The 2017 Honda Clarity is associated with 4 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Equipment & Accessories, accounting for 1 reports (25% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning hydrogen and all-electric configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 68 MPG combined. All-electric variants deliver up to 114 MPGe with an estimated range of 89 miles. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 4 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Equipment & Accessories (1 / 25%)
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: Not rated by NHTSA
- • EPA Efficiency: 68 MPG (2 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Clarity FCV | Hydrogen | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (A1) | 69 MPG | 67 MPG | 68 MPG | — | — |
| Clarity EV 100% Electric | Electric Motor | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (A1) | 126 MPGe | 103 MPGe | 114 MPGe | 89 mi | $700 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
Electric Range & Charging: The 2017 Honda Clarity provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 89 miles on a single battery charge.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| Electric 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | — |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2017 Honda Clarity models.
View complete 2017 Honda Clarity crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2017 Honda Clarity problems & component breakdown (4 categories) →
Affected Component: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump, free of charge. The recall began June 10, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4N.
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Honda has notified owners, and dealers will update the FC-ECU software, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is A3O.
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
Defect Summary: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017 Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles. The fuel cell control unit (FC-ECU) may misinterpret a small cell voltage drop, causing the vehicle to have reduced, or a complete loss of, power.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a software update, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is R0L.
View all 2017 Honda Clarity recalls & campaign history (3 campaigns) →