2002 Honda INSIGHT: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
12 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
104,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 12 complaints (41.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 16.7% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 16.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 8.3% |
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 | 5 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 |
| Tires | 1 |
Exterior Lighting: 5; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights:High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1; Tires: 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 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 2
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 5 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 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
2001: 1; 2002: 1; 2003: 1; 2008: 4; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 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 10042209 · 2003-10-02 (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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042209 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10217001 · 2008-02-05 (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
Owner-reported narrative. 900,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217001 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10217002 · 2008-02-05 (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
Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217002 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10231255 · 2008-06-17 (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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10231255 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10247598 · 2008-11-03 (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…
Owner-reported narrative. 104,321 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247598 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10373284 · 2010-12-29 (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
Owner-reported narrative. 99,678 miles reported. Look up ODI 10373284 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10438732 · 2011-12-06 (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 …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10438732 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10504859 · 2013-03-28 (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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10504859 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
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 ↗