Problems · NHTSA complaints

2021 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid problems

Owners filed 4 complaints about the 2021 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid with NHTSA between Dec 2020 and May 2025. The most-cited component is visibility/wiper (1).

Complaints
4
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility/wiper1
  2. Forward collision avoidance1
  3. Steering1
  4. Electrical system1
  5. Vehicle speed control1
  6. Power train1
  7. Engine1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20201
20210
20220
20231
20241
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility/wiper

1 report
“Component/System that Failed: The air conditioning system in my 2021 Honda Clarity Touring Plug-in Hybrid has failed — specifically, the AC evaporator, which no longer allows the car to blow out cool air. The part is still in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. How Safety Was Put at Risk: What began as an inconvenience has turned into a real concern for the safety of my family and me. Without functioning air conditioning, my visibility becomes dangerously impaired when trying to defog the windshield, especially in humid or cool conditions. More alarmingly, we live in an area where summer temperatures can soar, and driving without AC quickly turns our vehicle into an unsafe environment — especially for children, elderly passengers, or anyone prone to heat-related issues. It’s frustrating and disappointing to face this kind of failure in a relatively new vehicle. A basic function like air conditioning should not carry a $2,800 repair bill just to keep your family safe and comfortable — yet here we are. Reproduction/Confirmation of the Issue: The issue has been confirmed by an authorized Honda dealership, which diagnosed the failed evaporator…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2025Visibility/wiperODI 11663257

Forward collision avoidance

1 report
“Received multiple warning alerts that adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and Lane Departure/Keeping were not working while driving car. Took car to Honda dealership for repair and was told that this was a "DTC U3000-49" multipurpose camera unit failure. The component was only inspected by the Honda dealership. There were no warning indications prior to the failure warning lights.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 19, 2024Forward collision avoidanceODI 11615319

Steering

1 report1 crash
“I was reversing in order to go up a driveway at an Airbnb where my husband and I had been staying. The bottom of the car is low to the ground, and it was difficult to clear a rise at the bottom of the driveway. I was putting the car in reverse in order to try again when the car made a loud noise and in a split second veered at high speed to the other side of the cul de sac (the wheel was turned in order to go back up the driveway so it explains the trajectory but not what happened). Luckily, no cars were coming and it was a quiet residential area. The car crashed into the opposite curb and the right passenger airbag deployed. Luckily, no one was hurt. However, the car froze up and I could not steer or brake to avoid hitting the curb at high speed. The car was towed to a local collision service used by Beaverton Honda, and my husband and I flew home as we were out of town. The car sat at the collision lot for several weeks, the company saying they had no time to get to it. It was eventually declared totaled, and we were reimbursed by insurance. I never found out what went wrong with the car. We called Honda corporate and they made a report but we never heard…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 25, 2023Steering, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11534428

Electrical system

1 report1 crash

Vehicle speed control

1 report1 crash

Power train

1 report
“THE ENGINE REVS A LOT WHEN BATTERY CHARGE IS LOW THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISION GETS VERY LOUD CAR HAS ONLY 500 MILES AND IS DOING IT CONSTANT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 29, 2020Power train, EngineODI 11385537
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.