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Honda · NHTSA safety record

2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid

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

134

Complaints

9

Crashes

1

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid have filed 134 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2018 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 25 of them (19%). The typical failure was reported at 2,763 miles, the median across the 64 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints halved year on year: 6 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 34 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle.

Recalls (1)

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

Defect investigations (1)

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.

Pedestrian alert sounds

DP22005

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 134.

ENGINE 25 19%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 23 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20 15%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 19 14%
POWER TRAIN 19 14%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 15 11%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 14 10%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 12 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 10 7%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 10 7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 9 7%
LANE DEPARTURE 9 7%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 39.

2018 2024 2026
2018 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

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

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 1,100 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A STORE. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SHOULDER AND COLLARBONE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FRONT PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS

NHTSA complaint 11118738, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 injured · crash · towed

I had an unintended acceleration happen as I was easing into a parking spot of a covered parking garage. The car accelerated like a jet plane taking off. I jammed on the brake. The only thing that stopped the car was the concrete wall that was 4 feet away. My airbags activated. We had taken the car to the Honda dealer for its 35,000-mile check-up on February 24, 2026. The Honda dealer has prepared all maintenance, including Honda recalls, since we bought the car in 2018. I'm scared about what caused the unintended acceleration and concerned that others could be injured. Electronic throttle control? Cruise control? Sensors? Wiring problems? What activated it? I believe this is a Honda

NHTSA complaint 11727031, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed

Here is an update to the issue I had raised with your office in March-April 2026: Honda Van Nuys performed the 35,000-mile routine maintenance on the Honda Clarity on February 24, 2026. At that time, Honda Van Nuys recommended (and I approved) that they clean the throttle. The odometer read 33,882 miles. I drove the car 337 miles when the unintended acceleration accident occurred on March 18, 2026 – 2.5 weeks after Honda Van Nuys cleaned the throttle. The airbags deployed. The throttle seems to be the part that failed based on the attached EDR report. The odometer read 34,219 at that time. The car is now considered totaled by GEICO. In addition, Honda Van Nuys has done all maintenance

NHTSA complaint 11742767, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire · crash · towed

The Honda Clarity's evaporator core has proven to be a defective component requiring premature replacement, representing a significant design or manufacturing flaw. This evaporator failure appears to be a systemic issue affecting multiple Honda Clarity vehicles, as evidenced by [specific sources - owner forums, service bulletins, etc.]. The defect typically manifests as [specific symptoms you've experienced - loss of cooling, refrigerant leaks, etc.], often occurring well before the expected service life of the component. This premature failure not only creates an unreasonable financial burden on owners but also poses safety concerns when air conditioning systems fail during extreme weather

NHTSA complaint 11689955, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
COMPONENT FAILURE: 2018 Honda Clarity PHEV Air Conditioning Evaporator Core. Complete refrigerant leak. Available for inspection/repair at Norm Reeves Honda Huntington Beach. Confirmed July 29, 2026, via borescope/UV dye. Repair estimate: $3,151-$3,217. SAFETY RISK: Vehicle is inoperable without A/C on Southern California freeways during extreme heat. Operating in 100+ degree heat causes heat exhaustion, reduced driver alertness, and high accident risk. DEALER/INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION: Confirmed by Norm Reeves Honda Superstore Huntington Beach (July 29, 2026) using borescope camera and UV dye. Written estimate provided. No independent inspection. MANUFACTURER/POLICE/INSURANCE: No

NHTSA complaint 11757196, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
COMPONENT FAILURE: 2018 Honda Clarity PHEV Air Conditioning Evaporator Core. Complete refrigerant leak. Available for inspection/repair at Norm Reeves Honda Huntington Beach. Confirmed July 29, 2026, via borescope/UV dye. Repair estimate: $3,151-$3,217. SAFETY RISK: Vehicle is inoperable without A/C on Southern California freeways during extreme heat. Operating in 100+ degree heat causes heat exhaustion, reduced driver alertness, and high accident risk. DEALER/INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION: Confirmed by Norm Reeves Honda Superstore Huntington Beach (July 29, 2026) using borescope camera and UV dye. Written estimate provided. No independent inspection. MANUFACTURER/POLICE/INSURANCE: No

NHTSA complaint 11757198, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The forward-facing Honda Sensing camera mounted behind the windshield (Nidec monocular camera, Honda part number 36160-TRW-A04) failed at approximately 85000 miles on XXX The failure produced simultaneous dashboard warnings and disabled multiple driver assistance systems at once, including Collision Mitigation Braking System (automatic emergency braking), Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Keeping Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control. There was no impact, no windshield damage, and no obstruction of the camera lens. The failure appears to be internal to the camera assembly and occurred without warning during normal driving. Because all of these safety systems depend on

NHTSA complaint 11755819, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
It looks like this is possibly at this point a wide spread issue with most if not it will be all honda clarity models. The lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise control, front camera honda sense electronics keep to go out and then will work for a little bit. sometimes just not work at all for months, then work for like a day or two. After reading many of many complaints about this it will seems to be pretty much widespread across all yearly models.

NHTSA complaint 11750678. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
To Whom It May Concern, I am the owner of a 2018 Honda Clarity, and I am submitting this complaint to request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigate what appears to be a widespread defect involving the front camera system used by Honda Sensing. My vehicle has experienced a failure of the front camera system, which has disabled numerous critical safety features, including: • Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) • Automatic Emergency Braking (Collision Mitigation Braking System) • Blind Spot Warning • Forward Collision Warning • Lane Departure Warning • Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) • Parking Collision Warning • Rear Cross Traffic Warning When the front

NHTSA complaint 11743727, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2019 42 2 1

Other 2018 Honda models

CR-V 2,117 Accord 1,838 Odyssey 961 Civic 729 Pilot 435 Ridgeline 157 HR-V 154 FIT 116

Every Honda on this site — 187 vehicles, 362 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

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. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

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