AI Damage2004 Honda S2000: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Honda S2000 filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 80% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 20% of all complaints
- 3 Visibility 20% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (80% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Visibility: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- manual, 6-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: RWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 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.
The differential went out. I know this may sound like a maintenance problem, but this is very common in the honda s2000 community. The metal (gears) in the housing begin to break apart.
About a year ago I put my soft top down on my 2004 honda s2000 when all of the sudden I heard a loud pop. I could not find anything wrong at the time until I started driving with my top up and heard a lot of whispering sounds. There was a fine cut right above the release latch/hinge on my soft top.
2004 honda s2000 manual transmission will pop out of gear from 1st to 2nd and from 3rd to 2nd gear. Unable to put the car into gear until the car slows almost to complete stop. This is dangerous.
I have an 04 honda s2000. The transmission will sometimes pop out of 1st or 2nd gear when you let out the clutch. Almost like it was not in gear to begin with. This is a known issue on the 04 s2000. The service engineer that works for honda knows about the problem but honda refuses to make the repairs.
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 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S2000 has 12 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Honda S2000?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, structure, visibility. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 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 2004 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 2004 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.