2019 Honda CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID 4 DR FWD

Car engine makes loud banging noise when it is running on gas instead of electrical battery. I had asked Honda dealer to review but they say they can not do anything about it. It is feels as if car making so much banging noise from engine has inherent issue and will eventually catch fire.

ON 09/29/20 AT APPROX. 1710 HRS. WENT TO MY VEHICLE, WHICH WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I WAS TAKING MY TEN YEAR OLD SON TO THE PARK. WHEN HE ENTERED THE VEHICLE (REAR DRIVER SIDE) AND TRIED TO PUT ON HIS SEAT BELT, HE STATED, "DAD, MY SEAT BELT BROKE." I WENT TO CHECK THE SEAT BELT AND NOTICED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS COMPLETELY TORN OFF. I THEN TOLD MY SON TO GO TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SEAT (THE PASSENGER REAR) AND USE THAT SEAT BELT. HE THEN EXCLAIMED, "THIS ONE IS TORN ALSO!" I CHECKED ON THAT SEAT BELT AS WELL AND NOTICED THAT SEAT BELT WAS FRAYED AND TORN, BUT WAS STILL ATTACHED BY A SMALL SECTION. I TOLD MY SON TO USE THE MIDDLE SEAT. AS I INSPECTED THE SEAT BELT TO THE MIDDLE SEAT, I NOTICED THAT THE SEAT BELT SHOWED SIGNS OF FRAYING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BELT. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE, THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT HONDA CORPORATE IN ORDER TO HAVE AN INVESTIGATION DONE AND THAT THEY COULD NOT CONTINUE WITH ANY REPAIRS UNTIL HONDA CORPORATE AUTHORIZED THE REPAIRS.*DT*JB*JB

MONDAY SEP 7, 2020 AROUND 11:20 AM UNINTENDED ACCELERATION MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND IN PROCESS TO PARK IN OUR HOUSE GARAGE. WHEN SHE GOT ON THE DRIVE WAY, SHE PRESSED THE BRAKE AND STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE DOOR TO OPEN IT. THEN RELEASED THE BRAKE AND THE CAR MOVE FORWARD SLOWLY, WITHOUT PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WITH HER FOOT STILL OVER THE BRAKE PEDAL, SHE THEN GENTLY PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP, THEN THE CAR IMMEDIATELY START TO ACCELERATE AND HIT THE GARAGE WALL THEN STOP. SHE HAVE BEEN PARKING THE CAR IN THE GARAGE EVERY DAY FOR A YEAR AND NEVER HAVE THIS HAPPENED.

WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL (HONDA SENSING) IS ACTIVATED ON THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO HOLD THE SET SPEED AND KEEP ITS DISTANCE FROM ANY VEHICLES IN FRONT OF IT IN THE SAME LANE. HOWEVER, IF THE SET SPEED IS 65 MPH THE VEHICLE 90% OF THE TIME WILL DRIVE AT 64 MPH WITH NO OBSTRUCTION AHEAD. IF ANOTHER VEHICLE IS DRIVING SLOWER THAN 65 MPH IN THE SAME LANE AND THE CLARITY IS APPROACHING IT, THE HONDA SENSING RADAR WILL NOT DETECT THE OBSTRUCTION AND NOT SLOW DOWN TO KEEP ITS PRE DETERMINED DISTANCE, WHICH CAN CAUSE AN IMMINENT CRASH. I HAVE HAD HIS MALFUNCTION ON BOTH OF MY 2019 HONDA CLARITY PLUGIN HYBRIDS AND MY FORMER 2019 HONDA INSIGHT. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN OVER TEN NEAR-TOTAL CRASHES ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS AND THE HONDA SENSING FEATURE A SAFETY HAZARD.

7.25.2020 - WHEN CAR IS RUNNING FOR 45 MINUTES, 85 DEGREES F, EV ON, ECON OFF, ENGINES LOSES POWER AND REVS HIGH AFTER 40MPH. 7.18.2020 - WHEN CAR IS RUNNING FOR 45 MINUTES, 89 DEGREES F, EV OFF, ECON ON, ENGINES LOSES POWER AND REVS HIGH AFTER 40MPH. 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN HAD THE SIMILAR ISSUE OF THE CAR LOSING POWER AFTER DRIVING FASTER THAN 62 MPH WITH EV MODE ON. A RELAY SWITCH RECALL OCCURRED THAT FIXED THIS ISSUE.. SO FAR.

JULY 4, 2020 DROVE WITH OUR FAMILY OF 2 BABIES ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY WITH A MAXIMUM SPEED OF 50MPH AND TRAVELING A ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE OF 52 MILES. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES WERE ABOUT 89℉. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, THE ENGINE WOULD REV AT A HIGH RPM AT 40MPH. IT COULD BE HEARD AND FELT OVER THE RADIO'S MUSIC. GIVING MORE GAS DIDN'T MAKE THE CAR DRIVE FASTER. ON THE WAY HOME, ABOUT 40 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE, THE ENGINE REVVED HIGH AGAIN AT 40MPH, LOST OF POWER, AND THIS TIME MAKING THE CAR'S SPEED SLOW TO 30MPH BECAUSE WE WERE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, LUCKILY. THIS ISSUE OCCURRED BEFORE ON JULY 27,2020 WHEN MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR AND CONPLAINED ABOUT IT DRIVING SLOW AND ENGINE REVVING LOUD. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 1,884 MILES ON IT AND WAS BOUGHT IN JANUARY 2020. LEMON LAW.

MY CAR IS LOSING POWER AND GETTING LOUD NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON AN UPHILL ROAD. I HAVE SHOWN MY CAR TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. I HAVE SEEN MANY ONLINE REVIEWS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND STILL, HONDA IS NOT HELPING ITS CUSTOMER. *TR

THREE TIMES NOW, OUR NEW 2019 HONDA CLARITY HAS PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN DANGER. TWICE IN NOVEMBER 2019, ONCE IN JANUARY 2020, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER IN THE MIDST OF DRIVING UP HILLS, ONCE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. EACH TIME THE CAR HAS PRODUCED A TERRIBLE BURNING SMELL AND SOUNDS OF HIGH REVVING OF THE ENGINE. IN ALL OF THESE INSTANCES, THE BATTERY WAS LOW, BUT THE GAS LEVEL AND REPORTED RANGE OF THE CAR WAS HIGH. ONCE THE CAR WAS IN ECO MODE, TWICE IT WAS IN OTHER MODES. WE HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES, AND THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH NATIONAL HONDA, WHO SAY THAT THESE SYMPTOMS ARE A 'NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC' AND THAT 'PROPER DRIVE MODES SHOULD BE USED,' AS IF THE PROBLEM WAS SOMEHOW MY FAULT FOR NOT USING THE PROPER MODES. I WAS SENT A VERY SHORT VIDEO EXPLAINING DRIVING MODES. IF THIS CAR IS DESIGNED SO THAT SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, BURNING SMELLS AND AN INABILITY TO DRIVE UP A HILL ARE A 'NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC' THEN THIS CAR IS A HAZARD. IF THE CAR IS UNABLE TO GO UP A STEEP HILL WITHOUT A CERTAIN BATTERY LEVEL, THEN THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DESIGNED TO DEPLETE THE BATTERY BELOW THAT LEVEL NO MATTER WHAT MODE THE DRIVER HAS IT IN. IF THE HONDA SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IS FOR ME TO USE MODES TO KEEP THE BATTERY OVER 60% CHARGED AT ALL TIMES, (WHICH IS WHAT THEY SUGGESTED THE SECOND TIME I WENT IN) OR TO STAY OFF OF HILLS WHEN THE BATTERY IS LOW (AS THEY SUGGESTED WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN THE 3RD TIME) THEN IT IS NOT THE PLUG-IN CAR WITH THE DRIVING RANGE I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING. HERE IS DETAIL ON THE LAST INCIDENT: I WAS ON A HIGHWAY ON A BIG HILL AT FULL HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN SUDDENLY THE POWER GAVE OUT AND THE CAR STARTED REVVING IN AN EXTREME WAY, AND THERE WAS A TERRIBLE BURNING SMELL. LUCKILY, I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY QUICKLY. MY PASSENGER AND I WERE BOTH SHAKEN ' THIS CAR IS A DANGER UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED.

TRY TO START VEHICLE AND IT GOES CRAZY, ALL SYSTEMS FAIL AND WILL NOT START. THIS WAS AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT HALF HOUR IN A PARKING LOT. NEED TO GET OUT LOCK ALL DOORS WALK AWAY FOR 2 TO 5 MINS. ONCE RENTER THE SYSTEMS RESTART BUT ALL SETTINGS FAIL AND NEED TO RESET. I POSTED A YOUTUBE VIDEO (HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/N0FSEPKA5D8)

ON A RANDOM BASIS OUR NEW CLARITY SUDDENLY LOSES POWER AND SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH WE ARE JUST CONTINUING IN DRIVE MODE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN JUNE 2019. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR TESTED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. IN AUGUST THIS YEAR WE WERE MAKING A 2 HOUR DRIVE AND ON A TOLL ROAD WITH AN INCLINE IN RIVERSIDE, CA THE REVVING SOUND WAS REALLY LOUD AND WHEN I PUSHED THE GAS PEDDLE, NOTHING HAPPENED. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I TURNED IT BACK ON AND PUT THE CAR IN HYBRID MODE AND OUT OF ELECTRIC AND PULLED BACK ON THE ROAD. THE EXACT SAME SOUND AND LACK OF ACCELERATION OCCURRED. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID TO USE AAA TO BE TOWED WHICH WE DID. AGAIN, OCEAN HONDA COULD NOT FIND AN ISSUE ON THEIR COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM OR ROAD TESTING FOR 2 DAYS. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE ISSUE A COUPLE TIMES A MONTH IN VERY DIFFERENT DRIVING CONDITIONS, SPEEDS, MODES, ETC. WE CONTACTED HONDA AMERICA AND THEY HAD THE CAR TESTED AT OUR NEW LOCATION IN RANCHO MIRAGE AT HONDA OF THE DESERT. AGAIN, TESTING SHOWED NOTHING. HONDA AMERICA HAS OFFERED NO SOLUTION AND WE ARE NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE HONDA CLARITY FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN LOCAL DRIVES. I PUT DATE OF WORST INCIDENT IN SECTION WHERE ASKED WHEN PROBLEM OCCURRED, BUT IT IS ONGOING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID. WHEN THE VEHICLE SWITCHED FROM RUNNING ON THE BATTERY TO FUEL, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE RAN ON VERY HIGH RPMS AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT WOULD SWITCH FROM HYBRID TO BATTERY OPERATION. WHEN DOING SO, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND SHUT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO METRO HONDA (9399 AUTOPLEX ST, MONTCLAIR, CA 91763, (909) 542-9637) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE CODES WERE FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 HONDA CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH UP A HILL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND LOST POWER. ADDITIONALLY, THE MILES PER GALLON FOR A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 48 MILES; HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL RANGE WAS 38 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NORM REEVES HONDA SUPERSTORE WEST COVINA (LOCATED AT 1840 E GARVEY AVE S, WEST COVINA, CA 91791, (626) 251-2995) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE CHARGED AND OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,200.

THE CAR DRIVES FINE WHEN THERE IS SUFFICIENT BATTERY. WHEN BATTERY LEVEL DROPS TO LOW (2 BARS) THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATOR. THE ENGINE BECOMES SLUGGISH AND REVS UP QUITE A BIT. I HAVE DRIVEN ~650 MILES SO FAR AND THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES ALREADY. LUCKILY IT HAPPENED ONLY ONCE IN THE HIGHWAY WHERE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING.