2010 Honda Insight inspection checklist

The 2010 Honda Insight has 7 critical safety recalls and a documented pattern of issues across 6 component categories. Before you sign anything, walk through this list with the seller. Skip nothing — the items below come from 119 owner reports already on file with NHTSA.

1 Verify safety recalls before you drive off

Recall fixes are free regardless of warranty status. Ask the seller for proof — or have the dealer pull the VIN history.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co — fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B and W59.
NHTSA 19V500000 · severity: critical
Honda (American Honda Motor Co — fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are F5F and Q5E.
NHTSA 19V502000 · severity: critical
Honda (American Honda Motor Co — fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M2J and S2K.
NHTSA 18V661000 · severity: critical
Honda (American Honda Motor Co — fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are B0K and L0J.
NHTSA 18V042000 · severity: critical
Honda (American Honda Motor Co — fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has mailed an interim notification, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KE1 and KE2.
NHTSA 17V030000 · severity: critical
Honda (American Honda Motor Co — fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall is KA4, KA5, KA6, and KA7.
NHTSA 16V346000 · severity: critical
Honda (American Honda Motor Co — fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
NHTSA 16V061000 · severity: critical

2 Inspect the airbags

What to look for: Anything that looks, sounds, or smells different from peer vehicles of the same year and trim. (55 owner complaints on this vehicle · typical repair $1,100 )

Walk around and note any visible damage, wear, or aftermarket modifications
Open the hood and look for fresh fluid leaks, loose connectors, or recent part swaps
Sit in every seat and operate every control to confirm function

See full airbags report for this vehicle →

3 Inspect the body

What to look for: Paint mismatch between panels (prior accident), rust on rocker panels and wheel wells, door alignment gaps that don't match side-to-side, weatherstrip wear. (13 owner complaints on this vehicle · typical repair $1,500 )

Panel gaps — should be even and consistent; tight on one side means body work
Trunk and hood weatherstrips for cracks
Inside the trunk, under the spare — water staining means a leak
Door hinge bolts for paint dust (telltale of door replacement)
VIN plate on the dash matches the VIN sticker on the door jamb

See full body report for this vehicle →

4 Inspect the brakes

What to look for: Pulsing brake pedal, pulling to one side when braking, squealing or grinding, soft pedal that goes to the floor. (8 owner complaints on this vehicle · typical repair $450 )

Brake pad thickness (look through the wheel spokes — at least 4mm material)
Rotor surface — deep grooves or lip on the outer edge means resurface or replace
Brake fluid color in the reservoir — should be light amber, not dark brown
ABS warning light cycles off after start

On the test drive: Hard brake from 40 mph in a safe spot — pedal should be firm, stop should be straight. A pulse means warped rotors ($300–$600).

See full brakes report for this vehicle →

5 Inspect the lighting

What to look for: Headlight lens haze that'll need restoration, dim low beams, condensation inside the housings, blinkers flashing fast (bulb out). (6 owner complaints on this vehicle · typical repair $250 )

Every exterior light — walk around with a helper pressing the brake, blinkers, hazards
Headlight aim — should not blind oncoming traffic; misaligned often after collision
Interior dome lights, glove box, vanity mirror lights, trunk light

See full lighting report for this vehicle →

6 Inspect the electrical

What to look for: Dim or flickering dash lights at idle, slow window operation, intermittent infotainment glitches, parasitic battery drain (dead battery after a few days parked). (5 owner complaints on this vehicle · typical repair $850 )

Battery age sticker — most batteries last 3–5 years
Alternator output at idle (13.8–14.5V is healthy)
All exterior lights: headlights both beams, taillights, brake lights, reverse, blinkers
Every interior switch: power windows, locks, mirrors, sunroof, seats
Infotainment cold-start time and touchscreen responsiveness

On the test drive: Cycle through every electronic accessory during the drive — heated seats, defrosters, climate fan on max, cruise control. Glitches show up under load.

See full electrical report for this vehicle →

7 Inspect the suspension

What to look for: Bouncing after bumps, knocking over potholes, sagging on one corner, harsh ride with all the dampening gone. (5 owner complaints on this vehicle · typical repair $900 )

Bounce test — push down hard on each corner of the car; it should rebound once and settle, not bounce
Visible struts/shocks behind the wheels for oil leaks
Sway bar end links and bushings (common wear item, $40–$120 to fix)
Ride height — measure wheel-well to ground at all four corners; uneven = bad spring

On the test drive: Drive over a series of bumps or a railroad crossing — clunks point to worn end links, ball joints, or strut mounts.

See full suspension report for this vehicle →

8 Paperwork — before you sign

The seller's transparency on these tells you what kind of seller you're dealing with.

Title in seller's name (not "open title" or "signed by previous owner")
Service records — at least the last 24 months
VIN on the dash matches the door jamb sticker and the title
Run a paid vehicle history report (Carfax or AutoCheck) — accident, salvage, odometer rollback
Confirm any open recalls have been completed (NHTSA VIN lookup)
If financing, get the rate in writing before you set foot on the lot

Inspection items derived from 119 owner complaints and 10 active recall campaigns filed with NHTSA on the 2010 Honda Insight. Category-specific guidance is written by ProblemsByVin contributors with ASE-certified mechanic review. This checklist is meant to surface known patterns — it doesn't replace a paid pre-purchase inspection by a qualified shop, which we recommend for any used vehicle priced over a few thousand dollars.