AI Damage2003 Honda S2000: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Honda S2000 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 50% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 13% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 13% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (50% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 1 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (13% 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 8 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 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
The fire department arrived and found part of the steering column lying on the road about 25 feet before the crash site. The part was not retrieved due to the traffic. The driver and passenger both were wearing seat belts and sustained no injuries. A police report was taken.
While braking vehicle pulled to the right, causing the consumer to hit a guard rail. Consumer had the vehicle towed to dealership , but dealership did not resolve the problem.
The vehicle began vibrating suddenly and violently. I was able to control the car and drove it to the shoulder of the freeway. An inspection showed the tire was slightly inflated.
The convertible soft top seems to have little holes appearing throughout the top. Also certain portions of the convertible top are also ripped due to manufacturing problems.
Alternately claims low oil which is incorrect, and no oil light was indicated, or aftermarket air intake system in clear violation of magunusson - moss. Escalation to honda hq has resulted in no response.
Engine began knocking while driving normally. 14741 miles on car.oil level was full and had ~1600 miles on oil and filter change. Had vehicle towed to dealer. Warranty denied by honda. Engine replaced at my expense.
Check engine light came on in my case. I immediately took the car to my local honda dealer since it is still under warranty. They said it was a computer glich and they reset the computer. A week later on a trip to texas the light returned. We took the car again to the closest honda dealer in texas.
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 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S2000 has 12 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Honda S2000?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes, steering. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (13%), knocking, grinding or other noise (13%), oil leak or consumption (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 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 2003 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 2003 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.