2020 Honda CR-V · symptom sheet
Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)
- 42owner reports
- 25,000median miles
- 2involved a crash
Newest report Jul 17, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
102 of the 353 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 42 of those describe phantom braking. Only airbag is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 42 reports
Phantom braking on other CR-V years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Phantom braking is a car that brakes hard on its own, often at highway speed, with nothing in the road ahead. About one owner in five mentions a near miss with the car behind.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the radar or camera sensor (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on collision avoidance covers the 2020 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into collision avoidance on the CR-V
Inadvertent automatic emergency braking. Open.
Inadvertent automatic emergency braking. Closed apr 18, 2024.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 4,000 and 38,000 miles, from the 9 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“6/14/25 - automatic emergency braking system engaged twice without any impediments in road while driving 40 miles of non-freeway driving. Mileage of vehicle is 30460 miles. AEBS engaged at 45 mph and 50 mph. Scary incidents but no accident or injury today. Concerned about continued driving and future incidents. Will contact Honda dealership. Need to issue a recall.”
Filed Jun 14, 2025 · 30,460 miles
“1. The vehicle will inadvertently and without warning, apply the brakes (phantom braking). 2. The Lane keeping assist will not follow the road, especially when the road curves. The vehicle will sometimes not negotiate the required turn to stay in the lane.”
Filed Aug 30, 2022
“On 5 separate occasions the CRV has automatically braked HARD while driving down the highway. On none of the occasions has another vehicle or obstacle warranted this automatic braking. We were about rear-ended while on the interstate driving 70 when the car automatically braked. I am including the latest automatic braking incident in this report.”
Filed Jun 29, 2022
“On multiple occasions during highway or other driving, the automatic emergency braking has engaged causing the car to either slow quickly or attempt to come to a stop which required immediate intervention to avoid potentially being rear ended. Driving was occurring during daylight hours and not in traffic.”
Filed Feb 27, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 2 of 42 reports involved a crash and 1 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Airbag warning light or recall 47 reports
- Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks 29 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 29 reports