2018 Honda Clarity PLUG-IN Hybrid

WHILE I WAS CHECKING THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL, I SMELLED A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR. SINCE THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE HAS A KNOWN OIL DILUTION PROBLEM I HAD OIL ANALYSIS DONE AND THE RESULTS CAME BACK INDICATING THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF FUEL IN THE OIL WHICH CAN DAMAGE THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE AND EVENTUALLY RESULT IN AN ENGINE FAILURE. I CALLED HONDA CORPORATE OFFICE TO REGISTER THE ISSUE AND ON FEB 24TH, I HAD MY OIL SAMPLED. I RECEIVED THE RESULTS ON MARCH 3RD AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED HONDA THE SAME DAY TO SHARE THE ANALYSIS. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RECOURSE AS OF YET AND PENDING A RESPONSE.

FEW TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED ESPECIALLY IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER, THERE WILL BE LOSS OF POWER/ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. WHILE ACCELERATING IT WILL TAKE THE COMMAND ENGINE RPM WILL BE HIGHER BUT VEHICLE IS NOT TAKING UP THE SPEED. EITHER IT WILL STAY TO GO AT LOW SPEED OR SLOWLY IT WILL STARTING TO HALT SITUATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED FEW TIMES(ABOUT 5-6 TIMES). AND IN SUCH SITUATION THERE WILL SOME UNACCEPTABLE NOISE FROM ENGINE. ONE TIME WE WERE AT ABOUT 50MPH SPEED BUT I COULDN'T ACCELERATE (JUST LIKE ABOVE) AND HAD TO STOP THE CAR IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY, STOP THE CAR (SHUT THE ENGINE) AND THEN START THE CAR IT STARTED WORKING FINE. THIS HAPPENED MOSTLY WHEN ON GAS AND ESPECIALLY DURING EXTREME COLD WEATHER. WHILE ON FULLY EV MODE IT WORKS FINE, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN. HOWEVER, AS I APPROACHED THE SUMMIT, NO MATTER HOW FAR DOWN I PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE CAR WOULD NOT INCREASE SPEED. WITH THE PEDAL COMPLETELY FLOORED (PAST THE HYBRID SYSTEM CLICK POINT) THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT PICKUP SPEED, NOR DID IT SOUND LIKE THE ENGINE WAS EVEN TRYING TO REV HIGHER. AS I KEPT APPROACHING THE SUMMIT WITH THE PEDAL FLOORED, THE CAR STARTED TO SLOWLY LOSE SPEED. AS A RESULT, I WAS NOT ABLE TO KEEP WITH TRAFFIC AND HAD TO MOVE TO THE FAR RIGHT LANE. DURING THIS EXPERIENCE, THE CAR WAS OPERATING IN HYBRID MODE WITH ABOUT 10% BATTERY CHARGE SAVED. MY PREVIOUS PHEV NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR EVEN THOUGH IT HAD LESS SYSTEM HORSEPOWER AND TORQUE. TO EXPERIENCE THIS WAS DISAPPOINTING. NOT KNOWING IF THE CAR WILL ACTUALLY ACCELERATE WHEN I NEED TO IS HIGHLY DISCONCERTING.

MY CAR WAS IN MOTION WHILE PREPARING TO PARK IN AN OUTDOOR PARKING SPACE AT WORK ONLY GOING 5 MPH OR LESS. I TURNED MY CAR SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT SINCE THE PARKING SPACE IS AT AN ANGLE WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AND I CRASHED INTO A FENCE AND ELECTRICAL POLE. MY BRAKES DID NOT WORK AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE ELECTRICAL POLE MY CAR WOULD OF RUN INTO A HOME. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A HONDA DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICEMAN TOLD ME THAT NO CODES POPPED UP WHEN RUNNING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY ALSO TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND STATED THE CAR SHOWED NO ISSUES. THEY ARE GOING TO KEEP IT OVERNIGHT TO TEST ONE MORE TIME. THE MAN STATED HONDA COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNLESS A LIGHT CAME UP ON THE DASHBOARD.I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR AND I'M AFRAID THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. DECIDING OF MAKING A COMPLAINT TO CORPORATE.

SINCE RECEIVING THE LEASED VEHICLE I'VE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER 3 OR 4 TIMES FOR CHECKS ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR SPORADICALLY DISENGAGES GEARS WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATION, LOCAL AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. I'VE REGISTERED THE COMPLAINT WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE LEASE AND WAS TOLD EACH TIME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THEY NEVER TOOK THE TRANSMISSION (OR WHATEVER RUNS IT ) APART TO REALLY SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE. THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT CHECK INTO ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE TIME SPACE OF AN OIL CHANGE. ALSO, WHEN I ENTERED THE LEASE, IT WAS NEVER ADAMANTLY SAID THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE ELECTRICALLY CHARGED ON A REGULAR TIME FRAME, THAT IT WOULD RUN ON GAS ALONE. I COULD FIND NO INFO IN THE MANUAL PERTAINING THE NECESSITY OF ELECTRICALLY CHARGING THE CAR.

MY AC HAS STOPPED WORKING TWICE! FIRST TIME WAS SEPT 2019. I WAS CHARGED $300 FOR REFRIGERANT. SECOND TIME WAS APRIL 27, 2020. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE EVAPORATOR CORE. HONDA CORP TOLD ME IT WOULD TAKE 3 MONTHS FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE IN CA. I LIVE IN PALM SPRINGS WHERE WEATHER CAN REACH UP TO 118 DEGREES. THIS IS VERY UNACCEPTABLE. I WENT ON THE CLARITY FORUMS AND DISCOVERED THAT MANY MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME A/C ISSUES.

PAINT DEFECT.... IN A FEW WEEK ONLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I NOTICED PAINT PEELING AT THE TRUNK AND ALSO THE PAINT AT THE ROOF AND THE HOOD GOT DISCOLORED, HAD DEVELOPED CRACKS AND IT APPEARED THAT SOON WILL START PEELING ..I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO HONDA, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS DEFECTIVE PAINT AND AUTHORIZED THE PAINTING OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED SECTIONS OF THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER AT THE TIME AND DATE OF THIS WRITING I NOTICED PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT AGAIN ON THE NEWLY PAINTED SURFACE . I AM ALSO CONCERNED FOR THE NON PAINTED SECTIONS OF THE VEHICLE SINCE THE SAME DEFECTIVE PAINT WAS USED THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY PROBLEMS MIGHT ARISE IN THE FUTURE AND THE HONDA REP ALREADY MENTIONED IF ANYTHING ELSE GOES WRONG WITH THE PAINT AGAIN THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ANYMORE FOR ME

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BATTERY WAS DEPLETED AND THE ENGINE MODE ENGAGED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS RECHARGED AND WORKED AS DESIGNED. THE ENGINE SYSTEM, ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, ROAD DEPARTURE, AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,700. THE VIN WAS INVALID.