HondaS20002008Overview/honda/s2000/2008/base/

2008 Honda S2000

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 S2000.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Manual 6-spd

Classified as a passenger car with a Manual 6-spd transmission, the 2008 Honda S2000 returns EPA fuel economy ratings of 18/25/21 mpg. This model year sits at the bottom of the complaint history spanning 2000-2008, matching the 2007 model's low of 3 total owner complaints compared to the peak of 46 recorded in 2000. With 0 recalls and the primary issue isolated to Seat Belts, the 2008 variant stands as a statistically reliable point within the covered history for researchers assessing the vehicle's long-term ownership data.

Model year200920082007200620052004200320022001

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/25/21 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 sizeP245-40R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.5 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 weight2844 lb
Track (front / rear)57.9 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)49/51

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 25 / 21 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.

5.3–6.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.30 sec — 2008 CR Roadster
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2008CR Roadster 2.2L I-45.30 sec13.80 sec237 hpRWD
2008CR Roadster 2.2L I-45.70 sec14.40 sec237 hpRWD
2008CR Roadster 2.2L I-46.30 sec14.70 sec237 hpRWD
2005Roadster 2.2L I-45.40 sec13.90 sec237 hpRWD
2004Roadster 2.2L I-45.40 sec14.10 sec240 hpRWD
2004Roadster 2.2L I-45.50 sec14.00 sec240 hpRWD
2004Roadster 2.2L I-45.80 sec14.19 sec240 hpRWD
2004Roadster 2.2L I-46.30 sec14.60 sec240 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 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
Ignition Timing5, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

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

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)55.0-63.0 psi
Engine Compression135
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

Torque Caliper to Bracket24 ft-lbs / 17 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.063; Rear: 0.063 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0016 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.988 in / 0.476 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.988 in / 0.476 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

At 160,000 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)

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 2008 Honda S2000 marks the final year of its generation and reflects a clear stabilization in its federal record, particularly when viewed in context. Complaints peaked early in the model’s lifecycle (2000: 46) and steadily declined, reaching a low of 3 in both 2007 and 2008—identical to the prior year and the lowest of the entire run. Recalls followed a similar arc, with the most activity in 2000 (3 recalls) and 2006 (2 recalls), while 2008 saw none, mirroring 2007’s single recall. Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) also tapered off, dropping from 107 in 2000 to just 8 in 2008, suggesting Honda had resolved most early-generation issues by this point. The 2008 complaints—one each for seat belts, engine, and steering—lack specificity in the data but are minimal in volume, with no crash- or fire-related reports. This positions the 2008 S2000 as one of the most reliable years to buy, benefiting from a decade of refinements and negligible federal red flags.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
8
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Seat Belts1
Engine1
Steering1

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 8 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
A07-0302021-01-23Equipment"Service Bulletin - There are several A/C leak detection tools available. -Refrigerant…
ATS 1806042018-06-14Power TrainTech line summary article - Is the MIL on with DTC P2271 (secondary HO2S [sensor 2]…
A02-0532016-10-20Electrical SystemSERVICE BULLETIN - ALL OF THE LISTED VEHICLES HAVE A TYPE 4 IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM THAT…
Service Bulletin2014-12-17TiresService bulletin - For any TPMS-related warranty repairs, all recorded DTCs must now be…
DLR MSG - Honda2014-08-06Air BagsDealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for…

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 2008 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 / 25 highway / 21 combined mpg.