Model year record
2020 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid recalls & problems
The 2020 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 8 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is forward collision avoidance (6 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2020 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2020 Honda CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID 4 DR FWD
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Clarity Plug-in Hybrid Plug-in Hybrid
| City / highway | 44 / 40 mpg |
|---|---|
| Electric range | 48 mi |
| On electricity | 110 MPGe · 31 kWh/100 mi |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.5 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,600/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidanceAdaptive cruise control; Warnings | 6 | — |
| Lane departureAssist; Warning | 4 | — |
| Electrical system | 3 | — |
| Engine | 2 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | — |
| Unknown or other | 2 | — |
| Power train | 1 | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking
# NHTSA VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT **Subject: Sudden Unintended Braking, Violent Vehicle Bucking, and Loss of Propulsion â 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…
- Electrical system
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.
- Lane departure › Warning
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.…
- Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control
The ADAS camera system failed causing multiple warnings and failures including lane departure system, forward collision system, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance.
- Vehicle speed controlCrash
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] Â Fortunately, the property damage was minor, affecting only the bushes, and there were no injuries. I believe it is…
- 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.
- Engine
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."
- Engine
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.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert soundsClosedLed to recall 22V063000
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 March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review…