Common Failures Of The Honda Insight: Problems, Breakdowns And Criticisms
The Honda Insight is by far a very nice looking car. It is the successor to the Civic Hybrid. But like every man-made car, the Insight also has its common problems. Stay until the end and discover here everything about the common failures of the Honda Insight .
Although acceleration is sacrificed a bit, this car offers excellent gas mileage. Plus, it doesn’t cost more than its non-hybrid rivals.
Common Honda Insight Failures
The Honda Insight will save you money at the pump. You can also expect a nice interior and precise steering. As good as the Honda Insight is, it’s not without its problems. Here is a list of some common Honda Insight problems.
1- Cracked fuel pump
The Honda Insight has low-density impellers inside the fuel pump. They are used to reduce the amount of gasoline that reaches the engine.
Honda has already had to issue two recalls for faulty fuel pumps. Over 2 million faulty fuel pump repairs have already been performed for the Honda Insight.
2- Excessive oil consumption
One of the biggest complaints about the Honda Insight is that it consumes too much oil . It literally gobbles up the oil. And its repair is very expensive.
This usually occurs around 60,000 miles (96,500 kilometers). Your dealer can run an oil consumption test to see if your Honda Insight is consuming too much oil.
3- Defective airbags
Honda used the Takata airbag for some of its Insight cars. This affected a huge number of cars. The inflators became unstable and ruptured during airbag deployment. In fact, this was responsible for 27 deaths.
The metal fragments were shot into the interior of the cabin. The average cost of repair is also expensive.
4- Very uncomfortable seats
The seats in Honda Insight cars are painful to sit on for long periods of time. Specifically, this occurred on Honda cars from 2008 to 2014. Common complaints include lower back pain, numb legs, and uncomfortable neck pain. There is an ongoing petition for Honda to change this. The seats definitely need to be replaced.
5- Problems with electrical cables
There have been many complaints about the Honda Insight due to chewed up electrical wires. Honda uses a soy-based cable coating. And this attracts many rodents.
Rodents use this material to build their nests. Although this soy-based coating is very cheap to use, it was not a good idea. This is one of the common Honda Insight failures that needs to be fixed with the manufacturer.
6- The battery light
Honda Insight battery light comes on too often . No one wants to see the battery-shaped light in trouble. This is a common problem with many hybrids. Fortunately, battery replacement is covered by Honda’s warranty. You can take the car to the dealer if you have this problem.
7- Noisy car
The Honda insight is a very noisy car, this is perhaps one of the most annoying common Honda insight failures. This is because Honda reduced its size and weight to improve mpg. For this, the materials were cut to reduce sound.
At high speeds this car gets very loud. But, that’s a small price to pay for the gas savings.
8- Problems with the automatic stop function
The auto stop feature is pretty standard on many hybrids. This allows the computer to shut down when the engine is idling. Helps save fuel.
Also, many people reported that the motor would not come back on when you needed it to. In most cases, replacing the battery resolved this issue.
9- Transmission performance
Your car’s transmission converts the right amount of power into the right amount of speed. It has been reported that the Honda Insight has had transmission problems. This can affect the performance of your car.
You may hear a grinding noise, smell a burning noise, hear a hissing noise, or feel a shaking coming from under the hood. You may also feel a delay in changing gears. If this happens, you will have to take the vehicle in for repair.
10- Malfunction of the headlights
The Honda Insight’s headlights may work well but not quite. This problem caused a recall by Honda. The headlight switch had to be replaced with a modified switch.
Likewise, a new terminal had to be installed for the correct operation of the headlights. This repair had to be done inside the wiring harness. Honda’s warranty covers this repair.
Advantages of the Honda Insight
The Honda Insight also has its pros or good things. Look at the benefits of this vehicle:
1- Great gas mileage
The Honda Insight has a hybrid powertrain that can deliver up to 55 miles per gallon in the city and 49 miles per gallon on the highway. You will definitely notice that you will need fewer visits to the pump with this car. That’s a huge gas saver.
2- Very smooth driving
With its 4-cylinder engine and its electric motor, this car is very light. It’s not bulky, and its active noise cancellation makes for a very quiet drive. Its variable transmission creates a smooth transition when you brake and accelerate.
3- High-tech features
This car makes it easy to connect your smartphone or tablet to the speaker system. You just have to use the Bluetooth. With bluetooth, you can stream audio and even use Pandora. Touring and EX models feature an 8-inch touchscreen. The touch screen is also customizable. Includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. With the Touring, you also get a satellite-linked navigation and voice recognition system.
4- Elegant and classy
The Honda Insight is elegant and classy. It has a streamlined design along with some curves and angles. It has a modern and elegant look. The taillights and LED lights stand out.
Chrome details can even be added for a more elegant look. The interior cabin is very spacious. There is plenty of leg and head room. This car is ideal for people of all sizes .
5- Practical front distribution
The arrangement along the instrument panel is functional and very neat. The ball joints of all the controls are very well marked. The controls are also placed so that they are easily accessible. The center stack is very organized. This way, you have a place to put all your gadgets, like your smartphone.
6- Easy to use infotainment system
Honda’s infotainment system is very easy to navigate. The touchscreen is crisp and clear. Use its shortcuts to make driving safer. Go ahead and easily sync your phone with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
7- Plenty of cargo space
In the Honda Insight, you get 15 cubic feet of storage in the cargo area. In addition, there are neat storage compartments. The rear seat can be easily stowed away to accommodate heavier items. And since the batteries are located under the rear seat, it doesn’t take up space.
8- Accessible closure anchors
Parents can easily slide their children into car seats. The anchors are very easy to reach. This car has enough space to accommodate two car seats in the back.
9- Good value for money
The Honda Insight has a lot of value to offer buyers. Its materials are of high quality. It looks and feels like it should be more expensive.
Disadvantages of the Honda Insight
Now that you’ve seen the good in the Honda Insight, it’s good that you know the bad:
- cracked fuel pump
- excessive oil consumption
- Wires chewed by rodents
- transmission failure
- headlight problems
- uncomfortable seats
- auto stop function
- Noise
- battery light
What do the reviews say about the Honda Insight?
There are opinions and comments that stand out about the Honda Insight.
“Similar in size and shape to Honda’s compact sedans, but with an efficient gas-electric powertrain under the hood, the Insight is like a Civic that’s quieter at low speeds and offers better mpg.”
“Yes, the Honda Insight is a good car. It stands out for its great fuel economy, even by hybrid car class standards. Its appeal is further enhanced by a robust powertrain, a nice cabin and an infotainment system Easy to use”.
Final thoughts
It’s no surprise that car experts have only good things to say about the Honda Insight. It looks very classy and gets great highway mileage. In addition, it has advanced component technology.
It’s everything you want in a car wrapped up in one clean looking package. If you’re thinking about buying a Honda Insight, you’re definitely making a smart decision.
