AI Damage2002 Honda S2000: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Honda S2000 filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 10
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 60% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 10% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 10% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 6 complaints (60% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
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 10 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and current mileages were 97,000.
While driving 44 mph vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. Consumer was not able to maintain control of the vehicle and it crashed into a cement barrier. Driver to sustained minor injuries. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection.
2002 honda s2000 engine shut off while driving due to sludge in the engine. Neither the dealer, manufacturer or the extended warranty would cover the cost of repair. Four weeks prior to the failure the engine shut down.
Oil level verified good by owner prior to leaving service station and at no time did the engine warning light come on. (2) "first failure", head damage due to misaligned valve and loss of compression on cylinder #3. Second failure, short-block damage due to oil loss and subsequent bearing damage.
Rick case honda's invoice - mileage at 38,488 miles; a difference of 9,540 miles.] this vehicle has had 2 engine failures in 1 1/2 years. Both due I believe to problems in the car not how it was driven/maintained. The initial factory warranty in august, 2002, was 36/36,000 and I purchased the extended warranty.
If I had driven the vehicle more often, I would have run the risk of having a tire problem (blowout or loss of control) due to unacceptable tire wear on the drive wheels.
Consumer stated while driving, there was a loud noise coming from the rear suspension.
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 10,921 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S2000 has 12 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 10, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- 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 2002 Honda S2000?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, air bags, suspension. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (20%), warning lights, check engine (20%), airbags did not deploy (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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.