Most common 2000 Honda Insight problems
Share of the 24 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Insight complaints by model year
Best Insight years: 2014. Years to avoid: 2010, 2019, 2012, 2011, 2013. Compare all years →
2000 Honda Insight recalls (1)
Exterior lighting › Headlights
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.
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.
What 2000 Honda Insight owners say
Electrical system
The state of charge gauge on my 2000 Honda Insight no longer accurately reports the state of charge of its ima battery. Boost from the ima battery is crucial for providing additional power to accelerate safely on freeway onramps, when overtaking cars on 2-lane highways, etc. With increasing frequency, when the state of charge gauge indicates that the ima battery is only partially discharged, ima battery boost suddenly and unexpectedly ceases. If this happens during a period of crucial acceleration, the sudden plummet in the rate of acceleration could lead to a serious accident.the incident date I have listed is only the most recent incident date. This problem now occurs almost any time I ascend a long upgrade for more than a couple of minutes. It also occurred shortly after my acquisition of this Insight used in May, 2002, but has been occurring with increasing frequency as time passes. …
Prior to the incident date, the ima battery in my 2000 Honda Insight, has repeatedly lost its charge, rapidly (called a "recall event"). This causes an unexpected hesitation and lack of acceleration. On the incident date, I was entering a highway from an on ramp and couldn't accelerate at the rate that I was accustomed to, because the ima battery had quickly and unexpectedly discharged. This resulted in me blocking upcoming traffic and several drivers had to perform avoidance maneuvers. This sudden, unexpected loss of ima assist, is indicative of a failing/aging ima battery. Honda's computer monitoring system does not register/detect this as a MIL code. It is only a matter of time until this unexpected loss of acceleration cause a loss of life. …
Lights
Honda Insight 2000 low beam lights failed while driving 55 MPH. A recall was issued for this problem, but Honda is refusing to cover the cost of repair because my VIN did not show a recall. The Honda Insight 2000 is listed for this recall. I have owned many hondas in the past, but now am extremely disappointed in Honda's customer service and will not be purchasing any Honda products in the future.
The headlights went out while I was driving the 2000 Insight. First, I noticed a burning smell. I pulled over and checked under the hood but found nothing. I got back in and the smell came back as I started driving. A few minutes later, the headlights got dim for a few seconds then went out. I stopped the car. The burning smell was coming from the left side of the steering wheel, where the headlight switch is. I tried the high beam and it worked. I drove the rest of the way with high beams on. I checked with Honda and they said there had been a recall for this problem on the Insight, but their records showed a repair had already been done, so they would charge me to repair it again. I think the repair in the recall May fix the problem for a while but does not prevent the problem from occurring again. Or they didn't do the recall procedure properly. Honda needs to fix this. …
Seat belts
The passenger's side seat belt retractor failed. As a result the seat belt could not be used. The consumer stated this was the second time in a five month period the retractor failed.
While driving, the driver side air bag inadvertenly deployed, causing consumer to lose control of the vehicle, consumer also stated that the seat belt retractors did not perform as designed, consumer not only suffered injuries from the air bag deployment, but also suffered injuries from the belt retractor.
2000 Honda Insight engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0L 3-cyl hybrid | 5-speed manual | FWD | 49 / 61 / 53 |
EPA ratings. Class: Sports car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Honda Insight a good car?
Based on 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 Insight rates better than average: 50% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Insight at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Honda Insight?
The electrical system — 7 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about 12v/24v/48v battery. Next are the lights (5) and seat belts (3).
How many recalls does the 2000 Honda Insight have?
There is 1 recall for the 2000 Honda Insight, the most recent from February 24, 2004 (headlights). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda Insight?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010, 2019, 2012, 2011 and 2013. See the full Honda Insight years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Honda Insight problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 51,000 miles; 42% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.