AI Damage2020 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about forward collision avoidance and electrical system. The maker issued 7 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
- involving a crash
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Forward collision avoidance 50% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 38% of all complaints
- 3 Lane departure 38% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 25% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 25% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 13% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- Forward collision avoidance: 4 complaints (50% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (38% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Lane departure: 3 complaints (38% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidance | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Seats | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Other | 2 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I suspect there may have been a malfunction in the vehicle's electronic control system that caused this sudden unintended acceleration. I did alert Honda North America to study the problem.
While driving home to [XXX], at the intersection of [XXX], my vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly began violently jerking and bucking, with the wheels seemingly locking, before coming to an abrupt stop. **There was no vehicle, pedestrian, or other obstacle directly ahead of my car.
The vehicle displays Brake System and Honda Sensing-related warnings, disabling Collision Mitigation Braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and road-departure mitigation. The vehicle may otherwise operate, but multiple driver-assistance safety systems are unavailable.
The forward-facing multipurpose camera unit (ADAS camera) failed internally while driving, causing the simultaneous deactivation of multiple critical safety systems including Collision Mitigation Braking (CMBS), Road Departure Mitigation, and Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS).
A/C stopped working, so defrost is no longer working efficiently. Honda says they only cover the condenser under the extended warranty and not the evaporator and want to charge me over 2200 to repair.
Engine RPM's rise (near red line at times) with little to no propulsion. The slang I've found used in online forums, showing that this is a common problem, is "angry bees."
When the battery is low the honda clarity's rpm jump really high and vehicle revs really hard and starts to lose power. My vehicle had two battery bars and when I tried to climb it mountain it lost speed. I was almost hit twice because my car kept losing speed and it was revving like it was struggling to keep moving.
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 11,054 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% 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 8, below average.
What to check before buying
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Lane departure. Windshield camera: calibration after windshield replacement.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- ServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49 (Internal Failure of the…
ServiceNews Article - There are several possible causes for the SRS DTC U3000-49 (Internal Failure of the SRS Unit) to be stored. If you can duplicate the DTC, the troubleshooting will take you through the step-by-step…
- 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.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: forward collision avoidance, electrical system, lane departure. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (38%), A/C or heater (13%), jerking, harsh shifts (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 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 2020 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 2020 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.