- What you'll get from Honda Clarity VIN check?
- Honda Clarity Vehicle History Risk Factors
- Characters 1-3 of a Honda Clarity VIN
- List of WMI Codes for a Honda Clarity
- Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Honda Clarity VIN
- Character 9 is the "check digit" in a Honda Clarity VIN.
- 10th Character in the Honda Clarity VIN — Year Code
- 11th Character in the Honda Clarity VIN — Plant Code(s)
- Known Honda Clarity Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
- VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Honda Clarity
- How to find a Honda Clarity's VIN?
- Sample VIN Decode Report for a Honda Clarity
What you’ll get from Honda Clarity VIN check?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, indicating that it is a 2021 model. This provides insights into the age and potential historical value of the vehicle.
- Body Type and Engine: The VIN may indicate that the vehicle is a Sedan/Saloon with a 1.5 Liter, 4-cylinder engine, offering specific details on its size and power.
- Fuel Types and Electrification Level: It might show that the vehicle operates on both Electric and Gasoline, designed as a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), highlighting its efficiency and environmental considerations.
- Safety Features: Safety components such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and Forward Collision Warning (FCW) are often standard, emphasizing the vehicle’s focus on passenger protection.
- Drive Type: The VIN could indicate a 4x2 Drive Type, reflecting on the vehicle’s driveability and handling characteristics.
- Airbag and Seat Details: Information about airbags located in both the 1st and 2nd rows, alongside seating arrangements for 5 persons across 2 rows, can be deduced, ensuring awareness of its safety and capacity.
- Manufacturing Information: Details such as the manufacturing plant being located in Sayama, Saitama, Japan, can be extracted, offering clues about its production origin.
Honda Clarity Vehicle History Risk Factors
Honda has one of the strongest reliability reputations in the used car market, but that reputation can mask specific model-year problems that show up disproportionately in vehicle history reports. A Bumper VIN check on a used Honda is particularly valuable for catching three recurring patterns.
Transmission issues on 2015–2017 CR-Vs and 2016–2017 HR-Vs. Honda’s CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) in these years generated an elevated number of NHTSA complaints and TSBs related to shuddering, hesitation, and premature failure. Look specifically for service records that reference transmission flushes or replacements — a clean-looking CR-V can have a transmission already on borrowed time.
Airbag recall compliance. Honda vehicles were among the most affected by the Takata airbag inflator recall — one of the largest automotive recalls in U.S. history. While most inflators have been replaced, a Bumper report will show you exactly which recalls are open on the specific VIN you’re checking, and whether the prior owner ever had the work done.
Flood and water damage on Civics and Accords. Honda sedans, particularly Civics from 2012–2015, appear frequently in flood damage reports from hurricane-affected regions. Water intrusion causes long-term electrical issues that don’t always show up immediately. If a VIN shows a registration history in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, or New Jersey, a flood damage check is worth running.
Odometer rollback on high-demand models. Honda Accords and CR-Vs rank consistently among the most stolen and most resold used vehicles in the U.S., which also makes them disproportionately common in odometer fraud cases. Verify reported mileage against service record intervals.
A Bumper VIN check shows accident history, title brands, flood damage, and odometer records for this specific vehicle.
How to decode a Honda Clarity VIN
Characters 1-3 of a Honda Clarity VIN
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) codes are a sequence of three letters or numbers used to identify the manufacturer of a vehicle, as well as its country of origin, and vehicle type. For the Honda Clarity, the WMI is JHM, indicating that the vehicle is manufactured by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., based in Tokyo, Japan. This particular WMI signifies that the vehicle in question is a passenger car, produced in the region of Musashi. The code provides essential information, especially useful for tracking, registration, and recall purposes. Specifically, the Honda Clarity models produced between the years 2017 and 2021 are identified with this unique WMI, illustrating its application in pinpointing vehicle manufacture specifics.
List of WMI Codes for a Honda Clarity
WMI: JHM
- Model Years Covered: 2017-2021
- Example VIN: JHMZC6F30HC001077
- Manufacturer Name: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Tokyo
- State or Province: Musashi
- Country: Japan
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Honda Clarity VIN
These characters correspond to components like:
- Engine type
- Transmission
- Model or trim
- Body style
- Gross vehicle weight range
Honda’s Vehicle Descriptor Section encodes trim level, engine type, body style, and restraint system in a way that’s relatively consistent across model years but uses alphanumeric combinations that aren’t intuitive without a reference. For the CR-V, for example, codes beginning with “RE” indicate the third-generation platform, while “RM” and “RW” codes correspond to later generations with different powertrain configurations. The engine character within the VDS will distinguish between Honda’s 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder, the 2.0L naturally aspirated, and hybrid variants — all of which affect insurance costs, parts availability, and maintenance schedules differently. If you’re comparing two Honda VINs that appear identical by year and trim, the VDS characters are where meaningful differences often hide.
Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.
Character 9 is the “check digit” in a Honda Clarity VIN.
Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.
10th Character in the Honda Clarity VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| M | 2021 Honda Clarity |
| L | 2020 Honda Clarity |
| K | 2019 Honda Clarity |
| J | 2018 Honda Clarity |
| H | 2017 Honda Clarity |
11th Character in the Honda Clarity VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known Honda Clarity Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Sayama | Saitama | Japan | JHMZC6F30HC001077 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Honda Clarity
The final 6 characters in a Honda Clarity’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Want to unlock even more detailed info about your vehicle?
How to find a Honda Clarity’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your Honda Clarity is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Examine the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Honda Clarity. The VIN is typically located here, visible through the windshield.
- Look at the door jamb on the driver’s side of your Honda Clarity. There’s often a sticker or label where the door latches, which displays the VIN.
- Inspect the engine block of your Honda Clarity. The VIN can frequently be found stamped on the engine itself.
- Check your Honda Clarity’s vehicle registration documents or insurance card. The VIN is always listed on these documents for reference.
Don’t have your Honda Clarity’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a Honda Clarity
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) | Standard |
| Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) | Standard |
| Auto-Reverse System for Windows and Sunroofs | Standard |
| Axles | 2 |
| Backup Camera | Standard |
| Base Price ($) | 36600.00 |
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Cooling Type | Water |
| Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) | Standard |
| Curtain Air Bag Locations | 1st and 2nd Rows |
| Daytime Running Light (DRL) | Standard |
| Displacement (CC) | 1500.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 91.53561614209 |
| Displacement (L) | 1.5 |
| Doors | 4 |
| Drive Type | 4x2 |
| Dynamic Brake Support (DBS) | Standard |
| Electrification Level | PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | Standard |
| Engine Brake (hp) From | 103 |
| Engine Configuration | In-Line |
| Engine Manufacturer | Honda |
| Engine Model | LEB3 |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 4 |
| Engine Power (kW) | 135 |
| Engine Stroke Cycles | 4 |
| Forward Collision Warning (FCW) | Standard |
| Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type | Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI) |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Electric |
| Fuel Type - Secondary | Gasoline |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From | Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg) |
| Headlamp Light Source | LED |
| Keyless Ignition | Standard |
| Knee Air Bag Locations | Driver Seat Only |
| Lane Departure Warning (LDW) | Standard |
| Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA) | Standard |
| Model | Clarity |
| Model Year | 2021 |
| Number of Seat Rows | 2 |
| Number of Seats | 5 |
| Number of Wheels | 4 |
| Other Restraint System Info | Seat Belts: All seating positions / 2nd Row: Side Curtain Air Bag (Outer positions) |
| Plant City | Sayama |
| Plant Company Name | |
| Plant Country | Japan |
| Plant State | Saitama |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Semiautomatic Headlamp Beam Switching | Standard |
| Side Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Steering Location | Left-Hand Drive (LHD) |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type | Indirect |
| Traction Control | Standard |
| Transmission Style | Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) |
| Trim | PLUG-IN HYBRID TOURING |
| Valve Train Design | Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) |
| Vehicle Descriptor | JHMZC5F3*MC |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Wheel Base (inches) From | 108.3 |
| Wheel Size Front (inches) | 18 |
| Wheel Size Rear (inches) | 18 |
| Sample VIN | JHMZC5F30MC000516 |
Specs tell you what it was built with. A VIN check tells you what's happened since.
Check any Honda Clarity for accident history, flood damage, salvage title, and odometer fraud.
Run a free VIN check →Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the VIN on a Honda Clarity?
On most Honda vehicles, the VIN is located on the driver’s side dashboard, visible through the windshield from outside the car. It’s also on a sticker inside the driver’s side door jamb, and on your insurance card, title, and registration documents.
How do I check a Honda Clarity's history for free?
Enter the Honda Clarity’s 17-digit VIN into Bumper’s free VIN check at bumper.com. The free check shows factory specs and open NHTSA recalls. For the full history including accident records, title brands, theft status, and ownership history, run a full Bumper report.
What do Honda Clarity VIN numbers start with?
Honda Clarity VIN's start with JHM for vehicles manufactured by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan. The first three characters of any VIN identify the manufacturer. The full WMI table on this page lists all known codes for the Honda Clarity.
Decode a Honda VIN
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