AI Damage2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid filed 137 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and fuel/propulsion system. The maker issued 7 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 137
- involving a crash
- 9
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 18% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
- 6 Forward collision avoidance 11% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- Engine: 25 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 23 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 20 complaints (15% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Powertrain: 19 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Fuel system: 15 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 137 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 20 | 0 | 3 |
| Powertrain | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| Fuel system | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 15 | 4 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Visibility | 11 | 0 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 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.
ï¡I drove the car 337 miles when the unintended acceleration accident occurred on March 18, 2026 â 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.
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.
2) The sudden braking for no reason caused cars behind us to swerve out of the way in order to avoid an accident. Very fortunately, no accidents occurred. 3) The dealer service center confirmed that the accident had caused the sensors for the CMBS to malfunction which in turn caused the brakes to engage.
The air bags did not deploy and the forward collision warning failed to alert the contact of the vehicle ahead. No medical attention was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled by the insurance company.
Brakes when it wants to middle of traffic. Or braking assist will not kick in and engine jerks.
My brakes did not work and the air bags did not deploy. If it were not for the electrical pole my car would of run into a home. My car is currently at a honda dealership. The serviceman told me that no codes popped up when running a diagnostic test.
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.
Known A/C condenser issue was replaced twice and now the evaporator is leaking. Due to this, I'm unable to use the A/C to defrost the windows in the early morning and thus, creates a dangerous driving environment.
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 2,778 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid has 38 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 137, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Service Bulletin - There is a software problem in the PCM, which may cause the MIL to come on with DTC…
Service Bulletin - There is a software problem in the PCM, which may cause the MIL to come on with DTC P26A3 (electric water valve malfunction), DTC P100C (electric VTC motor speed signal circuit malfunction) and/or…
- Owner's Notification Letter - Our records indicate that a PRODUCT UPDATE has not been completed on this…
Owner's Notification Letter - Our records indicate that a PRODUCT UPDATE has not been completed on this vehicle (Vehicle Identification Number [VIN NUMBER]). On Clarity Plug-in Hybrid vehicles, there is a software…
- Owner Notification Letter - On some 2018-21 Clarity Plug-In Hybrid models, the A/C condenser may leak…
Owner Notification Letter - On some 2018-21 Clarity Plug-In Hybrid models, the A/C condenser may leak refrigerant. American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C condenser to 10 years from the original date of…
- Dealer Message - Today, May 28, 2021, American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain…
Dealer Message - Today, May 28, 2021, American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2018-2020 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Civic, 2017-2021 Civic Hatch, 2017-2021 Civic Type R, 2018-2021 Clarity…
- Service Bulletin - American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C condenser to 10 years from the…
Service Bulletin - American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C condenser to 10 years from the original date of purchase with unlimited miles. This warranty extension only covers vehicles that have a defective…
- Service Bulletin - The Hybrid System Failure message comes on the MID, and DTC P1D8D (Generator Motor…
Service Bulletin - The Hybrid System Failure message comes on the MID, and DTC P1D8D (Generator Motor Inverter Short) is stored.
- 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 Plug-IN Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system. Total complaints: 137. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (11%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (9%), loss of power / limp mode (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 7 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 Plug-IN Hybrid 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.