Let’s get the HV range problem fixed!!!! Here’s how and a poll to track it

So 390 / 7 is about 55 mpg. Is that what your getting?

 

Good question. Probably not, but I did not track the actual number it showed and the mileage I got on the long trip.

I will do that one of these days. I need to head down to the Twin Cities some weekend and it will be the perfect opportunity to drive in HV mode for a longer distance. I'm as anxious to see how accurate the estimate is and why I have never come anywhere near the astronomical numbers reported by others.

 

Just for fun, I put in a couple gallons of gas to top off the tank. Here is what I see. Subtracting 16 from 620 = 604. 604 divided by 7 gallons is 86.29 MPG. There is no way this car is getting 86 MPG in HV mode. I think the calculation is including the 199.9 "fake" HV MPG from when we run in EV mode, which is most of the time for many of us. Since the main dashboard display also displays the total range (e.g. 636 miles), this is not a "nice to have" feature show on some eco screen buried in the menus. I consider this a primary piece of driving information for the driver.

I will reply back to Honda that my dealer says they are not aware of a Honda-provided fix for this issue.

 

You may be the only one!

 

OK, take this for what it's worth. I just got off the phone with Honda and explained in the long version the problem and the potential liability. I was placed on hold for about 10 minutes and the Rep came back and told me that Honda is now aware of the issue and working on a fix. As soon as the fix is ready, it will be relayed to the dealers.

I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, but that's what I was told minutes ago. Fingers crossed.

 

Here's their response today to my reply telling them that my dealer has no fix.

Understood, we have documented your concern and have attached the picture sent to us onto the case and we will be forwarding this case for review with the product development team.

If and when a product update is made available, a notification will be sent out to registered owners of all affected vehicles via mail.

We welcome you to contact us with any additional comments or questions.

You are also able to reach us by calling #800-999-1009, or on Twitter @HondaCustSvc.

Kind regards,

Honda Customer Service
Case #07362357

Attention: If you are not the intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender. Thank you for your cooperation.

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It sounds like someone at Honda finally noticed the problem. I expect a quick fix since I imagine it is probably an easy solution...I hope.

 

Let's hope Honda doesn't "fix" the problem like they "fixed" their battery problems with Civic Hybrids. After the "fix" the fuel economy suffered greatly.

We bought our Clarity PHEV in early December and are still driving on Honda's gas, so I can't tell if we have the problem.

It would seem that someone needs to drive the car until it can't go anymore. Then, while you're waiting for the flat-bed tow truck (the only approved method) to arrive to return your defective Clarity to the dealer, take a photo of the fuel-gauge and the miles-remaining read-out.

Honda advises customers not to let your Clarity run out of gas, but that photo of the read-out will show why you thought you had many, many miles left in the tank. If you don't have lots of time and/or don't want to make the towing statement, bring a gas can with you (in a plastic bag in the trunk). I always run my new cars out of gas to determine how much remains when the red LED comes on, but won't do that until after we stretch the Honda gas as far as we can--at this rate it will take many months.

 

I just ran it this problem. It took a while for me to go through the first gas tank, 1280 mi, but I finally had 2 fill up. I put 6.345 g in and the HV range jumped up to 880 mi! Whole crap! I was using the EV and HV meters as gage when to get gas but now I have to find another way.

 

That reads like an actual breathing person at Honda finally took notice of the complaints. If so, then congratulations on your persistence paying off.

I certainly understand the general frustration here at being told "take your problem to the dealer", when it's painfully obvious this isn't a problem the dealer doesn't have the tools to fix.
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I'm not so sure this estimate is so far off. I bought 4 more gallons of gas today (second fill since I've had the car) that makes 9 gallons so far in 1400 miles or about 155.5 MPGe. Obviously, the bulk of the mileage comes from electricity. But if I think about HV as the mileage I'm getting "in total" from both EV/HV, then I think this 793 mile estimate is going to be fairly close to my mileage history. The "A" trip (609.3) is the number of miles I had on it as of this fill up (about the same as last time in late January). Indeed, if I go by my historical MPGe, my range should be close to 1250miles. However, that does not take into account multiple recharges, and that's a problem. As far as small sample sizes go, this one is it. Just offering up another take on the mysterious range estimates. Hope that's dust and not dandruff… LOL!

 

I agree the HV shows mileage history and I think that's the way the Honda engineers designed it. It would be nice if you could display mileage history but not in front of the driver. That HV mileage should show you the current expected range you can get in HV mode based on the current remaining gas.

 

More good news. I heard back from the rep that contacted me initially about my problem report. She said the engineers have acknowledged the problem and are working on a fix. She also said I'll be notified by email and snail mail, as well as in-car, when an update is ready.

 

Can you provide them with a list of our other case numbers as well?

 

Normally I'd be happy to but it's unlikely I will be talking with her again and there is no way to message her. In any event, I don't think it would matter since all owners should be notified of the update. I'll certainly post here when I get the notice.

 

That’s exactly what I was told when I posted earlier about my call.

 

Honda's a member of the 2,000-mile club! And they've got some way to super-charge the battery to contain nearly 6 times the ions that I can pack in with my puny 40-amp EVSE. My evidence: This clip from page 129 of the Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Owners Manual PDF I downloaded last year.

During press days at the January auto show in Detroit, I was directed to the Honda representative who was supposed to be able to answer questions about the Clarity. Among all my other questions for which she had no answers, she couldn't explain the 2200-mile HV range or the 280.9-mile EV range in this illustration from the Owners Manual. She said she'd get back to me. It's getting harder and harder to continue holding my breath while I wait for her reply.

 

I can explain that. The vehicle had 2480.9 miles on it. It was driven 10 miles in HV mode and 10 miles in EV mode and then towed 2190 mile in HV mode and towed 270.9 miles in EV mode. It was then filled with gas.