Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Honda S2000 problems

Owners filed 15 complaints about the 2005 Honda S2000 with NHTSA between Aug 2005 and Nov 2019. The most-cited component is power train (4).

Complaints
15
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
2
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 train4
  2. Electrical system2
  3. Vehicle speed control2
  4. Structure2
  5. Suspension1
  6. Seats1
  7. Engine1
  8. Air bags1
  9. Engine and engine cooling1
  10. Fuel system, gasoline1
  11. Exterior lighting1
  12. Other / unknown1

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
20051
20063
20070
20080
20092
20102
20111
20120
20131
20140
20151
20161
20170
20182
20191

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

4 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA S2000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DOWN SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2011Power trainODI 10434135

Electrical system

2 reports1 fire
“I HAVE A 2005 HONDA S2000 THAT HAS A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT HAS COME ON & HAS A INTERNAL ERROR COMING FROM MY OBS2 READER. THE CAR ACTS UP LIKE YOU TURNED THE KEY OFF & ON WHEN DRIVING. IF THEY ARE A RECALL I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF ONE. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR 9 MONTHS & IT STARTED AT 6 MONTHS. THE CAR PROBLEM SEEM TO HAVE EFFECTED THE ACCELERATION AT LOW RPMS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2016Electrical systemODI 10897542

Vehicle speed control

2 reports1 crash
“DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 45MPH - ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL - THE CAR IMMEDIATELY PICKUP UP SPEED AND CONTINUED ACCELERATION AT INCREASING RATES. DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL (WHICH NORMALLY DISENGAGES THE CRUISE CONTROL) DID NOT DISENGAGE CRUISE. DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH - WHICH NORMALLY DISENGAGES THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE THE CRUISE, AND THE ENGINE RACED AWAY. ONLY WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS SWITCHED OFF DID THE ENGAGE REDUCE THE SPEED. THE CAR WAS LEFT IN A BUSINESS INTERSECTION THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED AS THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I RECREATED THE INCIDENT AGAIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AND AGAIN HAD TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF TO SHUT DOWN THE RACING ENGINE. THE CAR STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLE BACK UNDER CONTROL AND STOPPED THIS TIME. AT THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER THIS MORNING - VIC BAILEY IN SPARTANBURG, SC - THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE SWITCH AND A CABLE REEL (?) BEING THE SOURCE OF THE MALFUNCTION. THEY ARE REPAIRING THE CAR AT A COST OF $580. I HAVE ASKED THEM TO SAVE ALL THE PARTS AND RETURN WITH THE CAR. THIS INCIDENT IS TO NO WAY REFLECT ON VIC BAILEY HONDA AS THE CAR WAS NOT PURCHASED THERE, NOR SERVICED THERE ON A ROUTINE BASIS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 5, 2013Vehicle speed controlODI 10496438

Structure

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA S2000. THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A CROSS BAR ON THE INTERIOR ON THE VEHICLE THAT HAS BROKEN DOWN THE FABRIC OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP AND HAS CAUSED THE TOP TO SPLIT. THE DEALER STATED THIS WAS KNOWN, BUT THE DEALER SAID THE VEHICLE OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE DEALERS STATEMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2010StructureODI 10371975

Suspension

1 report1 crash
“THIS 2005 HONDA S2K LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE AND THEN BENT THE TIE ROD AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE AND WHICH SENT THE TIRE UNDER THE UNIBODY OF THE CAR. WHICH FOR A REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR IS VERY BAD. YOU WILL HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE CAR IN THIS SCENARIO.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 30, 2019SuspensionCrash reportedODI 11283010

Seats

1 report
“THE LEFT SEAT ADJUSTMENT RAIL FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE BOLT HOLDING THE FORWARD END OF THE RAIL TO THE FLOOR. THIS ALLOWED THE DRIVERS SEAT TO ROCK BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. I HAD ADJUSTED THE SEAT FORWARD TO MY USUAL DRIVING POSITION, AND PUSHED BACKWARD ON THE SEAT TO CHECK THAT THE ADJUSTER WAS LOCKED. WHEN I DID THAT, THE SEAT BRACKET BROKE LOOSE AND THE SEAT TILTED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE REPLACED THE BROKEN RAIL, HONDA PART NUMBER 81660-S2A-A02. I PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE RIGHT SIDE DRIVER'S SEAT RAIL (81670-S2A-A02) WHEN THE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM JAMMED, IN JANUARY2011. THAT PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE NEW FROM HONDA. ALL BOLTS WERE REINSTALLED ACCORDING TO TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS IN THE HONDA S2000 FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2018SeatsODI 11132023
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.