Here Are The Honda S2000 Years To Avoid

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Blue Honda S2000

Source: Pixabay

The Honda S2000 was initially unveiled as a concept vehicle at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show, and manufacturing began in 1999 to commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary.

Honda made significant adjustments to the S2000 during the course of its short 10-year existence, resulting in three distinct models: the AP1, AP2, and CR. While it has a loyal following and fan base, the S2000 had their fair share of issues. Here are the Honda S2000 years to avoid.

 Registered number of complaints by model year

  • 2000: 3
  • 2001: 1
  • 2002: 1
  • 2003: 2
  • 2004: 4
  • 2005: 1
  • 2006: 0
  • 2007: 2
  • 2008: 1
  • 2009: 0

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Common issues across all S2000 model years

  • Excessive gear grinding
  • Excessive noise from the wheel bearings
  • Engine misfiring

The first of minor inconvenience issues with the S2000 is that the gears grind when the car is exposed to cold temperatures. When you change into second gear, you’ll notice it the most. Allowing the transmission fluid and shifter oil to warm up is the best approach to cure this problem. If it doesn’t work, try using Honda’s high-temperature urea grease.

Because the S2000 uses a solid, non-vented rear disc braking system, the rear wheel bearings tend to wear out very rapidly. Each disc generates heat, which is passed to the wheel bearing, which can only take so much. What’s the end result? The wheel bearings are making a grating noise. This is more likely if you use aftermarket S2000 wheels, especially if they have extreme widths or offsets that place extra strain on these bearings and cause excessive noise. 

When your automobile has a vacuum leak, it struggles to achieve the appropriate air to fuel ratio, which causes misfiring. It might also be due to worn coil packs, filthy fuel injectors, or outdated spark plugs. Simply inspecting the coil packs will reveal the source of the problem. While these issues aren’t make or break, they certainly add some challenges for the Honda S200 years to avoid.

Honda S2000 Years To Avoid - 2000 Model

The concept vehicle for the S2000 debuted at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show was a design study for the commercial version of the S2000. A five-cylinder engine drove the SSM, which was a rear-wheel-drive roadster. It had a robust ‘high X-bone frame,’ according to Honda, which increased the vehicle’s stiffness and crash safety. For several years after that, the SSM appeared at numerous car shows, hinting at the prospect of a production version, which Honda debuted in 1999 and kept mostly unaltered until 2004. Like many other makes and models, the first model year had noticeable problems.

THE MOST RELIABLE YEAR FOR THE HONDA S2000

It only lasted a decade, but in that time, it developed a significant fanbase. If you want a used version of this car for your driveway, you might wonder - what is the most reliable Honda S2000 year on the market?

The number of reported issues in each category are according to carcomplaints.com.

  • Engine: 3 from drivers; (from NHTSA): 6
  • Lights (from NHTSA): 8
  • Windows & Windshield (from NHTSA): 8
  • Seat Belts & Air Bags (from NHTSA): 7
  • Body & Paint (from NHTSA): 7
  • Transmission (from NHTSA): 3
  • Drivetrain (from NHTSA): 3
  • Electrical (from NHTSA): 2
  • Fuel System (from NHTSA): 2
  • Interior Accessories (from NHTSA): 2
  • Steering (from NHTSA): 1
  • Brakes (from NHTSA): 1
  • Wheels & Hubs (from NHTSA): 1
  • Suspension (from NHTSA): 1

 Common issues and average vehicle mileage:

  • Engine failure around 60,000 miles
  • Power loss over 200,000 miles (maybe somewhat expected)

 Exterior lights failure

 The criteria of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, “lamps, reflecting devices, and accompanying equipment,” are not met by certain passenger cars. The side marker lamp lens and the side reflex reflector in the tail light assembly were made with the wrong dye.

Seat belt retractors

 Vehicle description: Passenger cars with seat belt retractors. The seat belt retractor can distort under certain circumstances, resulting in total or frequent retractor lockup. As a result, the seat belts are unable to be drawn out of the retractor and are therefore unable to be utilized.

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Hardtop seat belts

Convertible passenger cars are described as follows: The seat belts may not retract correctly when the convertible top is down, and the seat is pulled all the way back, resulting in slack in the seat belts.

The 2000 S2000 has 108 Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), which are official communications between Honda and its dealerships that outline troubleshooting and repair procedures. By law in the United States, all car manufacturers must make their TSBs public.

  • Airbags
  • Electrical system: Ignition
  • Engine: Exhaust system, emission control, cooling system, gasoline, and engine
  • Equipment: Electrical, anti-theft device, radio and CD player, vehicle labels, and air conditioner
  • Exterior lighting: Headlights and taillights
  • Fuel system: Gas tank, storage tank, and pressure relief
  • Power train: Clutch, manual transmission, automatic transmission, TCM and PCM control module, axle assembly, and driveline
  • Seats: Front assembly and power adjusting
  • Seat belts: Retractor mechanism
  • Service brakes: Hydraulic fluid, limited-slip, and anti-lock and traction control
  • Structure: Body, roof, frame, pillars, and underbody
  • Suspension: Front control arm, front wheel bearing, and rear wheels
  • Tires
  • Visibility: Windshield and automatic window controls

 Honda S2000 Years To Avoid - 2004 Model

 Several important alterations were made to the 2004 model S2000. The updated model came with 17-inch as well as a suspension that was returned to decrease oversteer. To increase stability, springs and shock absorbers were changed, as well as the suspension. It also came with a new look on the front and rear bumpers, updated headlamp assemblies, new LED taillights, and oval-tipped exhaust pipes were added to the exterior.

The number of reported issues in each category are according to carcomplaints.com.

  • Interior Accessories 3
  • Electrical 1
  • Transmission 3 (NHTSA)
  • Drivetrain 1 (NHTSA)
  • Body & Paint 1 (NHTSA)

 Common issues and average vehicle mileage:

  • Broken seat backs 115,000
  • Ignition failure 150,000
  • Broken interior material around 100,000

 The 2004 S2000 has 21 TSBs sent as official communication from Honda to its dealerships and include:

  • Airbags
  • Brakes: hydraulic system, anti locks, traction control, and limited-slip
  • Electrical system and control panel
  • Engine and cooling system
  • Equipment: radio and tape deck, CD player, interior labels, and air conditioner
  • Exterior headlights
  • Fuel system: pressure relief, hydraulic system, antilock, and traction control
  • Frame and body structure
  • Power train: clutch assembly, pedal, manual transmission, and axle assembly
  • Suspension: front control arm and front wheel bearings
  • Windshield visibility

 In the backdrop of the automotive industry crisis, production of the S2000 halted in June 2009, and plans for a replacement were scrapped. After patents and trademark applications for what would be the Honda Sports Vision Gran Turismo appeared in 2015, following the unveiling of the aforementioned concept car particularly intended for the Gran Turismo series, Honda confirmed their position on plans for a successor for the S2000. Honda reported that worldwide sales through the end of 2008 reached 110,673 units during the 2009 announcement of the vehicle’s manufacturing termination.

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