2018 Honda Clarity PLUG-IN Hybrid

HI. MY 2018 HONDA CLARITY PHEV SUFFERS A SEVERE DROP IN POWER WHEN SWITCHING FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTOR TO GAS ENGINE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH AND ALL OF SUDDEN IT CAN BARELY GO 30 MPH AND THE ENGINE IS REVVING VERY LOUDLY. THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO BE WORSE IN COLD TEMPERATURES. I NOW HAVE TO MAKE SURE I AM NOT ON THE INTERSTATE FOR THE SWITCH AND SOMETIMES PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL IT PASSES. PLEASE HAVE HONDA ISSUE A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM.

CAR REVS UP WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BUT DROPS SPEED TO 10MPH. IT HAS DONE THIS 2 TIMES ONCE IN TOWN AND ONCE ON US 23 WHILE DRIVING 70MPH. THEIR ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CAR DOING THE SAME THING TO OTHER CLARITY OWNERS AND THIS IS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT HONDA SHOULD TAKE CARE OF! REINEKE HONDA IN FINDLAY OHIO HAD MY CAR FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS AND WHILE TEST DRIVING IT THE CAR DID THE SAME THING FOR THE SERVICE MANAGER MIKE STEVENS. THEY TOOK A CONTROL BOX OFF A BRAND NEW CLARITY PER HONDA'S SUGGESTION AND I AM DRIVING THE CAR AND HAD NO NEW PROBLEMS SO FAR. THEY WERE NOT SURE THIS WOULD FIX THE ISSUE BUT SO FAR IT HASN'T HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS FAILURE IN THE CAR AND I AM LUCKY I WASN'T DRIVING IN COLUMBUS, OHIO THE 2ND TIME THE CAR DID IT OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED! HONDA NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED!!!

3 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. I MANAGED TO PULL TO A SLOW LANE BUT THE LACK OF POWER CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER 5 MINUTES. IT HAD BEEN RUNNING ON BATTERY JUST PRIOR AND I HAD 2 BARS OF POWER LEFT. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 15 DEGREES. THE INTERNAL COBUSTION ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE BUT ONLY BEGAN TO GIVE ADEQUATE POWER TO THE WHEELS AFTER 5 MINUTES. A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. HONDA CHECKED OUT THE CAR AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. I AM HEARING OF OTHER CASES BEING REPORTED LIKE MINE.

ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING (2/8/2019), MY 11 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER MENTIONED HER SEAT BELT BROKE (REAR DRIVER SEAT). SHE MOVED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BACKSEAT (REAR PASSENGER SEAT). ONCE WE WERE STOPPED, I REALIZED WHAT SHE MEANT BY BROKEN: THE SEAT BELT HAD COMPLETELY FRAYED, BROKE COMPLETELY AND PULLED APART FROM IT'S INTERNAL HOUSING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, ALL THREE SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK SEAT HAVE FRAYING. THE ONE SHE MOSTLY USED WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS NOT USED AS OFTEN SO THE FRAY/CUT IS ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WIDTH OF THE SEAT BELT. THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT HAS THE LEAST DAMAGE, BUT IS STILL FRAYED/CUT. NO ONE CAN NOW SIT IN THE BACK SEAT WITH FAULTY SEAT BELTS. THE HOUSING SEEMS EXCESSIVELY SHARP AND THAT'S WHAT IS CAUSING THEM TO BE CUT. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALER ASKING FOR A MANAGER, BUT AS OF SUBMITTING THIS, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A RETURN CALL.

WHEN VEHICLE IS IN ANY MODE THAT REQUIRE THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, IT PERSISTENTLY GETS STUCK IN A HIGH REV, HIGH RPM, STATE AT ANY SPEED. THIS CAUSES POWER FLUCTUATIONS AND EXTREME ENGINE NOISE. THIS CREATES CHALLENGING AND POTENTIALLY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO THE SENSITIVE STATE OF THE ENGINE WHEN STUCK IN THIS MODE.

I AM SUBMITTING MY ONLYCOMPLAINT ABOUT MY NEW HONDA CLARITY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY HONDA THAT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET YET IT APPEARS HONDA IS IGNORING THE ISSUE. THE CLARITY LOOSES POWER WHEN IT CONVERTS FROM BATTERY TO ENGINE POWER UPON LOW BATTERY STATUS. THIS IS DRASTICALLY NOTICED IF THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED SUCH AS THE 75 MPH SPEED LIMIT OF OUR INTERSTATES IN NEBRASKA OR IF THE VEHICLE IS UNDER HARD ACCELERATION SUCH AS WHEN I WAS ENTERING THE INTERSTATE FROM THE ON RAMP. INSTEAD OF MERGING INTO 75 MPH TRAFFIC I BECAME AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AS THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND ABOUT 40-50 MPH FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE. MY DEALER SAID HONDA IS DENYING THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET IN A BAD ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS MAJOR MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

I HAVE ADVISED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I ONLY HAD ABOUT 3 HOURS OF HIGHWAY MILES ON MY ICE BUT AT 6000 MILES THE CAR ALERTED ME TO BRING IN MY CAR FOR SERVICE. I WANT TO TAKE CARE OF MY CAR BUT THE MINTAINANCE COST AND NEEDLESLY CHANGING THE ENGINE OIL AND FITER STEERS ME AWAY FROM TRUSTING THE MAINTANANCE SUGGESTED TO US BY HONDA. EVERYONE KNOWS DEALERS MAKE MORE PROFIT FROM MAINTANANCE THAT FROM SALES. IF CLARITY CUSTOMERS (AND ALL HYBRID CARS THAT USE A COMBINATION OF ELECTRIC PROPULSION AND INTERNAL CUMBUSTION) ARE NEEDLESSLY PAYING DEALERSHIPS FOR MAINTAINANCE I SEE A FORM OF CUSTOMER DECIEPT. I WOULDNT BE SURPRISED IF HONDA WOULD SHOW ME A DOCUMENT PROVING TO DEALERSHIPS THAT THE SALE OF THIS CAR WILL MAKE MAINTAINANCE FASTER, CHEAPER, AND REQUIRE LESS MECHANICALLY SKILLED LABOR TO SERVICE - THUS ALLOWING THE DEALERSHIP TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO THEIR SEVICE CENTERS.