2012 Honda Insight Owner Complaints

The car has only 83000 miles. We bought the vehicle 2 months ago from the estate of an individual that passed away. We were driving the vehicle and the gas pedal stopped working. Prior to this happening, we noticed no oil leak from the car. Per the manual we were checking oil level everytime we filled car up and would top it as it would be lower. We were driving the car on the highway and when we pressed on the gas pedal it stopped working, the car was not moving. Several lights came on the car, check engine etc. We took it to the dealership for a check and was told that the car needed a new engine at the tune of $17000. Honda Company stated that the car had no warranty on the engine and they would take no responsibility for failure. Was told engine block and piston 1 to 4 had misfire. No prior warning was given to us. The spark plugs for those pistons had melted the head.

NHTSA ID

11631368

Incident

Nov 18, 2024

Roof and hood of car lost all paint and clear coat. Starting to rust

NHTSA ID

11544821

Incident

Sep 15, 2023

Oil consumption issues. I can't drive my car 10 feet without dying. I was stuck in traffic when my car died from the issues. Look up TSB 15-015

NHTSA ID

11500790

Incident

Nov 19, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Insight. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle jerked forward. The contact stated that the check engine, emissions, and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to park near a gas station. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing an oil consumption test to completed. The dealer informed the contact that the pistons needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA ID

11488064

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

Mileage

82,000 mi

TTHIS CAR HAS SAFETY PROBLEMS BURNS OIL LIKE CRAZY , MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING DOWN 81 WHEN THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON THE CAR WAS SHAKING SO SHE PULLED OVER AND CALLED THE POLICE WHO IMPOUNDED THE CAR 300 TO GET IT OUT THEN WE HAD IT TOWED OVER 100MILES . HONDA DEALER SAYS THE SPARK PLUG FAILED AND WENT INTO THE ENGINE . GETTING PRICES ON A NEW ENGINE .

NHTSA ID

11412853

Incident

Apr 15, 2021

Mileage

76,883 mi

DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MALFUNCTIONS. CONTINUES TO LOCK ITSELF WHEN DRIVING, CONTINUES TO LOCK ITSELF WHEN SITTING AND CAR IS NOT RUNNING. ONGOING FOR MANY MONTHS. HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE, I'M OPTING TO DISCONNECT AND LIVE WITH MANUAL LOCKS.

NHTSA ID

11399106

Incident

Mar 3, 2021

ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, MY CAR BEGAN FLUTTERING AFTER I STARTED THE ENGINE AND BEGAN ACCELERATING. THE POWER FELT REDUCED AS WELL. LIKE MOST PEOPLE'S FIRST INSTINCT, I BEGAN CHECKING THE OIL AND NOTICED THE OIL APPEARED LOW ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT I HAD RECEIVED AN OIL CHANGE NOT LONG BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. SINCE THEN I'VE HEAD TO CHECK THE OIL INCESSANTLY AND AM CONSTANTLY ADDING OIL TO SUPPLEMENT. THEN I BERGEN NOTICING AN OIL LEAK IN MY DRIVE WAY AND ALMOST ANYTIME I PARKED SOMEWHERE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THEN MY ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN COMING ON TELLING ME TO CHECK THE VEHICLE'S EMISSIONS SYSTEM. THIS WAS AN ISSUE I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. NOW I REALIZE THIS MESSAGE IS ILLUMINATED DUE TO A HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION OF THE VEHICLE. THE FINAL STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK WAS, WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY MY VEHICLE BEGAN LOSING ENGINE POWER AND COULD NOT GET ABOVE 65 MPH. THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING LOUD PUTTERING NOISES, THAT WERE ESPECIALLY INTENSE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS COSTING AND IMMEDIATELY UPON ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. MY FEAR IS THAT THE ENGINE IS SHOT AT THIS POINT. I'M EVEN MORE CONCERNED AFTER SEEING THIS IS A CHRONIC ISSUE WITH MANY OWNERS OFF THIS YEAR - MAKE - MODEL. UNFORTUNATELY, I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED AND HAVEN'T HAD IT EVEN A YEAR.

NHTSA ID

11374365

Incident

Nov 12, 2020

Mileage

130,200 mi

THIS CAR IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. THE OIL CONSUMPTION IS OUTRAGEOUS AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 89K MILES ON IT. IT ALSO BURNS THROUGH SPARK PLUGS LIKE CRAZY, I'VE PROBABLY PUT CLOSE TO 500 DOLLARS INTO IT AT LEAST JUST IN OIL AND SPARK PLUGS THIS YEAR ALONE. IN THE TWO YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT, IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED IN STRANGE NEIGHBORHOODS, PARKING LOTS, AT MY JOB, AND AT MY HOME BECAUSE OF IT THROWING THE SPARK PLUGS WITH NO WARNING. UPON CHANGING THE PLUGS, ALL CYLINDERS, ESPECIALLY FOUR, ARE FILLED WITH OIL. MOST RECENTLY, I CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS IN MY WORK PARKING LOT, AND REFILLED THE OIL. A WEEK LATER, I FOUND MYSELF REPEATING THE SAME PROCESS BECAUSE IT KILLED THE PLUGS AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION, IN TRAFFIC, AND HAD MY DASH LIGHT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE 2012 AND 2013 ENGINE CONTAINS EXPERIMENTAL PISTON RINGS, WHICH ARE CLEARLY FAULTY. NOT JUST BY MY OWN ACCOUNT, BUT BY COUNTLESS OTHERS AS WELL. I DO NOT HAVE FIVE GRAND TO REPLACE THE ENGINE OR HAVE IT REBUILT, AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO. HONDA NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR MISTAKE AND SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE ENGINES. THE CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASED THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS OUT OF THEIR CONTROL. THESE CARS ARE TICKING TIME BOMBS, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THEM TO MY WORST ENEMY. I WILL BE FILING COMPLAINTS WITH HONDA ITSELF AS WELL AS THE BBB IN ADDITION TO THIS ONE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, I SAW HOW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS YOU HAVE RECEIVED IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE. IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS INSTEAD OF IGNORING IT AND LETTING HONDA GET AWAY WITH IT. IF IT DIED ON THE FREEWAY, WHICH IT ALMOST HAS, IT WOULD BECOME A SERIOUS THREAT TO MY SAFETY AND THOSE AROUND ME.

NHTSA ID

11269498

Incident

Oct 18, 2019

Mileage

89,000 mi

I HAVE A 2012 HONDA INSIGHT WITH 80000 MILES AND AM HAVING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AT 1 QUART OF OIL PER 2000 MILES OF DRIVING PER THE DEALERSHIP. HONDA SAYS THIS IS ACCEPTABLE AND ONLY A PROBLEM AT 1 QUART PER 1000 MILES DRIVEN. I HAVE READ THE CONCERNS AND THE VEHICLE HAS POORLY SEATED RINGS DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT ADMITTED BY HONDA. MY CONCERN IS THIS IS RESULTING IN LOSS OF COMPRESSION AND RESULTING TOTAL LOSS OF POWER LEAVING PEOPLE WITH VEHICLES ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD AND THEN THE ENGINE DROPS OUT TOTALLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE AND OF COURSE CUSTOMER THEFT ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11235123

Incident

Jun 17, 2019

Mileage

68,000 mi

MY HONDA INSIGHT 2012 IS BURNING OIL. AFTER AN OIL CHANGE I DRIVE AROUND 800 MILES I'M 1/2 QUART LOW ON OIL. THIS IS NOT NORMAL AT ALL.

NHTSA ID

11204820

Incident

Apr 30, 2019

Mileage

72,429 mi

I HAVE A 2012 HONDA INSIGHT. ON 12/23/18 I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE POWER CUT OUT. THIS IS THE 3RD INCIDENT IN A ONE YEAR AND HALF WHERE THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE BLOWN CUTTING THE POWER TO THE CAR. MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $1700. I COULDN'T GET IT FIXED I WAS GETTING ON A PLANE 3 DAYS LATER FOR THREE WEEKS. EVIDENTALLY IT HAS TO SOMETHING WITH THE EXCESS BURNING OF OIL GETTING TO THE SPARK PLUGS. I'VE FOUND WHERE OTHERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM ALSO. ITS QUITE EXPENSIVE TO FIX. THIS HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM. NOW I'M WITHOUT A CAR AGAIN. AT THIS TIME I AM WALKING WITH A WALKER AND NO CAR. THIS KEEPS HAPPENING! WHAT IS GOING ON.

NHTSA ID

11180263

Incident

Dec 23, 2018

Mileage

95,000 mi

OIL CONSUMPTION AND SHAKING

NHTSA ID

11161828

Incident

Nov 5, 2018

Mileage

112,000 mi

CAR QUITE RUNNING ON BUSY INTERSTATE I MANAGED TO GET OFF NEAREST EXIT ALMOST GOT HIT BY SEVERAL VEHICLES.HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO AUTO SHOP THAT HAD REPLACED 8 SPARK PLUGS 8 MONTHES EARLIER. AUTOMOTIVE SHOP REPLACED PLUGS 8 PLUGS SAID THEY WHERE UNDER WARRANTY BUT FOUND NO COMPRESSION IN CYLINDERS.

NHTSA ID

11156547

Incident

Nov 14, 2018

Mileage

119,000 mi

MY HONDA INSIGHT 2012 IS BURNING OIL. AFTER AN OIL CHANGE I DRIVE AROUND 3500 MILE AND THE RED ENGINE OIL WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I TOOK THE CAR ,LIKE 3-4 YEARS AGO, TO THE DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE PISTON RINGS UNDER WARRANTY BUT IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I AM DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR THE LAST AROUND 3-4 YEARS. IT ALWAYS HAPPENS AFTER AROUND 3500 MILE, I GET THE RED LIGHT. I TAKE IT TO DEALER AND DEALER STARTS OIL CONSUMPTION TEST AND TELLS ME NOTHING IS WRONG. THEY DID OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 4 OR 5 TIMES ALREADY. ONE TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD TO ADD 3.5 QUART OIL AND THE ENGINE BLOCK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED SINCE PISTON RINGS ARE ALREADY REPLACED. I WAS INEXPERIENCED TO NOT GET A WRITTEN DOCUMENT STATING THEY ADDED 3.5 QUART OIL. THEN THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL CONTACT HONDA ABOUT IT. A FEW DAYS LATER THEY CALLED ME AND SAID HONDA THINKS IT IS NORMAL. RECENTLY DUE TO JOB CHANGE I DRIVE VERY LITTLE THAT IS WHY IT TAKES TIME FOR ME TO REGENERATE THE PROBLEM BUT I KNOW IT HAPPENS. IT HAPPENED LIKE 5 TIMES SO FAR. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL END IN 2020. I HAVE LIKE A YEAR TO DEMONSTRATE IT. SOME PEOPLE HAD POWER LOSS ISSUES ON FREEWAY. I DID NOT HAVE THAT SO FAR BECAUSE I DO NOT TAKE LONG FREEWAY RIDES WHEN I REACH TO 2K MILE AFTER LAST OIL CHANGE. WE USE MY WIFE'S CAR IF I HAVE TO TAKE FREEWAY.

NHTSA ID

11155698

Incident

Dec 3, 2018

Mileage

3,500 mi

MY DAUGHTER'S HONDA INSIGHT EXPERIENCED THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. HER VEHICLE LATER HAD SEVERE ENGINE PROBLEMS AND STALLED AT 6:00 AM ON I-64. A HONDA DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS DAMAGE TO CYLINDER, PISTON, CYLINDER HEAD AND VALVES OF CYLINDER NUMBER 3. ALL OTHER CYLINDERS WERE WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE NOTICE SENT TO CONSUMERS OMITTED THAT THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE AND AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMERS WITH LITTLE OR NO MECHANICAL KNOWLEDGE WHO PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED, MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WILL NOT BE AWARE OF THE RISK AND SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM. THOSE WHO NOTICE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION MAY ASSUME THAT IT IS FROM AGE AND NOT A DESIGN DEFECT THAT COULD PLACE THEIR LIFE IN DANGER. THE SERVICE BULLETIN SENT BY HONDA TO ITS DEALERSHIPS IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THAT PROVIDED THE CONSUMER WITH ONE EXCEPTION. THE SERVICE BULLETIN INCLUDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DESCRIBING THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FROM THE MANUFACTURE'S DEFECT. WHEN THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES OF THIS MANUFACTURE'S DEFECT OCCUR IT THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY LOSES POWER AND WILL NOT RUN. IN MY DAUGHTER'S CASE IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC. HOWEVER, SHE WAS ON I-64 ABOUT TO MERGE ONTO I-95. HAD THE ENGINE FAILED AT A LATER TIME IN THE DAY SHE WOULD HAVE LOST POWER IN TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. VEHICLES BEHIND HER WOULD HAVE NO REASON TO EXPECT A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION. THE POTENTIAL FOR REAR-END COLLISIONS AND/OR CRASHES WHILE THE OPERATOR OF THIS MODEL HONDA IS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY WITH NO POWER IS VERY HIGH.

NHTSA ID

11129945

Incident

Aug 11, 2018

Mileage

136,113 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA INSIGHT. THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE DRIVER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DRIVER'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO PRIORITY HONDA HAMPTON (LOCATED AT 4115 W MERCURY BLVD, HAMPTON, VA 23666, (757) 838-1252) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PISTON THREE IN CYLINDER THREE, VALVE, AND ENGINE HEAD NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

NHTSA ID

11129942

Incident

Aug 11, 2018

Mileage

113,000 mi

WHEN THE DRIVER STEP ON IT'S BRAKING SYSTEMS BY FOOT TO STOP THE THIS CAR, IT WILL STARTS TO WOBBLE IT'S BACK BODY OF THIS CAR AND SHAKES IT SEEMS THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON IT'S BOTH REAR BRAKING SYSTEM ARE DRAGGING IN EVERY TIME WE STEP ON IT'S BRAKING SYSTEM. IT WILL RATTLE THE DRIVERS WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKING SYSTEM IT'S REAR BODY WILL SHAKES AND WOBBLES FROM SIDE TO SIDES BEFORE IT WILL COMPLETELY STOPS THIS CAR. DURING RUNNING WHEN THE DRIVER WILL STEP THE BRAKING SYSTEM, THE REAR OF THE CAR WILL WOBBLES / SHAKING AND DRAGGING IT'S REAR BRAKING AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR THE NEW DRIVER PERSON TO DRIVE SHE / HE MAY PANIC AND CAUSE TO CRASH THE THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID

11023897

Incident

Dec 25, 2015

Mileage

55,000 mi

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. CHECK EMISSION SYSTEM LIGHT ON, LOW OIL HOWEVER OIL LIGHT DOES NOT ALERT ME. HAVE TO REGULARLY ADD OIL BETWEEN RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES.

NHTSA ID

10995251

Incident

Jun 14, 2017

THE SPARK PLUGS FAILED DURING DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY RESULTING IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I LATER LEARNED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS FAILED BECAUSE 2 OF THE CYLINDERS WERE BURNING EXCESSIVE OIL. HONDA HAS RECALLED THIS CAR DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BUT HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSEMENT ME AFTER I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

10993501

Incident

May 22, 2017

Mileage

84,000 mi

HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION BEFORE EVERY OIL CHANGE.

NHTSA ID

10979214

Incident

Apr 19, 2017

NTSB: 2012 HONDA HAS PROBLEMS WITH BOTH SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE LEAKING FLUID ALL OVER THE WHEEL WELLS. *BF THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAG RECALL THAT WAS PERFORMED.THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT REPAIRING THE TPMS WOULD COST $700.00. UPDATED 04/17/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10971371

Incident

Oct 25, 2016

2012 HONDA INSIGHT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEALERSHIP POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NO REPLACEMENT PARTS TO REPAIR AIRBAG RECALL. *SMD

NHTSA ID

10936930

Incident

Feb 1, 2017

OIL CONSUMPTION WAS WAY OFF AND ALL 8 OF THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TWICE IN A YEAR. CAR HAS ONLY 80,000 MILES ON IT AND NOW THEY WANT TO DO A COMPLETE TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE AT MY EXPENSE. I SHOULD NOT BE PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS HONDA SHOULD BE LIABLE. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THE HIGHWAY AND WITH NO WARNING IT SUDDENLY STOPPED AND WENT TO LIMP MODE . VERY DANGEROUS. SERIOUS ACCIDENTS CAN AND WILL HAPPEN ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. THE PROBLEM: OEM PISTON RINGS THAT CAME ORIGINAL TO THE CAR GO BAD AROUND 60,000 MILES. AND HONDA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE!!!!!********

NHTSA ID

10949734

Incident

Jan 16, 2017

Mileage

79,000 mi

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AT 70000. ADDING MORE THAN A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10949186

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

Mileage

70,000 mi

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I AM ADDING 1 QUART EVERY 1000 MILES SINCE I GOT THE CAR AT 65000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10949185

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi