Problems · NHTSA complaints
2010 Honda Insight problems
Owners filed 119 complaints about the 2010 Honda Insight with NHTSA between Feb 2010 and Jun 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (57).
Complaints
119
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
21
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags57
- Structure15
- Service brakes12
- Vehicle speed control8
- Exterior lighting7
- Electrical system7
- Seat belts6
- Suspension5
- Engine4
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Visibility4
- Steering3
- Tires3
- Engine and engine cooling3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
15
5
8
5
6
8
42
9
8
2
3
0
0
5
2
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 15 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 42 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
57 reports11 crashes10 related recalls
“The contact is a police officer with the Florida Highway Patrol. The deceased owned a 2010 Honda Insight. The vehicle was at a stop sign attempting to traverse an intersection. The deceased struck the left front of another vehicle that was in the intersection with the front end of the vehicle. The air bag deployed, the other vehicle's air bag did not deploy. The deceased was transported by ambulance and pronounced dead at a trauma center. The air bag was identified as a Takata air bag, and following an autopsy, one metal fragment from the inflator was found lodged in the deceased's chest. The Florida Highway Patrol was on the scene and filed a report. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Structure
15 reports1 crash
“I've been told that my car is unsafe to drive and unable to pass inspection because the rear subframe is corroded at the suspension mounting points which might cause the rear suspension to fail.”
Service brakes
12 reports8 crashes
“AS I WAS GOING TO PARK MY 2010 INSIGHT INTO A PARKING SPOT BETWEEN TWO CARS, THE CAR SUDDENLY LUNGED OUT OF CONTROL HITTING THE CAR ON MY LEFT, THEN PROCEEDED TO SLAM INTO A METAL BARRIER IN FRONT OF THE SPOT, THEN FLEW UP ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND SLAMMED DOWN ONTO THE CAR ON MY RIGHT. I HAD NO USE OF THE BRAKES OR CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE METAL BARRIER BROKE THE CAR FROM MOVING--HAD IT NOT BEEN THERE MY CAR WOULD HAVE DROPPED TO THE LEVEL BELOW ONTO PARKED CAR--IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. I LIVE IN CA AND THIS IS DEEMED MY FAULT--ALTHOUGH IT WAS BEYOND MY CONTROL. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND ON ONE WEBSITE THAT 17 CONSUMERS EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR ACCIDENT/ISSUE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO WARNINGS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH HYBRID VEHICLES--EXCEPT THE TOYOTA RECALL. THESE CARS ARE AN ENDANGERMENT TO THE THE DRIVER, AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS AND PEOPLE IN THE VICINITY OF THE CAR IF THEY ARE WALKING NEAR IT. HERE IS A GOOGLE DRIVE LINK OF PICTURES FROM THE SCENE: HTTPS://DRIVE.GOOGLE.COM/DRIVE/FOLDERS/1M1WKRXOOCXHKIRZNU0FEDKIEZ7GKBY28 PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS INCIDENT IS COSTING ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AS WELL, I'M CURRENTLY NOT WORKING AND BECAUSE OF MY FEAR OF THE CAR I…”
Vehicle speed control
8 reports5 crashes
“2010 HONDA INSIGHT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ACCELERATION ISSUES. *SMD CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS BRAKING, HE EXPERIENCED AN ACCELERATION SURGE. HE COULD FEEL THE BRAKES WORKING, BUT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP TRYING TO OVER POWER THE BRAKES. IN DESPERATION, HE PUSHED THE SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV FOR A MOMENT, THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE DEALER UPGRADED THE SOFTWARE. HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED A SECOND TIME, AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. *JB THE DEALER TRIED TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM BY UPDATING THE SOFTWARE. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE CONSUMER NOTICED ON ONE OCCASION, THE BATTERY IMA CHARGE/ASSIST GAUGE WENT HIGHER INTO THE BLUE. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD BECOME STIFF. UPDATED 11/04/15. *JB”
Exterior lighting
7 reports
“RECENTLY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT HAS BEEN FLICKERING AND I WAS STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER WHO TOLD ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING. HE GAVE ME A VERBAL WARNING AND TOLD ME TO HAVE IT REPAIRED RIGHT AWAY. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. HE SUGGESTED THAT I DO A VIN CHECK TO SEE IF THIS PROBLEM FELL UNDER A RECALL. UNFORTUNATELY IT DOES NOT AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS QUITE EXPENSIVE. IT SEEMS THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.”
Electrical system
7 reports1 crash
“2010 HONDA INSIGHT, 179131; CODE 33-21 INCREASED RESISTANCE THE LEFT SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG FIRST INFLATOR, WHEN LIGHT AIR BAG ON IN SATURDAY, I BRING MY CAR IN THE DEALER(10/31/16)THERE CHANGE RECALL ONLY DRIVER AIR BAG (NO CHARGE PART AND LABOR) ,THE PROBLEM TAKATA NO HAVE RECALL ABOUT LEFT SIDE CURTAIN, BAD TOO, I NO HAVE INCIDENT NOW, I SCARED FOR MY KIDS, AFTER THERE CHANGE AIR BAG DRIVER LIGHT ON DIFFERENT CODE AND I THINK SAME PROBLEM CODE 33-1 OPEN-/INCREASED RESISTANCE LF SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG INFLATOR, I PAID DIAGNOSTIC IN THE DEALER SAID IS BAD FLOOR AND CABIN WIRE HARNESS ALL IN THE LEFT SIDE FOR FIX PARTS AND LABOR IS 1610.84, I FIX 2 MOTHS AGO TRANSMISSION, I CHECK RECALL HAVE OTHER MODEL ABOUT PROBLEM SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG INFLATOR, I DON'T NOT WHY NO HAVE FOR INSIGHT?, I NOT CAN MORE DRIVING MY CAR NOW BECAUSE I LOVE MY FAMILY , TAKATA NEED PEOPLE DIED FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR RECALL?, PLEASE HELP ME, THANKS.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.