Honda Clarity Complaints (2020)

11 consumer complaints on file.

#11773539October 25, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
# NHTSA VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT **Subject: Sudden Unintended Braking, Violent Vehicle Bucking, and Loss of Propulsion – 2020 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid** **Vehicle Information** - Manufacturer: Honda - Model: Clarity Plug-In Hybrid - Model Year: 2020 - Mileage: Approximately 35,000 miles - Incident Date: October 2026 (exact date to be confirmed) - Incident Location: [XXX] - Servicing Dealership: DCH Paramus Honda, [XXX] - Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): [Insert VIN] ## Description of Safety Incident I am reporting a serious and potentially life-threatening vehicle safety malfunction involving my 2020 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, which experienced sudden, unintended, violent braking and a subsequent severe loss of propulsion while traveling on a public roadway. The incident occurred approximately five minutes after I picked up my vehicle from DCH Paramus Honda, an authorized Honda dealership, following a warranty-covered replacement of the air-conditioning condenser. The vehicle had approximately 35,000 miles and was operating normally before this repair. 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 roadway was clear, and there was no apparent reason for emergency braking.** I did not intentionally activate the emergency parking brake or initiate an emergency stop. Immediately following this event, numerous dashboard warning indicators illuminated, including the following specific messages: - **Collision Mitigation Braking System Problem** - **Power System Problem** The vehicle was initially unable to function normally. After restarting it, the car operated only at severely reduced power, with a m INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758781August 22, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The 2020 Honda Clarity's multipurpose windshield camera fails intermittently, often at startup. 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. A dealer attributed the issue to the windshield camera module and possible calibration. The warnings began approximately June 2025 and remain intermittent. The camera is available for inspection. No crash, fire, injury, or police report.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737243May 12, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
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). The failure is indicated by persistent dashboard warning messages stating 'System Fault' or 'Honda Sensing Problem'.A professional diagnostic scan confirmed DTC code U3000-49 (Multipurpose Camera Unit Internal Failure). The sudden and unpredictable loss of these automated safety features reduces the vehicle's ability to assist in avoiding collisions and increases the risk of a crash, particularly in emergency situations. This appears to be a widespread manufacturing defect in the camera hardware that poses an unreasonable safety risk to drivers and passengers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726194March 22, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The ADAS camera system failed causing multiple warnings and failures including lane departure system, forward collision system, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633288December 31, 2024
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
During a U-turn, when I turned the steering wheel my vehicle suddenly accelerated unexpected. 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. On [XXX], while driving on a narrow street at a speed of less than 5 miles per hour, my vehicle suddenly accelerated as I was making a U-turn. In my nervous response, I pressed the accelerator pedal, which exacerbated the situation and caused my vehicle to hit the driveway bushes at [XXX] Fortunately, the property damage was minor, affecting only the bushes, and there were no injuries. I believe it is important to report this Sudden Unintended Acceleration problem for your file. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11582682April 12, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER
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. If they are extending A/C warranty for condenser it should cover the entire A/C system since everyone online that had an issue with the condenser eventually ends up with an evaporator issue as well and then the defrost or A/C do not work properly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577021March 12, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While driving on freeway traffic in front of Clarity began to slow down. In reaction to this brakes were mildly applied, nothing aggressive, and the car was driven towards an open off-ramp to avoid the issue in front. At this moment the car, on its own slammed on the brakes. This created a very unsafe condition and caused following drivers to swerve off the surface of the freeway to avoid a collision with rear end of Clarity. So in short a fairly routing accident avoidance maneuver was turned into a serious and dangerous situation. We are actually concerned this will happen again and lead to an accident. We know the difference between a reasonable application of the brake assist system and what happened here.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11524489May 30, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
AC condenser has leak, covered by an extended warranty up to 10 years from purchase of car due issue with factory installed condenser. However, at 3 years old and 37356 miles the evaporator also has a leak. Honda will not fix condenser under warranty unless we pay $2,000 to fix the evaporator.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11498681December 23, 2022
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
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."
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11354499September 11, 2020
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THIS NEW CAR, AT RELATIVELY LOW SPEEDS, LOSES POWER AS IF IT HAS STALLED OUT FOR A SHORT TIME. WHEN OCCURRING AS ONE IS MAKING A LEFT TURN, IT CAN BE QUITE DANGEROUS DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I MIGHT DESCRIBE IT AS A HESITATION OF ACCELERATION BECAUSE, AS THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THERE IS NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. IT APPEARS TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY AS THE CAR IS TURNING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352172August 30, 2020
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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. VERY SCARY SITUATION TO BE IN WITH OTHER CARS AND LITTLE CHILDREN IN MY CAR. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE CAR REVVING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Honda Clarity