HONDA INSIGHT · model year

2001 HONDA INSIGHT

17 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001HONDAINSIGHT carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2001 INSIGHT is exterior lighting with 4 filings, followed by steering (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 77 investigation files overlapping the 2001 INSIGHT, and 9 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

17
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

17 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
EXTERIOR LIGHTING4
STEERING2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
TIRES1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC)1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY1
AIR BAGS1

Recalls (2)

02V19600024/07/2002

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG MODULES WERE NOT PROPERLY WELDED AND MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A COLLISION.

04V08600024/02/2004

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE LOW-BEAM TERMINAL ON THE HEAD LIGHT WIRE HARNESS CAN OVERHEAT AND COULD CAUSE THE LOW BEAMS TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING.

Recent Complaints

20181115EXTERIOR LIGHTING

LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED W/O WARNING OR EXTERNAL CAUSE. WORKED ONE DAY BUT NOT THE NEXT MORNING. NO OBVIOUS FUSE OR RELAY IS THE CAUSE. FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN INADEQUATELY DESIGNED SWITCH THAT WS PRONE TO FAILURE BY GOOGLING THE FAILURE, WHICH HWAS COVERED BY A RECALL. HONDA'S WEBSITE VIN SEARCH SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS CAR. LOCAL DEALER SAYS RECAL WAS SATISFIED IN 2010. SEEMS THERE IS STILL AN INADEQUATELY DESIGNED SWITCH THAT CAN RESULT IN COMPLETE AND SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS.

Mileage: 143,000

20160104EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA INSIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V086000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

Mileage: 250,000

20140527EXTERIOR LIGHTING

BOTH MY LOW BEAMS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING, BUT HIGH BEAMS STILL WORK. I CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS NO POWER BEING SENT TO THE LOW BEAMS. THIS VEHICLE HAD A RECALL FOR 2000-2002 MODEL YEARS FOR EXACT ISSUE. AMERICAN HONDA, AND THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER TELL ME MY VIN# IS OFF BY 1 MONTH (WITHIN SAME MODEL YEAR ASSOCIATED WITH RECALL), SO IT'S NOT UNDER "RECALL." THEY TOLD ME FURTHER DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR WOULD BE AT MY EXPENSE. REPORT RECEIPT DATE: FEB 24, 2004 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V086000 COMPONENT(S): EXTERIOR LIGHTING SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE LOW-BEAM TERMINAL ON THE HEAD LIGHT WIRE HARNESS CAN OVERHEAT AND COULD CAUSE THE LOW BEAMS TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. CONSEQUENCE: AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF LOW BEAMS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/ACM2982889/RCDNN-04V086-3477.PDF. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

20111114EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS GO OFF. FIXED ONCE ON RECALL. NOW SAME PROBLEM. SAME HEAT DAMAGED SWITCH & THEY WONT REPAIR. *TR

Mileage: 175,000

20100316AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA INSIGHT. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIRBAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS.THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55000.

Mileage: 55,000

20091222FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA INSIGHT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH SHE SMELLED A CHEMICAL ODOR, AND SAW FLAMES BEHIND HER. SHE PULLED OVER AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT OF THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. . THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY, AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSPECTED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY WILL SEND SOMEONE OUT TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE DAMAGE. SHE SPECULATED THAT BATTERY FAILURE CAUSED THE FIRE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100000.

Mileage: 100,000

20091124FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

MONDAY MORNING I HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY CAT TO THE VET. I PUT HER IN A PET CARRIER AND PUT THE CARRIER IN MY 2001 HONDA INSIGHT WITH THE PET DOOR FACING FORWARD. I GOT ON THE 101 N. IN LOS ANGELES AND HAD DRIVEN ONLY A FEW MILES WHEN I SMELLED A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR. THINKING THE SMELL WAS COMING PERHAPS FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE I CONTINUED. THEN MY DOOR OPEN LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR FILLED WITH A THICK SMOKE. I LOOKED BEHIND ME AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM BELOW AND BEHIND THE CAT CARRIER. I QUICKLY PULLED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY LUCKILY THERE WAS AN EXIT WITH A VERY SHORT EXIT RAMP. I STOPPED THE CAR AND OPENED MY DOOR AND THREW MY PURSE OUT OF THE CAR, OPENED THE DOOR TO THE PET CARRIER AND REMOVED MY CAT. BY THIS TIME THE FLAMES AND SMOKE HAD INCREASED. I TRIED TO OPEN THE BACK HATCHBACK HOPING TO SMOTHER THE FLAMES WITH A COAT BUT THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED AND THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE HAD ESCALATED. I MOVED AWAY FROM THE CAR AND YELLED FOR HELP. I WAS ABLE TO CALL 911 AND THE F

Mileage: 107

20080121STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

BOTH DOORS ON OUR 2000 THE HONDA ODYSSEY GET STUCK AND POSE A SAFETY THREAT. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20060616POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50MPH, AND SHIFTING TO 3RD GEAR THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO 1ST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT ALERTED.

Mileage: 60,000

20060616ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50MPH, AND SHIFTING TO 3RD GEAR THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO 1ST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT ALERTED.

Mileage: 60,000

20041113POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CVT TRANSMISSION FAILING AT 51,000. VEHICLE BEGAN SMALL RANDOM SHUDDERS IN THE 40,000'S... (LIKE WHEN YOU PURCHASE CHEAP GASOLINE). THREE DAYS AGO MAJOR PROLONGED SHUDDERING AT ACCELERATION BEGAN, SO THAT EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD IN ITS USUAL MANNER. LUCKILY VEHICLES BEHIND ME WERE OBSERVING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSTIC ON 11/12/2004 REVEALED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. NO ACTION YET TAKEN. *JB

Mileage: 51,000

20030920ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES RANDOM EVENTS OF POWER LOSS (IMA BATTERY RECALIBRATING) THAT CAUSE SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHEN NEEDED (I.E. ACCELERATING TO CHANGE LANES, CLIMBING A STEEP HILL, OR STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER BEING STOPPED AT A LIGHT) THESE EVENTS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY HONDA, BUT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS "NORMAL" EVENTS. HOWEVER, THESE POWER LOSS EVENTS CAN COME AT TIMES WHEN LOSS OF POWER CAN BE DANGEROUS. *JB

Mileage: 78,000

20021202ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC)

WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN, VEHICLE WILL HYDROPLANE(SKID ON A WET SURFACE), WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. . TS JG *JB

Mileage: 15,000

20021119TIRES

CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED PRIOR TO LEAVING FOR A TRIP, WHICH INCLUDED TIRE ROTATION. SOON AFTER, CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE PULLED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS BUMPING, WEAVING AND VIBRATING. A TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE TIRES WERE SEPARATING AND THE STEEL BELTS WERE STICKING OUT OF THE SIDES. *JG *DT

20020514STEERING

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLES DRIVEABILITY IS UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING ABOVE SPEEDS OF 35 MPH ON UNEVEN OR GROOVED PAVEMENT, WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON THESE TYPES OF ROAD SURFACES, THE VEHICLES STEERING BECOMES ABNORMALLY UNSTABLE (SWERVES) AND DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, THE VEHICLES NONCONFORMITY HAS FORCED CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*JB

20011015STEERING

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLES DRIVEABILITY IS UNSAFE WHEN DRIVING ABOVE SPEEDS OF 35 MPH ON UNEVEN OR GROOVED PAVEMENT, WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON THESE TYPES OF ROAD SURFACES, THE VEHICLES STEERING BECOMES ABNORMALLY UNSTABLE (SWERVES) AND DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, THE VEHICLES NONCONFORMITY HAS FORCED CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*JB

20010809SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH AND WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKES VEHICLE SKIDDED OUT OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Compare 2001HONDAINSIGHT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 9 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 HONDA INSIGHT have?
The 2001 HONDA INSIGHT has 17 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 HONDA INSIGHT?
Yes, the 2001 HONDA INSIGHT has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 HONDA INSIGHT?
The most-complained component for the 2001 HONDA INSIGHT is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 2001 HONDA INSIGHT safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.