2001 Honda INSIGHT: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
15 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
69,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 12 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 15 complaints (26.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 20.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 13.3% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 13.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 6.7% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 6.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 4 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control:Automatic (Asc) | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 |
Exterior Lighting: 4; Air Bags: 1; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Electronic Stability Control:Automatic (Asc): 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 3
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2001: 2; 2002: 2; 2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2006: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 2; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2014: 1; 2016: 1; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10039188 · 2003-09-20 (September 20, 2003)
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES RANDOM EVENTS OF POWER LOSS (IMA BATTERY RECALIBRATING) THAT CAUSE SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHEN NEEDED (I.E. ACCELERATING TO CHANGE LANES, CLIMBING A STEEP HILL, OR STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER BEING STOPPED AT A LIGHT) THESE EVENTS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY HONDA, BUT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS "NORMAL" EVENTS. HOWEVER, THESE POWER LOSS EVENTS CAN COME AT TIMES WHEN LOSS OF POWER CAN BE DANGEROUS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039188 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10098794 · 2004-11-13 (November 13, 2004)
CVT TRANSMISSION FAILING AT 51,000. VEHICLE BEGAN SMALL RANDOM SHUDDERS IN THE 40,000'S... (LIKE WHEN YOU PURCHASE CHEAP GASOLINE). THREE DAYS AGO MAJOR PROLONGED SHUDDERING AT ACCELERATION BEGAN, SO THAT EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD IN ITS USUAL MANNER. LUCKILY VEHICLES BEHIND ME WERE OBSERVING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSTIC ON 11/12/2004 REVEALED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. NO ACTION YET TAKEN. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098794 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10160000 · 2006-06-16 (June 16, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50MPH, AND SHIFTING TO 3RD GEAR THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO 1ST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT ALERTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160000 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10215563 · 2008-01-21 (January 21, 2008)
BOTH DOORS ON OUR 2000 THE HONDA ODYSSEY GET STUCK AND POSE A SAFETY THREAT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10215563 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10293334 · 2009-11-24 (November 24, 2009)
MONDAY MORNING I HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY CAT TO THE VET. I PUT HER IN A PET CARRIER AND PUT THE CARRIER IN MY 2001 HONDA INSIGHT WITH THE PET DOOR FACING FORWARD. I GOT ON THE 101 N. IN LOS ANGELES AND HAD DRIVEN ONLY A FEW MILES WHEN I SMELLED A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR. THINKING THE SMELL WAS COMING PERHAPS FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE I CONTINUED. THEN MY DOOR OPEN LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR FILLED WITH A THICK SMOKE. I LOOKED BEHIND ME AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM BELOW AND BEHIND THE CAT CARRIER. I QUICKLY PULLED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY LUCKILY THERE …
Owner-reported narrative. 107 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293334 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10296694 · 2009-12-22 (December 22, 2009)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA INSIGHT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH SHE SMELLED A CHEMICAL ODOR, AND SAW FLAMES BEHIND HER. SHE PULLED OVER AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT OF THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. . THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY, AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSPECTED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY WILL SEND SOMEONE OUT TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE DAMAGE. SHE SPECULATED THAT BATTERY FAILURE CAUSED THE FIRE. NO REPAIRS WERE MAD…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10296694 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10320280 · 2010-03-16 (March 16, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA INSIGHT. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIRBAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS.THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55000.
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10320280 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10435513 · 2011-11-14 (November 14, 2011)
HEADLIGHTS GO OFF. FIXED ONCE ON RECALL. NOW SAME PROBLEM. SAME HEAT DAMAGED SWITCH & THEY WONT REPAIR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 175,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10435513 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
02V196000 · Air Bags:Frontal
Reported: 2002-07-24 (July 24, 2002)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG MODULES WERE NOT PROPERLY WELDED AND MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A COLLISION.
Consequence: THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY PROTECTED IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 2, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.
NHTSA campaign record ↗04V086000 · Exterior Lighting:Headlights
Reported: 2004-02-24 (February 24, 2004)
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.
Consequence: AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF LOW BEAMS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗