2018 Honda Clarity: common problems and reliability

One of the worst Clarity years.

One of the Honda Clarity years to avoid. All Clarity years

160 owner complaints, most about engine. 3 recalls.

Should I buy a 2018 Clarity?

The 2018 Honda Clarity has 160 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are engine and fuel/propulsion system.

Safety record for the 2018 model year

160
Owner complaints
3
Recalls
11
Crash reports
1
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2018 Honda Clarity vehicles (US, public record).

The Year Score compares this year with other Clarity years only. How we score it

Is 2018 a good year for the Clarity?

Across the 5 Clarity model years we track, complaint volume runs from 5 (2017) to 160 (2018). With 160 complaints, the 2018 Clarity sits above the model's median of 10.

These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.

Where owners report problems

engine
29
fuel/propulsion system
27
electrical system
24
power train
22
forward collision avoidance
17

Recalls affecting the 2018 Clarity

equipment:electrical

Campaign 19V315000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles. Internal components may corrode and cause the water pump to fail.

electrical system:software

Campaign 18V921000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles previously repaired under recall 18V-068. The previous software remedy may have been incomplete. As a result, the fuel cell control unit (FC-ECU) may misinterpret a small cell voltage drop, causing the vehicle to have a partial or complete loss of power.

fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

Campaign 23V858000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

What owners say across generations

Mixed sentiment with a strong positive bias among long-term owners who appreciate the vehicle's core value proposition.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Clarity. See the full Clarity owner picture and every model year.

Other Clarity model years

Compare every Clarity year side by side to see how 2018 ranks against the rest.

Compare the Clarity against its rivals

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