AI Damage2001 Honda S2000: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Honda S2000 filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 23% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 23% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 15% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (23% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Tires: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I got out to see what happened and several witnesses stopped to see if I was ok from there descriptions I gathered that the front driver side wheel had buckled under the car causing it to pivot on that wheel that was now parallel to the ground and still partially attached to the car upon further inspection I found the…
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.
However it was keep getting really warm and causing the car pulling one side and shaking on the steering wheel. Next day when I check my brakes and brake calipers I found out my brake caliper was seized. After a few searching on internet I found out it is a common problem.
The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the brakes failed to engage. The contact lost control of the vehicle and entered into the left lane. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the dealer advised that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. The dealer did not perform a diagnostic.
Last winter the power steering periodically failed when I started the car in cold weather, in the 30 degree or colder range. It did not work properly until the car warmed up. Before it warmed up, the car had no power steering and was very difficult to steer.
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.
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.
A few minutes after exiting i95 to i495 (inner loop) I smelled burning rubber, then noticed my rear tire was smoking like crazy. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road, and managed to avoid oncoming rush hour traffic (very dangerous).
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,843 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S2000 has 12 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 13, about average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Honda S2000?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, steering, service brakes. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (15%), brake failure (8%), A/C or heater (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Honda S2000?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2001 Honda S2000 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2001 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.