My car had been sitting for 2 and a half weeks while I was out of the country. Upon starting the car, check brake system, check vsa system, check hill start assist system, service due soon and check emission lights illuminated on my dashboard. When I began to accelerate, the car only got up to 5 miles per hour. It was a 7 minute drive from airport parking to my residence. I parked the car and it…
2013 Honda Insight powertrain problems
severe 7 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
7
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
2fires
When does it fail?
Of the 7 powertrain complaints filed for the 2013 Honda Insight, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
We purchased a new 2013 Honda insight.the car had excessive oil consumption from the very beginning. It required one quart of oil to be added every 2-3 weeks. We repeatedly voiced our concerns in at least 5 occasions. Each time we were told by the the dealership that the oil consumption 'was normal'. Our complaints were ignored, our concerns dismissed.on january 25, 2017, while my husband was…
The vehicle has on-going "oil consumption" issues that american Honda neglected to address. As a result, the oil goes up exhaust pipes to caused engine over heat and blow up during driving on highway. American Honda issued an "internal memo" to extend engine warranty to 8 years without notifying car owners. However, they failed to cover our blew-up engine when the first time happened and charged…
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Honda insight. While accelerating from a stop, the accelerator pedal had to be depressed with force for the vehicle to accelerate. Also, the vehicle emitted a metal rattling noise and the engine was losing oil prematurely. The contact believed that the engine losing oil may have caused the vehicle to lose acceleration. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2013 Honda Insight?
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 2013 Honda Insight?
It's a meaningful issue. 7 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 7 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 86,048 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/2013/Honda/Insight.
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.