What 38 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid

Five times the past year, while driving on the freeway, the first incident I cannot remember, but I do know that the other four incidents were on a slight incline. The car acted as if it wasn’t getting enough gas and slowed down and was shaking. Giving gas would not help, and it kept slowing down. The check engine light would come on and once I turned off the car and turned it back on, the car acted normal again. Sometimes I had to keep it turned off at least a minute before it would run normal again. I took it to the dealership twice and both times I was told that because the engine light was not on, they did not know what was wrong. I asked if they could check the computer to look for faults, and they said that is a waste of time because not only would I have to pay for the service,but they could guarantee that faults will not be found so it would be a waste of my money. The fact that this has happened so many times., once every a few months, and the fact that there has been similar problems on other models/years, I would like to report that I think it also has to do with my model and year. While filling out this report, it only showed that it was a 2020 Honda Accord and did not include the fact that it is a hybrid if that makes a difference. My car is a 2020 Honda Accord hybrid. Last incident was this past Saturday. August 9, 2025. This was the worst incident due to it took longer to correct itself and took three tries.

NHTSA ODI 11680006

While diving at highway speeds (first at 55mph in may 2025 and then again in July 2025 at 65mph) I got a warning on screen about power loss and a critical failure and that power will be reduced and to stop at the side of the road. Within 30 seconds or a minute of the warning the car power cut out significantly impacting the speed and both times almost causing traffic behind me to hit me from behind. I took it to Honda dealership in dulles, va back in may 2025 and they told me it was the electric water pump which I had replaced. Now in July it happened again and this time I had my wife and child with me in the car as well as a guest. I had to pull over and all the warning lights started to flash (everyone of them). I have taken it back to Honda but having a car that goes from 65mph to 25mph on the highway with no warning to others is a recipe for disaster. Apparently this is a known issue with the hybrid system and the battery needs replaced (from online honda forums) which Honda is not doing unless forced. I am still waiting for my dealer to get back to me but its exactly the same problem as the other notes I saw online. My car only has 46,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11671387

My car is a hybrid. At times, a Very loud humming noise is produced, due to glitch in software with the ANC. Noise starts and stops suddenly, intermittently, without warning, and is a safety hazard. Noise can build to be extremely loud and jarring, and can last for several minutes. Honda claims this is a cosmetic issue only and they are working on it. But the issue has been repeatedly reported by thousands of drivers over a multi-year period. Honda is ignoring any real resolution. Please help! This is frightening and disruptive, and makes operating the car unsafe. Thank you. It started about 1 year after ownership and was occasional. IT is now happening multiple times, every time I drive my car.

NHTSA ODI 11457388

THIS VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS TENDS TO MAKE A HIGH ACCELERATING NOTICES, IT MAKES A PERSON FEEL AS IF SOME OTHER VEHICLE WAS PASSING ON THE LEFT SIDE AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THIS NOISE, I MOVED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, THINKING THAT A SPEEDING DRIVER WAS PASSING ME. SINCE THEN, THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO MAKE THIS ACCELERATING NOISE, SIX TO SEVEN TIMES ON A AVERAGE OF A THIRTY MILE TRIP. I FEET THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD. THE VEHICLE MAKES THIS NOISE WHEN IN MOTION FROM 20-50 MILES PER HOUR, AND MIGHT ALSO MAKE IT AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IT NEVER MAKES IT WHILE SITTING IN PLACE IDLING.

NHTSA ODI 11384983