2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid problems, complaints & recalls
Updated from NHTSA data · How we count
Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid, most often about fuel, hybrid & EV propulsion. There is 1 recall for this model year.
- Complaints
- 81
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes
- 7
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 2
- Median mileage
- 25,868 mi at time of problem
Key facts
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion is the most-reported problem area, named in 29 of 81 complaints (36%).
- Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (17) and electrical system (11) follow.
- Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 25,868 mi.
- Owners reported 7 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries.
- The 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid has 1 recall on file.
- NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation covering this vehicle.
- It has the most serious complaint record of all 4 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid model years we track.
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid problems by category
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion · 1 crash29 complaints
- Driver Assistance & Safety Tech · 4 crashes17 complaints
- Other / Unknown · 1 crash14 complaints
- Electrical System11 complaints
- Visibility & Wipers8 complaints
- Engine · 1 crash7 complaints
- Transmission & Drivetrain6 complaints
- Brakes · 1 crash5 complaints
- Acceleration & Cruise Control · 3 crashes5 complaints
- Lighting3 complaints
- Wheels & Tires1 complaints
- Body & Structure1 complaints
- Seats & Seat Belts1 complaints
- Airbags · 1 crash1 complaints
A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.
Most-reported components
| Component (as filed with NHTSA) | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Fuel system, gasoline | 15 |
| Unknown or other | 14 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 13 |
| Electrical system | 11 |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 |
| Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking | 7 |
| Lane departure: warning | 7 |
| Forward collision avoidance: warnings | 7 |
When problems happen (mileage)
2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid recalls (1)
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
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 Marc…
Recent 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-IN Hybrid complaints
Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
- Filed Oct 1, 2026CAElectrical SystemLighting
this Honda does not display outside turn signals, found similar problem on Honda Civic and Accord which have recall for this problem. doing research civic and accord have the same body control module as my Honda clarity where the problem is located , I contacted my honda dealer and explained this to service advisor , but he was unable to help me. the car shows fast blinking at gauge cluster turn signal indicator just like turns signals from the civic and accord recalls
NHTSA complaint #11768328 · source - Filed Aug 15, 2026CAElectrical SystemOther / Unknown
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…
NHTSA complaint #11757198 · source - Filed Aug 15, 2026CAElectrical SystemOther / Unknown
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…
NHTSA complaint #11757196 · source - Filed Aug 10, 2026TXDriver Assistance & Safety Tech
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…
NHTSA complaint #11755819 · source - Filed Jul 15, 2026FLDriver Assistance & Safety Tech
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 · source - Filed Jun 12, 2026CADriver Assistance & Safety Tech
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…
NHTSA complaint #11743727 · source - Filed Jun 8, 2026CACrash1 injuredTowedAirbagsDriver Assistance & Safety TechFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion
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.…
NHTSA complaint #11742767 · source - Filed May 15, 2026CAElectrical SystemEngine
I will first start with our problems/concerns. We had experienced a complete lost power in freeway speed (65 mph) when the battery is depleted, that is when the battery bar goes to zero bar instead of 2 bars usually. I attached a photo from the video I took for your reference. This experience was the engine ramp up and not getting any power while driving on freeway, escpecially obvious during uphill slope. It is a safety hazard where we had to manuver in order avoid traffic…
NHTSA complaint #11738192 · source
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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology