Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Honda s2000. The contact stated that on two occasions the rpms increased whenever she was at a traffic light. The vehicle did not move forward since her foot was on the clutch. The dealer could not duplicate the failure. There were no warning lights before or after the failure occurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The current mileage was 18,300 and the failure…
2005 Honda S2000 powertrain problems
moderate 4 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
4
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
When does it fail?
Of the 4 powertrain complaints filed for the 2005 Honda S2000, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 16 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Honda s2000. The contact stated that after down shifting into second gear, the vehicle shifted into neutral independently, causing the vehicle to become resistant to acceleration. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 64,000 and the current mileage was 67,000.
My car pops out of 6th gear intermittently + times in 3700mi. When brought to dealer they couldn't mimic problem. Dealer told me to wait till problem gets worse or breaks. This doesn't seem right. *nm
Gears grind from 1st to 2nd at any speed. Though this is not happening to all Honda s2000's american Honda insists that it is a "characteristic of the car" and will not repair the synchros. Probably because it is an 8 hr process. *nm
Had powertrain trouble with your 2005 Honda S2000?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2005 Honda S2000?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 4 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 4 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 39,500 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Honda/S2000.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.