TSB 22-017 failing clutch on all M/T civic 2020&2021. Failed on highway almost caused severe accident. Honda is refusing to repair/replace under warranty.
2020 Honda Civic powertrain problems
moderate 29 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
29
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 29 powertrain complaints filed for the 2020 Honda Civic, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 29 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2020 Honda Civic has a documented clutch defect affecting manual transmission models, with failures occurring as early as 8,000 miles and repair costs of $2,000–$5,000 that Honda often refuses to cover. Multiple owners report sudden loss of acceleration on highways, creating serious safety risks, and Honda's TSB 22-017 offers limited coverage window; some automatic transmission models have also experienced torque converter leaks and complete transmission failure with no warning.
The 2020 Honda Civic manual transmission suffers from a widespread clutch defect. Owners consistently describe sudden slippage starting anywhere from 4,500 to 40,000 miles—well below the 100,000+ miles a clutch should deliver. The clutch fails without warning: engine revs spike to 5,000–6,000 RPM while the vehicle barely accelerates or refuses to accelerate at all. Many report the problem hits hardest in higher gears at highway speeds, turning a daily commute into a stranded vehicle on the shoulder.
Honda issued Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 22-017 for this exact problem, covering clutch replacement within five years and 60,000 miles. But most owners fall outside this window or face $2,000 diagnostic fees just to inspect. When repairs happen, costs run $2,000–$5,000. One owner found the clutch disc only 30% worn at failure, ruling out normal wear and pointing to a defective pressure plate. Honda's solution doesn't include replacing the dual mass flywheel, likely shortening the new clutch's lifespan.
Automatic transmission models show separate problems: CVT seal leaks from torque converter failure around 86,000 miles, and complete transmission failure with zero warning on the highway.
One 2020 also rolled backward out of park on its own, and another's replacement transmission failed within weeks of installation.
Owners consistently report Honda denying the clutch defect exists and refusing to cover repairs under warranty, despite acknowledging the TSB and multiple complaints. Safety risk is real—several owners nearly got rear-ended or were stranded in highway traffic.
Same Honda Civic powertrain reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Clutch slipping and premature failure (manual transmission models)
Manual transmission clutches fail well below normal service life, typically manifesting as slippage under acceleration or when downshifting, especially in higher gears or at highway speeds. Owners report the clutch begins to slip suddenly, engine RPMs spike without corresponding acceleration, and the vehicle becomes undriveable.
When: Between 4,500 and 70,000 miles; most commonly reported between 8,000 and 40,000 miles. Failures occur within 1–6 years of ownership.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revving without vehicle acceleration; Clutch slippage during merging or highway driving; Difficulty shifting or inability to shift into gears; Burning friction smell; Inability to shift above 2nd gear; Transmission lock-up or inability to shift into any gear
Codes mentioned: TSB 22-017
Repairs/costs cited: Clutch replacement costs reported between $2,000 and $5,000 for diagnostics, teardown, and parts. Some owners report clutch disc material remaining (30% unused) at failure, indicating defective pressure plate or clamping force. Dealers sometimes deny warranty coverage citing wear and tear or driver abuse. One owner had parts failure with 50% labor/parts covered under goodwill; another paid full $4,400 initially, later negotiated to $2,300 (50% split); another faced $5,000 estimate.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda issued TSB 22-017 allowing clutch replacement within 5 years/60,000 miles; however, many owners fall outside this window or dealerships impose diagnostic fees ($2,000 teardown cited). Honda reportedly does not replace the dual mass flywheel during clutch service, potentially shortening replacement clutch life. Honda customer service has repeatedly denied the problem exists and refused reimbursement. OEM supplier Exedy reportedly will not sell the original clutch separately and instead recommends the Type R clutch, suggesting internal awareness of defect.
CVT transmission fluid seal leak due to failed torque converter
A 2020 Civic with a CVT transmission developed a significant fluid leak from a failed torque converter seal. The leak was slow but steady, pooling on the driveway and rendering the vehicle undriveable without repair. Owner had perfect maintenance history and drove conservatively.
When: At 86,165 miles; vehicle was 6 years old at time of failure
Symptoms owners cite: Slow drip fluid leak underneath vehicle; Puddles on driveway
Repairs/costs cited: Repair estimate nearly $3,000, not covered under warranty because vehicle exceeded 5-year age threshold despite only 86,165 miles. Vehicle had to be towed to shop.
Transmission main shaft bearing noise (internal transmission defect)
At 8,000 miles, the vehicle developed an abnormal buzzing and grinding sound from underneath the vehicle. An independent mechanic diagnosed the noise as coming from the transmission main shaft bearing. Multiple Honda dealers could not duplicate or diagnose the failure.
When: At 8,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal buzzing and grinding sound from underneath vehicle at 40 mph; No warning lights illuminated
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was not repaired. Dealerships at two separate Honda locations unable to duplicate failure. Independent mechanic diagnosed main shaft bearing.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified and opened a case; no repair or resolution provided.
Vehicle rolling out of park without input
Vehicle owner parked car in park, walked away, and security camera showed the vehicle creeping backward slowly up the driveway, across the road, and into a 10-foot ditch approximately 20 seconds after owner closed the door. Backup camera was not engaged, vehicle was definitely in park, and no warning sounds were heard. After towing out, vehicle was still running and did not move when tested in reverse from same spot.
When: During initial ownership period (complaint narrative dates from 2024 or 2025 era for this 2020 model)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle creeping backward out of park without driver input; Delayed engagement between when door closes and movement begins; No warning sounds or indicators
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle pulled from ditch still running. Body shop unable to duplicate the failure or isolate whether vehicle was between park and reverse.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner notes there is a recall of some 2020 Civics for brake/parking brake failure and believes this vehicle should be part of that recall.
Complete transmission failure with no warning
Automatic transmission owner experienced total transmission failure in the middle of the highway with no prior warning lights or symptoms. Engine revved without providing forward motion. Vehicle required towed and new transmission installation under powertrain warranty. Within weeks, the replacement transmission began showing failure symptoms as well.
When: One vehicle at 102,000 miles (December 2024); another at approximately 67 days before February 2025 (early March 2023 failure on I-78). Replacement transmission failing shortly after installation.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revving without forward motion on highway; No warning lights or messages prior to failure; Complete loss of transmission function
Codes mentioned: Part #: 06200-5DJ-040-RM (replacement transmission)
Repairs/costs cited: First vehicle: one transmission replacement under powertrain warranty in February 2025 (replacement itself failing); initial owner had no rental/loaner vehicle provided, dealership/warranty unable to provide timeframe for repair or documentation. Second vehicle: transmission declared non-repairable, new transmission ordered and covered under warranty; 67+ days without resolution as of complaint date. Repair labor and parts costs not specified.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Powertrain warranty covers transmission, but Honda Corporate unable to provide repair timeframes or written documentation; one case number issued (13736133). No explanation provided for why replacement transmission is also failing.
Synthesized from 29 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Over the last few months, I noticed that the vehicle had poor acceleration when merging onto the highway. When I tried to accelerate, the RPMs shot up as the turbo kicked in, but the car did not move any faster. Previous to this, I had trouble getting the car into 1st while sitting still (50+ times). The final incident occurred during a short trip to a local store. The engine revved high and I…
Tl* the contact owns a 2020 Honda civic. While driving approximately 35 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle surged forward. The contact stated that the failure occurred twice. The vehicle was taken to atlantic Honda (1375 sunrise hwy, bay shore, ny 11706) where it was determined that the failure occurred because the contact did not know how to drive a stickshift vehicle. The dealer…
My 2020 Civic Si had a total clutch failure at <32,000 miles matching TSB22-017 exactly. The vehicle failed to accelerate on a major interstate. The posted speed limit is 65 mph. While attempting to reach that speed the vehicle was revving at >6000RPM in all gears. I was able to reach 50 mph for short periods, but the vehicle would then slow to 45 or lower. An extreme safety risk on a busy…
Honda CVT transmission fluid seal leak cause by failed torque converter. Car has a perfect maintenance history, all fluid changes done on time with Allen Honda at Bryan Texas including filters associated. Car is garage kept, not driven hard. Always driven in economy mode for smooth efficiency. Failure occurred at 86,165 miles. Significant enough I am reporting this, as it is a safety issue,…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2020 Honda Civic?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2020 Honda Civic?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 29 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 29 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 10,696 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.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2020/Honda/Civic.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.