Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Honda S2000 problems

Owners filed 23 complaints about the 2001 Honda S2000 with NHTSA between Aug 2001 and Dec 2025. The most-cited component is power train (6).

Complaints
23
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train6
  2. Air bags4
  3. Steering3
  4. Engine and engine cooling3
  5. Visibility2
  6. Electrical system2
  7. Tires2
  8. Service brakes1
  9. Suspension1
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  11. Fuel system, gasoline1
  12. Structure1

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 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20011
20021
20034
20043
20054
20062
20070
20080
20091
20103
20111
20120
20130
20141
20150
20161
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20251

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

6 reports
“2001 HONDA CIVIC LX TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THE HWY AT ABOUT 60MPH NO WARNING ENGINE JUST STARTING REVVING FROM WHAT I HEAR THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS YEAR OF HONDAS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 24, 2010Power trainODI 10357371

Air bags

4 reports1 crash
“HONDA SENT ME A LETTER ASKING ME TO BRING MY 2001 HONDA CIVIC TO THE HONDA DEALER FOR AIRBAG RECALL. I CALLED THE HONDA DEALER IN SANTA ANA CALIFORNIA TO PLAN TO BRING THE CAR TO THEM ON SATURDAY WHEN I COULD BE OFF FROM THE WORK. THE HONDA DEALER SAID ON SATURDAY THEY ONLY DO "REGULAR SERVICES", NOT RECALL REPAIR. THEN TODAY I TOOK A DAY OFF FROM THE WORK TO GO TO THE HONDA DEALER, BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS, AND ASKED ME TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK. IS THIS RECALL UNIMPORTANT? WHY CAN THEY DO REVENUE-SERVICE BUT NOT RECALL-SERVICE ON WEEKEND? WHY DON'T THEY EVEN HAVE PARTS IN STOCK FOR RECALL? ARE HONDA AND HONDA DEALERS HANDLING THE RECALL IN A PROFESSIONAL AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2010Air bagsODI 10349133

Steering

3 reports1 crash
“This vehicle has the same steering mechanism and the same mechanical issues as the Honda sedans recall earlier this year,, The steering suddenly becomes difficult to turn and hard to maintain. You can restart the car and the steering mechanism will also reset.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2025SteeringODI 11703971

Engine and engine cooling

3 reports1 crash
“AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS MISSING AND KNOCKING. THE MALFUNCTION LOCKS UP THE TRANSMISSION WHILE IN MOTION AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL ON THE FREEWAY AND SOMETIMES UNABLE TO DOWNSHIFT MAKING HARD TO SLOW DOWN. THE EGR VALVE SYSTEM IS ALSO CLOGGED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE POORLY AND POLLUTING THE AIR. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2005Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10144393

Visibility

2 reports
“I HAVE A 2001 HONDA S2000, WHICH HAS JUST 30,000 MILES ON IT AND CAME WITH A PLASTIC REAR WINDOW. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE REAR WINDOW BEGAN TO DEVELOP POCK MARKS AND IT BECAME SO BAD THAT IT IS NOW IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT THE BACK. THE CAR BEEN MAINTAINED WELL AND I WAS INFORMED BY THE CAR WASH EXPERTS THAT THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE SUN AND BECAUSE THE REAR WINDOW IS PLASTIC. NOW, IT IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I HAVE CALLED HONDA AMERICA AND REPORTED IT AND REQUESTED THEM TO FIX IT. THEY ALSO SAID THEY WILL NOT FIX IT AND HAD NO SUGGESTIONS EVEN WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS I NOR MY WIFE OR ANYBODY CAN SEE OUT THE REAR WINDOW. INCIDENTALLY, ONE ISSUE IS THAT THE PLASTIC REAR WINDOW WAS DISCONTINUED IN 2001 AND FROM THE MODEL YEAR 2002 ONWARDS, HONDA USED A GLASS REAR WINDOW. AS A RESULT, THERE ARE NOT MANY VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM OUT THERE AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IF THE VEHICLE WERE GARAGED 24 HOURS, THAT THE SUN WOULD NOT BEAT ON THE PLASTIC WINDOW AND IT MAY STAY CLEAR. THUS, THERE IS VERY LITTLE OR NO INCENTIVE FOR HONDA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ON THEIR OWN VOLITION. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2009VisibilityODI 10290291

Electrical system

2 reports1 crash
“ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING FACTORS MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS FAILURE TO OCCUR: THE NORMAL WEAR OF HITTING BUMPS, OR TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCES IN THE SUMMER (I.E. SUDDEN A/C COOLING AFTER SITTING IN 90 DEG HEAT). I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER CAUSE. THE CLEAR PLASTIC WINDOW THE DRIVER SEES THROUGH WHEN VIEWING THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO CRACK IN MULTIPLE PLACES. OVER TIME THE CRACKS INCREASED IN SIZE. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE PRIMARILY COSMETIC, BUT COULD ALSO POSE A SLIGHT HAZARD WHILE TRYING TO READ THE NUMERIC READOUTS AND INDICATORS. HONDA REPLACED THE PART FOR FREE USING THE WARRANTY, BUT AS I SUSPECTED THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THIS COULD PROVE A MAJOR HEADACHE IF I HAVE TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WINDOW ONCE/YEAR. I'D LIKE A STRONGER PLASTIC OR GLASS REPLACEMENT IF POSSIBLE. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2006Electrical systemODI 10172485
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.