MAJOR S2000 Problems!
06-27-2001, 10:27 AM
#42
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I think this is getting a little out of hand. I agree with DallasEngineer. Regardless of what price he paid for the car (MSRP or not), he bought a vehicle and expects it not to have any major problems for several years and several thousands of miles. It makes no difference as to whether or not it was a first model year vehicle. If the unfortunate happens and something breaks, then you expect either the dealer and/or Honda to take care of it (just ask the people with the #4 cylinder problem). He is NOT the only one that has had this problem. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I wouldn't want to leave my car at any dealer for major "surgery" once, let alone 2 or more times to fix the same problem. Again, I don't beleive that it is the dealer - several people have had reoccurance of the 1-2 grind several miles after the TSB work was done at many different dealerships across the country. I know that there are many incompetent mechanics, but something is fishy here.
06-27-2001, 10:30 AM
#43
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It would seem that a majority of S2 owners have either one or more of the following problems:
1. 1-2 shift grind
2. Clutch noise
3. Seatbelt recall
4. Hunger for oil
5. LSD breakdown
6. Engine hesitation, stumble or dying
7. Rattling roof latches
8. #4 cylinder burn-out
9. Power windows malfunctioning
10. Air-con malfunctioning
11. VTEC non-engagement
12. Smoked clutched (weak clutch)
... and the list goes on
I was told by our Swiss head technician that the S2000 is quote: "An unfinished car." I kinda shrugged it off but after suffering some of the problems above, I'm starting to see some validity in that statement. What's worse is that I own a '01 model.
Damn, they should have built this car alongside the Civic. The Tochigi plant kinda reminds me of the M-class' Alabama plant.
1. 1-2 shift grind
2. Clutch noise
3. Seatbelt recall
4. Hunger for oil
5. LSD breakdown
6. Engine hesitation, stumble or dying
7. Rattling roof latches
8. #4 cylinder burn-out
9. Power windows malfunctioning
10. Air-con malfunctioning
11. VTEC non-engagement
12. Smoked clutched (weak clutch)
... and the list goes on
I was told by our Swiss head technician that the S2000 is quote: "An unfinished car." I kinda shrugged it off but after suffering some of the problems above, I'm starting to see some validity in that statement. What's worse is that I own a '01 model.
Damn, they should have built this car alongside the Civic. The Tochigi plant kinda reminds me of the M-class' Alabama plant.
06-27-2001, 10:37 AM
#44
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Who thinks they should just get an aftermarket racing clutch? Im thinking of just getting the ACT clutch. I havnt heard any complaints yet from that clutch going wrong in the S2000 yet 
I would have to hate to go twice or maybe three times to get something fixed! Id rather shell out the $500 (Can.) or so bucks for a BETTER clutch than the one Honda makes, and probably lasts longer too.
I would have to hate to go twice or maybe three times to get something fixed! Id rather shell out the $500 (Can.) or so bucks for a BETTER clutch than the one Honda makes, and probably lasts longer too.
06-27-2001, 11:03 AM
#46
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to take any sort of survey on this forum will already miss represent the numbers. 100% of the s2000 owners are not on this forum. I would bet that not even 50% or 40%. So to say 50% from survey on this forum this or that can not be represented as universal.
I've had no problems with my car, period. So did I get lucky? No, I got the car I know I was going to get, a Honda. ALL cars have problems... but to say the entire line of car is flawed because you had many problems is wrong. Yes some people have had 1-2 grind problems, etc... but on the side of the coin, that many more do not.
I feel bad for folks that are having issues with cars and can't enjoy them like I have mine. But I don't think because you ahve issues means honda engineering are incompetent. It's also funny that everyone uses that they are "engineers" as some sort of yard stick. I'm an engineer... so is my father... but does that mean we know anything about making cars? no. I am a "software engineer" that's what they call this profession I'm in. My father is an electrical engineer. We sure as hell don't know anything about making cars. It's kinda like those commercials that goes "80% of the doctors surveyed prefer Crest"... fact is they talked to people with a PhD. I don't think my general practice doc knows mucha bout dentistry...
-Shing
I've had no problems with my car, period. So did I get lucky? No, I got the car I know I was going to get, a Honda. ALL cars have problems... but to say the entire line of car is flawed because you had many problems is wrong. Yes some people have had 1-2 grind problems, etc... but on the side of the coin, that many more do not.
I feel bad for folks that are having issues with cars and can't enjoy them like I have mine. But I don't think because you ahve issues means honda engineering are incompetent. It's also funny that everyone uses that they are "engineers" as some sort of yard stick. I'm an engineer... so is my father... but does that mean we know anything about making cars? no. I am a "software engineer" that's what they call this profession I'm in. My father is an electrical engineer. We sure as hell don't know anything about making cars. It's kinda like those commercials that goes "80% of the doctors surveyed prefer Crest"... fact is they talked to people with a PhD. I don't think my general practice doc knows mucha bout dentistry...
-Shing
06-27-2001, 11:20 AM
#48
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I believe this board is a good sampling model for tabulating the defect rate of the S2000. It might be slightly skewed since many might be over exaggerating their problems but it is still a realistic and a reliable source to represent problems with the S2.
A defect rate above 5% is unacceptable for cars of this caliber. But this seems to be the case, if not even higher.
Fisch,
Lasing nga yung mga Japs when they were building our cars.
A defect rate above 5% is unacceptable for cars of this caliber. But this seems to be the case, if not even higher.
Fisch,
Lasing nga yung mga Japs when they were building our cars.
06-27-2001, 11:27 AM
#50
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2 put my 55 cents on the issue.
I has TSB 55 and 54 done. The car IS EXACTLY THE SAME NOW AFTER ABOUT 1000 MILES.
My car still grinds occasionally and the clutch still rattles.
There are 3 things on this car that haven't been done properly and those who argue otherwise are not seeing the light.
1. The clutch is very very weak, most cars clutches will grab easily if slipped around 2-3k, this one will not, hence the need to DUMP the clutch at high RPMs in order to get decent perfromance which of course causes drivetrain problems. (ie. differential, axles).
2. The 1-2 grind problem IS a design problem, it is not a quality control problem, if it was, it would not have been this widespread.
3. The clutch rattle is caused by the vibrations of the transmission rattling the damper springs in the clutch disk. When i had mine replaced, the new unit when shaken was rock solid, while the old one, the springs were a little loose. The springs are getting looser with time and thus we have the rattle once again. This again is due to BAD DESIGN.
Now, some people want to argue all day that their car doesn't do this or that. There is enough people here with the problems to warrant this thread. The reason some people may not be experiencing these problems could be:
For problem # 1: They tend to drive the car very gently and do not track/autoX/race the car.
For problem # 2: Some people don't know about the TSBs, not everyone is on this board, even some dealers don't, in fact i have informed 2 owners i met randomly who didn't know about this and thought it was their mistake... Also, some people use this as a 3rd or 4th car, therefore no mileage is put on them.
For problem # 3: The noise can be heard mostly with the top up, you have to have very good ears to hear it with the top down. Since most people drive the car with the top down (ie 2nd-3rd car) they will not hear the noise. Also, some people coast the car in neutral and are never decellerating in gear from 4-3k RPMs.
There is a problem here, the fixes are not solving the problem. However, i am not panicking as of yet. I enjoy the car and love everything about it, so much so that i will live with these quirks and hope that a solution is brought forth. However for those who pretend that there is nothing wrong, either they are "grandmaing" the car or they are in denial.
I has TSB 55 and 54 done. The car IS EXACTLY THE SAME NOW AFTER ABOUT 1000 MILES.
My car still grinds occasionally and the clutch still rattles.
There are 3 things on this car that haven't been done properly and those who argue otherwise are not seeing the light.
1. The clutch is very very weak, most cars clutches will grab easily if slipped around 2-3k, this one will not, hence the need to DUMP the clutch at high RPMs in order to get decent perfromance which of course causes drivetrain problems. (ie. differential, axles).
2. The 1-2 grind problem IS a design problem, it is not a quality control problem, if it was, it would not have been this widespread.
3. The clutch rattle is caused by the vibrations of the transmission rattling the damper springs in the clutch disk. When i had mine replaced, the new unit when shaken was rock solid, while the old one, the springs were a little loose. The springs are getting looser with time and thus we have the rattle once again. This again is due to BAD DESIGN.
Now, some people want to argue all day that their car doesn't do this or that. There is enough people here with the problems to warrant this thread. The reason some people may not be experiencing these problems could be:
For problem # 1: They tend to drive the car very gently and do not track/autoX/race the car.
For problem # 2: Some people don't know about the TSBs, not everyone is on this board, even some dealers don't, in fact i have informed 2 owners i met randomly who didn't know about this and thought it was their mistake... Also, some people use this as a 3rd or 4th car, therefore no mileage is put on them.
For problem # 3: The noise can be heard mostly with the top up, you have to have very good ears to hear it with the top down. Since most people drive the car with the top down (ie 2nd-3rd car) they will not hear the noise. Also, some people coast the car in neutral and are never decellerating in gear from 4-3k RPMs.
There is a problem here, the fixes are not solving the problem. However, i am not panicking as of yet. I enjoy the car and love everything about it, so much so that i will live with these quirks and hope that a solution is brought forth. However for those who pretend that there is nothing wrong, either they are "grandmaing" the car or they are in denial.