2003 Honda S2000 recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Tires

  WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR AND DROVE IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. AN INSPECTION SHOWED THE TIRE WAS SLIGHTLY INFLATED. (THE RIM WAS NOT CRUSHED INTO THE RUBBER.) I DETERMINED THAT THE SAFEST THING TO DO WAS TO DRIVE THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER AND TAKE THE FIRST EXIT TO GET AWAY FROM THE HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC WHERE I CHANGED THE TIRE. THE TIRE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO RIDING ON AN UNDER INFLATED TIRE. THIS IS NOT SO. BEFORE THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED, I WALKED TO MY CAR FROM THE RIGHT REAR AND I WOULD HAVE NOTICED AN UNDER…

  May 6, 2008 · 23,000 miles
• Structure

  THE CONVERTIBLE SOFT TOP SEEMS TO HAVE LITTLE HOLES APPEARING THROUGHOUT THE TOP. ALSO CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP ARE ALSO RIPPED DUE TO MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS. *TR

  Apr 19, 2007
• Engine and engine cooling

  SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE VEHICLE THOROUGHLY MAINTAINED LOST VALVE IN CYLINDER 3.I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT VEHICLE WAS OVER REVVED. I WAS AT A CONSTANT SPEED ON THE HIGH WAY WITH A STATE TROOPER IN FRONT OF ME SO THERE WENT THE OVER REVVED THEORY THAT THEY SEEM TO LIKE PRESENTING EVERYONE. SO IF SOME ONE COULD TELL ME WHY HONDA IS SCREWING EVERYBODY OVER WITH THEIR WARRANTY CLAIM I WOULD APPRECIATE IT,SINCE THE DEALER WANTS TO PUT A MOTOR IN THE CAR FOR 11K.P.S. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 7,000 MILES AND OWE CLOSE TO 200O0 ON THE CAR SO WHAT DO I DO FROM HERE?IM SPEAKING WITH A LAWYER ABOUT CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS BEING TOLD THE…

  May 3, 2007 · 50,500 miles
• Steering › Column locking › Anti-theft deviceCrash

  DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED TWICE FOR ABOUT THREE SECONDS EACH TIME. THREE MINUTES LATER, WHILE ENTERING A CURVE, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT HIT A CONCRETE BARRICADE ON THE LEFT SIDE , CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BOUNCE BACK ONTO THE ROAD AND HITTING THE CONCRETE BARRICADE A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE QUARTER PANEL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND FOUND PART OF THE STEERING COLUMN LYING ON THE ROAD ABOUT 25 FEET BEFORE THE CRASH SITE. THE PART WAS NOT RETRIEVED DUE TO THE TRAFFIC. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER BOTH WERE…

  Dec 27, 2005 · 18,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline

  ENGINE SIEZED, HONDA REFUSES TO HONOR WARRANTY. ALTERNATELY CLAIMS LOW OIL WHICH IS INCORRECT, AND NO OIL LIGHT WAS INDICATED, OR AFTERMARKET AIR INTAKE SYSTEM IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF MAGUNUSSON - MOSS. ESCALATION TO HONDA HQ HAS RESULTED IN NO RESPONSE.*AK SAFETY ISSUE: IF THIS HAD OCCURED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE REAR WHEELS WOULD HAVE IMEDIATELY LOCKED UP CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND ASSOCIATED ACCIDENT/INJURY.

  Oct 1, 2004 · 26,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY. 14741 MILES ON CAR.OIL LEVEL WAS FULL AND HAD ~1600 MILES ON OIL AND FILTER CHANGE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. WARRANTY DENIED BY HONDA. ENGINE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE.*AK

  Nov 12, 2003 · 14,741 miles
• Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY CASE. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER SINCE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID IT WAS A COMPUTER GLICH AND THEY RESET THE COMPUTER. A WEEK LATER ON A TRIP TO TEXAS THE LIGHT RETURNED. WE TOOK THE CAR AGAIN TO THE CLOSEST HONDA DEALER IN TEXAS. THEY CHECKED CAR AND REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES. THE LIGHT STAYED! THEY THEN SAID THAT CYLINDER 2 FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL DAYS! THEY TOLD US TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME TO OKLAHOMA AND THEN TAKE IT TO OUR HONDA DEALER. WE DID AND NOW THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER SAYS THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS CYLINDER 2 REPLACED! THEY SAY IT ISN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE…

  Jun 7, 2004 · 13,778 miles
• Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipCrash

  WHILE BRAKING VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT A GUARD RAIL. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP , BUT DEALERSHIP DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

  Apr 13, 2004 · 13,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.