Honda (American Honda Motor Co
Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
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severe Owners of the 2020 Honda Civic have filed 9 NHTSA complaints about the brakes at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 Civic | 47 |
| 2017 Civic | 13 |
| 2018 Civic | 6 |
| 2019 Civic | 14 |
| 2020 Civic (this page) | 9 |
| 2021 Civic | 10 |
| 2022 Civic | 6 |
Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics with a customer complaint of long brake pedal travel, almost reaching the floor. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics with a customer complaint of long brake pedal travel, almost reaching the floor. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics with a customer complaint of long brake pedal travel, almost reaching the floor. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics with a customer complaint of long brake pedal travel, almost reaching the floor. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2021 Civics with a customer complaint of long brake pedal travel, almost reaching the floor. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
A lot of times the warning collision on dash will flash to “BRAKE” when going through caution lights usually around fire stations and also approaching steel bridges… I don’t know if it sees the steel deck and thinks it’s a car, but whenever I get in my car, I deactivate the automatic emergency braking system because I don’t want it to automatically brake for me like it’s done in the past.
It's a meaningful issue. 9 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
Based on the 9 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 20,330 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover brakes issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.