AI Damage2018 Honda Clarity Electric reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Honda Clarity Electric filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. The maker issued 1 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
- involving a crash
- 2
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 21% of all complaints
- 3 Visibility 21% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 17% of all complaints
- 5 Forward collision avoidance 13% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 13% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 8 Lane departure 8% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (21% of all).
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 5 complaints (21% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Forward collision avoidance: 3 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to local dealer freeway honda ([address], santa ana, [ZIP]) where the failure cause was not diagnosed. Then the vehicle was taken to caliber collision ([address], santa ana, ca 9270) to do the body repairs.
During these episodes, the dashboard flickers, the drivetrain shudders, and the vehicle becomes unresponsive to manual 'Stop' button or brake inputs. Most critically, the car autostarts while parked in an enclosed garage.
(9/24/2025), the car started to show the warnings of "Adaptive Cruise Control Problem", "Brake Hold System Problem", "Brake System Problem", "Electric Parking Brake Problem", and "Road Departure Mitigation System Problem" from time to time.
The steering makes a horrible clunking sound, and is impercice/sloppy. Dealership refused to acknowledge any issue. Increased effort required to stay within lane. Tie rods are not damaged or worn, issue appears to be with steering rack as far as I can tell.
and recently, There was an extended warranty from Honda for the ac condenser as this car has a major problem with ac. I took it to the dealer [dealer], California and they told me, indeed your condenser needs replacement and the good news, In California, Honda has extended its warranty.
AC working intermittently since the day I bought. Honda replaced the condenser but now the evaporator is leak. This caused the defrost can not work properly. The leaking condenser and the evaporator are well known problems for Clarity owners. Honda should recall this.
The A/C isn't working (AGAIN!) this time due to a leak in the A/C evaporator. The dealership just replaced the condensor 7 mos ago and now the evaporator is bad. Honda's whole A/C seems to be a problem for everyone.
I received a notice in the mail last YEAR stating that there was a problem with fuel pump in Honda Clarity and there would be a recall. I cannot get my car serviced. Honda will not respond. A dealer said not safe to drive. And they said they have no idea if they will even have parts this YEAR. Help please.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,252 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Clarity Electric has 8 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 24, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Service news article - To prevent damage during shipping, leather-wrapped steering wheels come with a…
Service news article - To prevent damage during shipping, leather-wrapped steering wheels come with a protective plastic covering. The easiest way to remove it during PDI is to grab the covering with both hands near…
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Honda Clarity Electric?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, visibility. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (29%), warning lights, check engine (13%), fuel system, fuel smell (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Honda Clarity Electric?
NHTSA lists 1 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2018 Honda Clarity Electric from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2018 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.