2018 Honda Clarity PLUG-IN Hybrid

ON THE DASH IS THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM TABLET-LIKE TOUCHSCREEN. ALL PROFESSIONAL HONDA REVIEWERS KNOW THIS ISSUE AND EVEN HONDA THEMSELVES HAVE FIXED THE NEW ENTERTAINMENT TABLET SHORTFALLS BUT THIS CAR IS STILL BEING SOLD TODAY WITH THIS HARMFUL SYSTEM. THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM CONTROLS BOTH THE REAR-VEIW CAMERA AND THE BLIND-SPOT MONITOR ON THE SIDE VEIW. BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS BUGGY, AND LAGGY, SOMETIMES THE CAMERA WILL FREEZE AN IMAGE ON THE SCREEN. SOMETIMES THE CAMERAS WILL NOT SHOW ON THE DASH AT ALL (AGAIN, BECAUSE THE ANDROID BASED SYSTEM IS VERY SLOW) LAST NIGHT MY WIFE ALMOST KILLED HERSELF WHEN THE GPS SAID "EXIT RIGHT" AND HER IMAGE ON THE SCREEN WAS FROZEN WITHOUT ANY CARS BUT AN 18 WHEELER WAS HONKING AND SWERVING AWAY FROM US MAKING A DRAMATIC HOP INTO THE RIGHT LANE. I FEEL A CIVIL DUTY TO REPORT THIS ONE-OF-MANY INSTANCES THAT THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM ALMOST KILLED ME MY FAMILY AND MANY OTHERS (PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER DRIVERS)

TWICE I EXPERIENCED EXTREME HIGH REVS (LIKE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND YOU HAVE THE PEDAL TO THE METAL)WITH ABSOLUTE LOSS OF POWER AND SPEED DOWN TO 30 MPH FIRST TIME ON FREEWAY & 10 MPH SECOND TIME ON HIGHWAY. HAPPENED TWICE WHEN BATTERY WAS LOW (EACH TIME BATTERY DISPLAY ACTUALLY WENT DOWN TO 1 BAR WHICH I'VE BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GO BELOW 2 BARS WHEN HV KICKS IN) AND ON SLIGHT INCLINE. SUPER SCARY DANGEROUS, FAMILY SCREAMING OF FEAR INSIDE VEHICLE)! ALSO HAVE RANGE DISPLAY ERROR, ENGINE TURNING ON WHEN BATTERY IS FULL ALMOST EVERY DAY AND NO CHARGING WHEN HV CHARGE ENGAGED. ORIGINAL DEALER TEST DROVE CAR 300 MILES, DID UPDATE AND TOLD ME NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT SAT AT DEALER FOR A MONTH. AFTER FIGHTING WITH HONDA AND GOING NOWHERE WITH THEM OR DEALERSHIP I TOOK IT BACK AND ALL ISSUES WHERE STILL THERE. TOOK CAR 3 TIMES TO DEALER #2 WHO SAID THEY CANNOT HELP, TO DEAL WITH HONDA. I EVEN EMAILED VIDEOS AND PHOTOS BUT THEY DID NOT SEEM TO CARE OR MAKE EFFORT TO RESEARCH IT. TOOK TEST DRIVE WITH TECH, HE HAD EXCUSES FOR EVERYTHING. HAD OPENED TICKET WITH HONDA, ORIGINALLY A SPECIAL TECH GUY WAS SUPPOSED TO COME CHECK THE CAR, 2 MONTHS LATER STILL NOTHING, AFTER DOZENS OF CALLS TO HONDA THEY TOLD ME THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THEY CANCELLED THE SPECIALIST AS THEY CANNOT JUSTIFY THE COST OF IT. I EVEN HAD TO PAY FOR THE LOANER AND AGAIN HONDA SAID THEY CANNOT JUSTIFY COVERING IT. THEY SAY TO CONTACT DEALER, DID NOT DO ANYTHING AND ENDED UP TELLING ME TO GET A LAWYER. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A CAR THAT HAS MAJOR ISSUES MOST OF THE TIME, I HAVE TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO SHUT CAR OFF 2 TO 3 TIMES IN THE MORNING WHEN THE BATTERY IS FULL AND GO THROUGH LOTS OF GAS BECAUSE TH E BATTERY DOES NOT RECHARGE AND THE ENGINE IS REVVING EXTREMELY HIGH. I AM ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE LONG TERM DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE.

THE CLARITY PHEV IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS (E.G. CHARGEPOINT) THAT FEATURE DUAL CHARGING PORTS AND AN ENERGY MANAGEMENT CONTROLLER (EMC). THE VEHICLE'S ONBOARD CHARGER WILL SHUT OFF WHEN IT SENSES THE CHARGING STATION'S EMC IS ACTIVATED WHEN BOTH PORTS ARE ENGAGED FOR SIMULTANEOUS CHARGING. MULTIPLE FAILED ATTEMPTS TO RESTART CHARGING WILL RESULT IN A "TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE" WARNING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT START AND DRIVE. OWNERS COULD BE STUCK IN A PARKING STALL FOR UP TO 4 HOURS TO ALLOW THE SYSTEM TO SELF-HEAL/RECOVER FROM THE TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE BEFORE BEING ABLE TO START AND DRIVE THE CAR. ISSUE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED BY HONDA DEALERSHIP, BUT NO INFORMATION FROM HONDA OR THE DEALERSHIP ON A FUTURE SOFTWARE UPDATE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I THINK HONDA SHOULD PERFORM ITS DUE DILIGENCE TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE CLARITY PHEV AND POTENTIALLY FOR ITS ALL-ELECTRIC VERSION TO RESOLVE THIS MAJOR FLAW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A STORE. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SHOULDER AND COLLARBONE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FRONT PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,100. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ON OCCASION WHILE BRAKING, THE CAR ATTEMPTS TO MOVE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS A SECTION DIVIDED BETWEEN POWER BEING USED AND CHARGE BEING STORED AS THE CAR IS DESIGNED TO CHARGE THE ELECTRIC BATTERY WHENEVER THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. WHEN THIS SITUATION OCCURS, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS FIRMLY APPLIED AND THE NEEDLE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS IN THE "CHARGING" AREA. THE CAR ATTEMPTS TO JERK FORWARD AND THERE IS SHAKING/VIBRATION AS THE APPLIED BRAKE KEEPING THE CAR IN PLACE FACES OFF WITH THE CHARGING SYSTEM THAT IS TRYING TO HAVE THE CAR MOVE FORWARD FOR WHATEVER REASON. THE RESOLUTION WHEN THIS OCCURS IS TO RELEASE THE FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IMMEDIATELY APPLY IT AGAIN WHICH REQUIRES THE CAR TO JERK FORWARD MOMENTARILY. THIS OCCURRED IN A DRIVE-THRU WHERE THE CAR IN FRONT WAS FAIRLY CLOSE AHEAD.

ALTHOUGH CAR LESS THAN ONE WEEK OLD AND UNDER 470 MILES, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AFTER STARTING THE CAR: ENGINE SYSTEM PROBLEM, BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEM, ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM, ROAD DEPARTURE MITIGATION SYSTEM PROBLEM. TURNING CAR OFF AND RESTARTING ENGINE DID NOT CLEAR THE PROBLEM, AND LIGHTS REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED (HONDA OF PASADENA).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN AN ADULT OCCUPANT WAS SEATED IN THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOUR TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER (AUTONATION HONDA FREMONT, 5780 CUSHING PKWY, FREMONT, CA 94538, (510) 224-4801) AND STATED THAT AUTHORIZATION WAS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 08794376. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,300. *TT