HondaS20002003Overview/honda/s2000/2003/base/

2003 Honda S2000

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2003 S2000.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Manual 6-spd

The 2003 Honda S2000 is a two-seat passenger car driven by a six-speed manual transmission and rated at 18/24/20 mpg city/highway/combined. With 34 owner-reported complaints — the most frequent involving air bags — and zero recalls, it sits well below the model's peak complaint year of 2000 at 46 reports but well above the 2007 low of three, placing this model year in the middle of the 2000–2008 reliability range.

Model year200920082007200620052004200320022001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/24/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51 · 430 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 51 · 430 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-50WR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionManual 6-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length162.2 in
Overall width68.9 in
Overall height50.8 in
Wheelbase94.5 in
Curb weight2809 lb
Track (front / rear)57.9 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)49/51

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 24 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the S2000 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.4–6.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.40 sec — 2003 Roadster
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2003Roadster 2.0L I-45.40 sec14.10 sec240 hpRWD
2003Roadster 2.0L I-46.30 sec14.90 sec240 hpRWD
2001Roadster 2.0L I-45.20 sec13.84 sec240 hpRWD
2000Roadster 2.0L I-45.80 sec14.40 sec240 hpRWD
2000Roadster 2.0L I-45.80 sec14.20 sec240 hpRWD
2000Roadster 2.0L I-46.50 sec14.90 sec240 hpRWD
2000Roadster 2.0L I-46.80 sec15.10 sec240 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilGL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity0 Pints

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs16 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts94 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs8mm Bolts: 16 ft-lbs , 6mm Bolts: 9 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub242 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)800 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.88-.99 lbs
Oil TypePAG 46
Oil Capacity4.33-5.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number51
Standard BCI Cranking Performance430 cca

Service checks

Engine Compression135-228. 28 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure36 psi @ Idle, 85 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.0008-0.0010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0010-0.011 in

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH DISC BRAKES / WITH DRUM BRAKES
Torque Caliper to Bracket24 ft-lbs / 17 ft-lbs / 80 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle80 ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.063; Rear: 0.063 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH DISC BRAKES / WITH DRUM BRAKES
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in / 0.0012 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in / 0.002 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep bolts 1-10:, If using old bolts:

122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees; If using new bolts:90 degrees
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees; bolts A:90 degrees
116

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 120,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 120,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
At 105,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2003 S2000 sits in the middle of a clear post-launch improvement arc: after the 2000 model year opened with 46 complaints, three recalls, and 107 TSBs, each subsequent year through 2002 saw steady declines to 22 complaints and 79 TSBs with zero recalls. The 2003 model year shows a modest uptick to 34 complaints — still well below the launch year — while TSBs continued falling to 65 and recalls remained at zero, indicating ongoing refinement rather than regression. Complaint clusters in air bags (6), visibility (5), engine cooling (4), and hydraulic brakes (4) appear in the data, along with seven crash reports and one fire report, though the data does not specify root causes for any category. By 2004 complaints plummeted to five and TSBs to 34, confirming 2003 as a transient blip in an otherwise consistent downward trend that persisted through the final 2008 model year. The absence of recalls and continued TSB reduction suggest Honda was actively addressing early-generation service items. This is a good year to buy if the specific complaint areas are inspected, as the federal record shows a maturing platform with no systemic safety actions.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
65
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
34
Owner complaints
7 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 34 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags6
Visibility5
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Structure3
Tires2
Power Train2
Equipment2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 65 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
A07-0302021-01-23Equipment"Service Bulletin - There are several A/C leak detection tools available. -Refrigerant…
DLR MSG - Honda2014-08-06Air BagsDealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for…
DLR MSG - Stop S2014-07-23Air BagsDealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for…
SB-99-0752013-08-09Engine And Engine CoolingHONDA: TROUBLESHOOTING OF DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC) P1456 AND P1457. DEALERS ARE TO…
08-0402008-05-31EquipmentLOAD CARRYING CAPACITY REDUCED LABEL FOR ALL HONDA VEHICLES. *PE

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific S2000. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2003 S2000 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the S2000 get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 24 highway / 20 combined mpg.