Total Complaints
53 filings
HONDA S2000 · model year
53 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2000HONDAS2000 carries 53 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 0 fires, 8 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 2000 S2000 is structure:body:roof and pillars with 5 filings, followed by visibility:glass, side/rear (5) and exterior lighting:tail lights (4). 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 3 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 2000 S2000, 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.
Total Complaints
53 filings
Crashes Reported
5 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 5 |
| VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR | 5 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| VISIBILITY | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CONVERTIBLE PASSENGER VEHICLES. WHEN THE CONVERTIBLE TOP IS DOWN AND THE SEAT IS PUSHED ALL THE WAY BACK, THE SEAT BELTS MAY NOT RETRACT PROPERLY RESULTING IN SLACK IN THE SEAT BELTS.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CAN DEFORM AND CAUSE COMPLETE OR FREQUENT LOCKING OF THE RETRACTOR. AS A RESULT, THE SEAT BELTS CANNOT BE PULLED OUT OF THE RETRACTOR AND CANNOT BE USED.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE LENS OF THE SIDE MARKER LAMP AND SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR IN THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY WERE MANUFACTURED WITH INCORRECT DYE.
WHILE DRIVING MY S2000 AND TURNING ON CURVY ROADS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN CORRECTLY AND ENDED UP IN A FIELD TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE NOTICED THE UPPER CONTROL ARM SPOT WELD BROKE FREE MEANING THE UPPER SUSPENSION MOUNT WAS NOT CONNECTED AND CAUSED THE INCIDENT. HONDA KNOWS IT'S AN ISSUE WITH 2000-2003 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES AND HAS ISSUED A TSB SN040903 "09/01/2004 POPPING FROM FRONT WHEEL UPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNT" MULTIPLE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE ISSUE OVER THE YEARS SO MUCH THAT MANY COMPANIES DEVELOPED REINFORCEMENT PLATES SUCH AS THESE: HTTPS://ORIGINFABRICATION.COM/PRODUCTS/UPPER-CONTROLL-ARM-MOUNTING-POINT-GUSSET-KIT-HONDA-S2000 IF THIS ISSUE HAD OCCURED JUST 500 FEET BEFORE I WOULD HAVE ENDED UP STEERING INTO AN ONCOMING SEMI-TRUCK.
Mileage: 79,520
WHILE DRIVING MY S2000 AND TURNING ON CURVY ROADS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN CORRECTLY AND ENDED UP IN A FIELD TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE NOTICED THE UPPER CONTROL ARM SPOT WELD BROKE FREE MEANING THE UPPER SUSPENSION MOUNT WAS NOT CONNECTED AND CAUSED THE INCIDENT. HONDA KNOWS IT'S AN ISSUE WITH 2000-2003 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES AND HAS ISSUED A TSB SN040903 "09/01/2004 POPPING FROM FRONT WHEEL UPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNT" MULTIPLE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE ISSUE OVER THE YEARS SO MUCH THAT MANY COMPANIES DEVELOPED REINFORCEMENT PLATES SUCH AS THESE: HTTPS://ORIGINFABRICATION.COM/PRODUCTS/UPPER-CONTROLL-ARM-MOUNTING-POINT-GUSSET-KIT-HONDA-S2000 IF THIS ISSUE HAD OCCURED JUST 500 FEET BEFORE I WOULD HAVE ENDED UP STEERING INTO AN ONCOMING SEMI-TRUCK.
Mileage: 79,520
WHILE DRIVING MY S2000 AND TURNING ON CURVY ROADS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN CORRECTLY AND ENDED UP IN A FIELD TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE NOTICED THE UPPER CONTROL ARM SPOT WELD BROKE FREE MEANING THE UPPER SUSPENSION MOUNT WAS NOT CONNECTED AND CAUSED THE INCIDENT. HONDA KNOWS IT'S AN ISSUE WITH 2000-2003 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES AND HAS ISSUED A TSB SN040903 "09/01/2004 POPPING FROM FRONT WHEEL UPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNT" MULTIPLE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE ISSUE OVER THE YEARS SO MUCH THAT MANY COMPANIES DEVELOPED REINFORCEMENT PLATES SUCH AS THESE: HTTPS://ORIGINFABRICATION.COM/PRODUCTS/UPPER-CONTROLL-ARM-MOUNTING-POINT-GUSSET-KIT-HONDA-S2000 IF THIS ISSUE HAD OCCURED JUST 500 FEET BEFORE I WOULD HAVE ENDED UP STEERING INTO AN ONCOMING SEMI-TRUCK.
Mileage: 79,520
YOUR WEB SITE DOES NOT SEARCH THE VIN. VIN IS CORRECT. WEB SITE IS UNRESPONSIVE
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2000 HONDA S2000...THIS PAST MONTH I REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS BECAUSE THE PLASTIC SHIELDS WHICH PROTECT THE LIGHTS HAD DETERIORATED SO MUCH THAT VIRTUALLY NO LIGHT WAS EMITTING FROM THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE PART WHICH WAS THE PROBLEM (THE PLASTIC LENS COVER OR SHIELD)CANNOT BE REPLACED AS A SEPARATE PART..YOU MUST PURCHASE THE COMPLETE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FROM HONDA...AS THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET ALTERNATIVE PARTS...THE COST FOR THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES WAS $1,100 PLUS TAXES...AGAIN NOTHING ELSE OTHER THAN THE ENCASEMENTS WERE REPLACED..STILL USING THE ORIGINAL BULBS, MOTORS, TRANSFORMERS, ETC.....IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT A PART WOULD DETERIORATE TO THE POINT OF IT BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT I AM STUCK WITH AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE OF CLOSE TO $1,200 TO CORRECT THE SITUATION... THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN OFFER IN THIS MATTER. *TR
Mileage: 82,000
DIP STICK SHOWED GOOD OIL LEVEL. HOWEVER, UPON DRIVING IT ONE DAY THE ENGINE BLEW AND THE LOW OIL WARNING LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. ENGINE CONSUMED OIL ENOUGH THAT IT THREW A ROD BEARING. REPLACED THE BEARINGS AND IT RAN ABOUT 24 MILES AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT DESTROYED THE CRANK IN NUMBER 2 CYLINDER. HONDA CORP. WASN'T VERY FRIENDLY ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH OIL DISTRIBUTION IN THIS CAR. *TR
Mileage: 27,000
THE HONDA S2000 IS A MANUAL SHIFT CAR. THE MAP SENSOR ON THIS PARTICULAR CAR ADJUSTS WHEN NEEDED TO CONTROL AIR INTAKE OF THIS CAR. DURING SHIFTING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE CAR WOULD COMPLETELY STALL AND SHUT OFF, DUE TO SOME TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH THIS SENSOR. ON DOZENS OF OCCASIONS, I WAS IN ATLANTA RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND THE CAR STALLED. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND I AM LUCKY THAT I OR NOBODY ELSE WAS HURT. LUCKILY I AM GOOD WITH A STICK SHIFT AND NEW TO PRESS THE SHIFT PEDAL AND COAST TO A SAFE PLACE WHERE I COULD RESTART THE CAR. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IF THEY HAD A WARRANTY ON ALL PARTS OF THE CAR THEY WOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS. BECAUSE OF THE APPROXIMATELY $900 REPAIR FEE, I SOUGHT HELP ON THE FORUMS OF THE LARGEST S2000 FANSITE. ON THE FORUMS SECTION OF THIS SITE, THERE ARE LITERALLY DOZENS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. IN FACT, THERE IS A SECTION ON THE FORUM CALLED THE "MAP WACK", A PROCEDURE WHERE YOU TAKE A HAMMER AND W
Mileage: 45,000
THE HONDA S2000 IS A MANUAL SHIFT CAR. THE MAP SENSOR ON THIS PARTICULAR CAR ADJUSTS WHEN NEEDED TO CONTROL AIR INTAKE OF THIS CAR. DURING SHIFTING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE CAR WOULD COMPLETELY STALL AND SHUT OFF, DUE TO SOME TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH THIS SENSOR. ON DOZENS OF OCCASIONS, I WAS IN ATLANTA RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND THE CAR STALLED. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND I AM LUCKY THAT I OR NOBODY ELSE WAS HURT. LUCKILY I AM GOOD WITH A STICK SHIFT AND NEW TO PRESS THE SHIFT PEDAL AND COAST TO A SAFE PLACE WHERE I COULD RESTART THE CAR. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IF THEY HAD A WARRANTY ON ALL PARTS OF THE CAR THEY WOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS. BECAUSE OF THE APPROXIMATELY $900 REPAIR FEE, I SOUGHT HELP ON THE FORUMS OF THE LARGEST S2000 FANSITE. ON THE FORUMS SECTION OF THIS SITE, THERE ARE LITERALLY DOZENS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. IN FACT, THERE IS A SECTION ON THE FORUM CALLED THE "MAP WACK", A PROCEDURE WHERE YOU TAKE A HAM
Mileage: 42,000
THE REAR PLASTIC WINDOW BECAME OPAQUE AND YELLOW, TO THE POINT WHERE 3 YEARS AFTER BUYING THE CAR, YOU COULD NOT SEE THROUGH IT AT ALL. THIS MADE THE CAR DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WHEN THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS NOT DOWN, BECAUSE REAR VISIBILITY WAS ONLY THROUGH THE SIDE MIRRORS. WHILE I WOULD CONSIDER A FUNCTIONAL REAR WINDOW TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, HONDA REFUSED TO REPLACE IT, SAYING MY WARRANTY DID NOT APPLY TO "UPHOLSTERY". I ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN IT WITH VARIOUS WINDOW CLEANERS, AND WHILE THEY HELPED RESTORE OPACITY, THEY DID NOT RESTORE TRANSPARENCY OR VISIBILITY. *JB
Mileage: 22,000
DEALER TRIED TO REMOVE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP DUE TO RECALL 004V160000 INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE COVER AS THE RECALL STATED. CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS GLUED TOGETHER WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO PICK IT UP. DEALER STATED THAT THE TOP IS GETTING OLD. *AK
Mileage: 37,000
PROBLEMS RECEIVING REIMBURSEMENT FOR TAILLIGHT SIDE MARKERS.*MR THE CONSUMER OPTED TO ORDER THE PARTS FROM HONDA AND REPLACE THE MARKER'S HIMSELF DUE TO THE COST OF LABOR. ONCE THE RECALL WAS RECEIVED HE RETURNED THE PROPER FORMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT. HE WAS LATER TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER REQUIRED PROOF FROM THE DEALER THE THE TAIL LIGHT WAS REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE FADING PROBLEM. *NM
CONSUMER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM DOES COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY YET NOTHING WAS BEING DONE BY THE DEALER TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ALSO, CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WILL NOT EVEN TALK TO CONSUMER TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
Mileage: 1,500
I OWN A 2000 HONDA S2000 CONVERTIBLE. SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE REAR WINDOW HAS STEADILY CLOUDED TO THE POINT THAT I CAN NO LONGER SEE THROUGH IT. MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER (JONES HONDA, 1335 MANHEIM PIKE, LANCASTER, PA 17603 717-394-0711) TELLS ME THE ENTIRE ROOF WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE WINDOW. THE COST IS IN EXCESS OF $2,000.00. I KNOW SEVERAL OTHER S2000 OWNERS AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO THEIR REAR WINDOWS.*AK
PREMATURE FAILURE OF CONNECTING RODS. *AK
THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT MADE A NOISE WHILE BEING RETRACTED. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES. *AK *JB
I HAVE A 2000 MODEL S2000 AND THE TAIL LIGHTS HAVE FADED FROM RED TO WHITE ON THE CORNERS OF THE TAIL LIGHTS. THIS IS A SAFTEY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED QUICKLY AND EASILY. I WILL CONTACT A DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN REPLACE THE TAILLIGHTS FREE OF CHARGE. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM FOR ANYONE WITH THE PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED TWO HONDA PRELUDES AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED AND DID NOT EXPECT A PROBLEM LIKE THIS ON ONE OF THE BEST CARS HONDA MAKES PRICED 10K MORE THAN MY OTHER HONDAS. *LA
Mileage: 57,000
FUEL CUT-OFF DURING LEFT TURN WHEN LESS THAN HALF A TANK OF FUEL. CREATES UNSTABLE DRIVING CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY WHEN LATERAL G-FORCES ARE APPLIED. RESEARCH BY AHM IS NEEDED TO FIND REMEDY.
Mileage: 63,000
HONDA F20C S2000 #4 CYLINDER FAILURE , AHM DID NOT COVER THIS UNDER MY WARRANTY.*AK
Mileage: 32,000
THE VINYL REAR WINDOW ON MY 2000 S2000 HAS FADED I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS RUN-INS WITH MY LOCAL DEALER AND AREA REP YOU CANNOT SEE OUT OF IT, IT HAS TURNED MILKY WHITE MAKING IT A VISUAL HAZARD SINCE YOU CAN'T SEE THRU IT ALSO MAKING THAT M.V. WILL FAIL IT FOR INSPECTION, I HAVE USED ALL THE RECOMMEDED CLEANERS AS WELL AS A BOOT THEY RECOMMENED. I HAD ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HONDA AUTOMOBILE AND GOT A NICE DEAR JOHN LETTER WITH NO SATISFACTION CASE # NO2003-11-1900869, AFTER SOME INQUIRING BYOU CAN BUY A NEW TOP WITH A GLASS BACK WINDOW FROM HONDA AND HAVE IT INSTALLED FOR A MERE $1600.00 BUT THEY WILL NOT CORRECT A VISUAL HAZARD CONDITION, IS THIS WHAT HONDA HAS COME TO. UNHAPPILY WAITING FOR AN ANSWER. *AK
I OWN A $32,000 HONDA S2000. AFTER ONLY 3 YEARS, MY TAIL LAMPS ARE SO FADED THAT THEY APPEAR ALMOST WHITE. WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M IN REVERSE! THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE IN MY EYES AND IN THE EYES OF THE COP THAT GAVE ME A TICKET FOR IT. I WENT TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER TO GET THIS FIXED, AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT THEY SAID THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T CARE, WORD FOR WORD! "THAT IS NOT OUR PROBLEM", IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAID. THIS IS SURELY MY LAST HONDA! I'LL SPEND MY $32,000 OR MORE SOMEWHERE ELSE. HONDA'S LOSS.*AK
Mileage: 27,000
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
Loss of Motive Power
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
Engine failure
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.