Model year record
2004 Honda S2000 recalls & problems
The 2004 Honda S2000 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 5 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is power train (4 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2004 Honda S2000.
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
2004 Honda S2000 Convertible
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
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
S2000
| City / highway | 17 / 23 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
2.2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 6-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,100/year to fuel
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
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Power trainManual transmission; Automatic transmission | 4 | 25,000 mi |
| VisibilitySun/moon roof assembly | 1 | — |
| Structure | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Power train
THE DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT. I KNOW THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, BUT THIS IS VERY COMMON IN THE HONDA S2000 COMMUNITY. THE METAL (GEARS) IN THE HOUSING BEGIN TO BREAK APART. ALL IT TAKES IS A CHUNK OF THAT METAL TO LODGE IN TO THE WRONG GEAR AND YOUR WHEELS COULD LOCK UP AND IT DOESN'T CARE IF YOU ARE DOING 30 MPH OR 90 MPH. THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS OR EVEN DEADLY. MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 130K MILES ON IT. I WAS TAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM A DEAD STOP/STOP SIGN WHEN MINE FAILED, FORTUNATELY. AGAIN. THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR THESE (DIFFERENTIALS) TO FAIL. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF OF THE BUSY ROAD AND ON TO A RESIDENTIAL ROAD. IT HASN'T DROVE SINCE. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE…
- Structure
ABOUT A YEAR AGO I PUT MY SOFT TOP DOWN ON MY 2004 HONDA S2000 WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AT THE TIME UNTIL I STARTED DRIVING WITH MY TOP UP AND HEARD A LOT OF WHISPERING SOUNDS. THERE WAS A FINE CUT RIGHT ABOVE THE RELEASE LATCH/HINGE ON MY SOFT TOP. I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE HONDA DEALERSHIP OF WHOM I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MY EXACT PROBLEM FROM THE YEAR FROM 2005 TO 2008 FOR THE HONDA S2000. SEEING THAT I BOUGHT MY CAR USED (FROM THEIR LOT), OUT OF WARRANTY, AND NOT WITHIN THE YEARS THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS FOR, THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME OVER $2500 TO REPLACE THE TOP FOR A DEFECT…
- Power train › Manual transmission
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
- Visibility › Sun/moon roof assembly
TRANSMISSION IS ROUGH AND SOMETIMES "POPS" OUT OF 1ST GEAR. DURING HIGHER ACCELERATION SHIFTING GEARS OCCASIONALLY BECOME HARD TO DO. AS IF THEY ARE NOT LINED UP CORRECTLY. ALSO THE CLAMPS THAT HOLD THE CONVERTIBLE TOP UP BECOME DETERIORATED RATHER QUICKLY. THIS WEAKER LOCK BEGINS TO RATTLE AND MAKE ALL KINDS OF SOUNDS DURING DRIVING. *AK
- Power train › Manual transmission
I HAVE AN 04 HONDA S2000. THE TRANSMISSION WILL SOMETIMES POP OUT OF 1ST OR 2ND GEAR WHEN YOU LET OUT THE CLUTCH. ALMOST LIKE IT WAS NOT IN GEAR TO BEGIN WITH. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON THE 04 S2000. THE SERVICE ENGINEER THAT WORKS FOR HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT HONDA REFUSES TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA BECAUSE YOU COULD TRY TO ACCELERETE THROUGH A SMALL BREAK IN TRAFFIC, MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AND DRIFT RIGHT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH THE ENGINE REVVING AND NO ACCELERATION AND GET KILLED.*AK
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.