NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Honda Insight Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2002 Honda Insight has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 12 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Honda dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2002 Honda Insight, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2002 Honda Insight owner complaints

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Honda Insight, describing incidents dated November 10, 2001 to December 23, 2015.

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting 8 complaints
Electrical System 2 complaints
Power Train 1 complaint
Tires 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10818606 · Filed January 7, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS MELTED AND CAUSED THE LOW BEAM FAILURE AND THAT THE LIGHT SWITCH AND…
ODI #10616244 · Filed July 25, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V086000 (EXTERIOR…
ODI #10504859 · Filed March 28, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED THEY WOULD FAIL INTERMITTENTLY AT UNKNOWN, INTERVALS AT RANDOM.. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE…

Read all 12 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2002 Honda Insight in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP22-005: Pedestrian alert sounds
Closed August 7, 2023
- Recall 22V-063

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

HONDA/LOW BEAM LIGHTING

NHTSA #04V086000 · Exterior Lighting — Headlights · NHTSA notice

Reported February 24, 2004 · HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)

Potentially affected: 440,000 vehicles

Honda campaign P23 · Owners notified April 5, 2004 · Vehicles built April 27, 2001 – April 27, 2001 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE LOW-BEAM TERMINAL ON THE HEAD LIGHT WIRE HARNESS CAN OVERHEAT AND COULD CAUSE THE LOW BEAMS TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING.

Safety consequence

AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF LOW BEAMS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH AND COUPLER FOR SIGNS OF HEAT DAMAGE. IF HEAT DAMAGE IS PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE SWITCH AND COUPLER. IF NO HEAT DAMAGE IS PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH AND ONE MATING PIN IN THE COUPLER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.

Notes

CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

2002 Honda Insight 2-DR.

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

1 investigation

12 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Honda Insight.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10818606

Incident: December 23, 2015 · Filed: January 7, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS MELTED AND CAUSED THE LOW BEAM FAILURE AND THAT THE LIGHT SWITCH AND CONNECTOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 278,000.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10616244

Incident: July 23, 2014 · Filed: July 25, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V086000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10504859

Incident: February 21, 2013 · Filed: March 28, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED THEY WOULD FAIL INTERMITTENTLY AT UNKNOWN, INTERVALS AT RANDOM.. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 4/26/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE, AS STATED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. UPDATED 05/01/13

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10438732

Incident: December 5, 2011 · Filed: December 6, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED WHEN THEY SUDDENLY FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. IMMEDIATELY, THE HIGH BEAMS WERE ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT REPLACED BOTH LOW BEAM BULBS AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V086000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND THEY BOTH INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10373284

Incident: December 16, 2010 · Filed: December 29, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE LOW BEAM SWITCH BURNED OUT. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS BLEW OUT. THE DEALER STATE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 04V086000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: HEADLIGHTS). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO VERIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,678. UPDATED 03/03/11 *BF UPDATED 03/07/11

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10247598

Incident: October 29, 2008 · Filed: November 3, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA INSIGHT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HIGH BEAMS WERE ACTIVATED. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS, THEY COMPLETELY DIMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO HER RESIDENCE AND HER HUSBAND REPLACED THE BULBS AND CHECKED THE RELAY. HER HUSBAND THOUGHT THAT THE RELAYS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, WHEN THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, THEY STATED THAT THE RELAYS WERE NOT DEFECTIVE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL; HOWEVER, HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD REIMBURSE HER IF ANOTHER RECALL WAS OPENED AND WAS RELATED TO HER VIN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,565 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,321. UPDATED 11-25-08 *BF THE SWTICH ON THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 11/26/08. *JB

Electrical System

ODI #10231255

Incident: June 15, 2008 · Filed: June 17, 2008

WHEN MEASURED WITH A TRIFIELD METER, THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD (EMF) IMPACTING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER ARE DANGEROUSLY HIGH. THE DRIVER IS RECEIVING UP TO 135 MILLIGAUSS (MG) AT THE HIP, AND UP TO 100 MG IN THE UPPER TORSO AND HEAD AREA. (UNDER 10 MG IS CONSIDERED SAFE.) SEE HTTP://CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/HONDA_INSIGHT.HTML. *TR

Power Train

ODI #10217002

Incident: November 9, 2007 · Filed: February 5, 2008

CAR STARTED JUDDERING AND LOOSING POWER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THERE WAS A "JUDDER RECALL". AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK, TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY MENTIONED TO ME THAT THE FLYWHEEL HAD GREASE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AMERICAN HONDA DENIED MY CLAIM TO GET THIS COVERED. CVT TRANSMISSION IS SKIPPING, JUDDERING AND FAILS TO DELIVER POWER CORRECTLY. *TR

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10217001

Incident: February 5, 2008 · Filed: February 5, 2008

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY LOW BEAMS WENT OUT... SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL... CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS RECALL: ID 04V086000 FROM FEB, 24 2004. CALLED HONDA AND THEY MENTIONED THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THIS ISSUE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENS TO ME. FIRST TIME I TOOK IT TO A REGULAR MECHANIC THAT REPLACED THE SWITCH... THIS TIME I AM ALSO PAYING FOR IT. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE HARNESS... *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10042209

Filed: October 2, 2003

BATTERY IS DISCHARGING WITHIN 18 HOURS OF DRIVING. THE MANUAL/INSTRUCTION BOOKLET DOES NOT ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO UNDERSTAND THE LIMIT OF DRIVING DISTANCE WHEN TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES. THIS IS A GAS OPERATED VEHICLE.*AK

Other Honda Insight model years

Check your 2002 Honda Insight VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Honda Insight at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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