not start until May 2026. When driving the vehicle at low speeds (under 30mph) the transmission is very jumpy and jerky. When you let off the gas the vehicle rocks back and forth and the rpms drop dramatically. It often feels like the transmission is skipping gears. I took my vehicle to the honda dealership to address the issue and they said there was nothing they could do to fix or look into my issue. I am very upset and I feel like I’ve been cheated out of my hard earned money. Honda needs to address this issue and provide relief for all of the owners who are in the same

NHTSA complaint 11762858, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Adaptive Cruise Control Automatic Emergency Braking Forward Collision Warning Lane Departure Warning Lane Keeping Assistance Auto -high beams Every time I start up my car all the above error messages come up stating there is a problem. My cruise control is not able to be used at all. This appears to be a very common issue amongst Honda Sensing from the research I have done. Honda was even taken to court over this issue.

NHTSA complaint 11762628. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Honda Passport

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 63 1 —
2025 40 0 —
2024 17 1 —
2023 39 5 —
2022 62 4 —
2021 142 7 —
2019 278 10 —

Other 2020 Honda models

Every Honda on this site — 192 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst