2012 Honda Insight Problems & Owner Complaints

Engine 36 1 crash

“I WAS DRIVING IN A LINE OF SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC ON A TWO LINE LANE MAIN STREET KEEPING A CONSTANT SPEED OF 22 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LURCHED FORWARD ACCELERATING RAPIDLY MAKING A HIGH PITCHED SCREAMING SOUND. AS THE CAR GAINED SPEED I SWERVED INTO THE OTHER LANE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MEANWHILE I STOMPED ON THE FOOT BRAKES, PULLED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFTED INTO PARK TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. BARELY MISSING A HEAD ON COLLUSION, THE CAR JUMPED OVER THE SIDEWALK, TOOK DOWN A STEEL SIGN, SCRAPED OVER CONCRETE BARRIERS AS IT CONTINUED NOW AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY…”
NHTSA complaint #10724827, 2015 · crash

“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11631368, 2024

“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 complaint #11500790, 2022

Air Bags 11

“2012 HONDA INSIGHT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEALERSHIP POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NO REPLACEMENT PARTS TO REPAIR AIRBAG RECALL. *SMD”
NHTSA complaint #10936930, 2017

“TAKATA RECALL - DEALERSHIP HAS NOT REPLACED THE AIRBAG YET.”
NHTSA complaint #10934274, 2016

“TAKATA RECALL - DEALERSHIP HAS NOT REPLACED THE AIRBAG YET.”
NHTSA complaint #10934272, 2016

Unknown Or Other 6

“Roof and hood of car lost all paint and clear coat. Starting to rust”
NHTSA complaint #11544821, 2023

“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 complaint #11399106, 2021

“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 complaint #10995251, 2017

Fuel/Propulsion System 3

“I PURCHASED MY CAR IN JULY 2015 FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 64K MILES ON IT. A MONTH LATER MY CHECK EMISSIONS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE CAR HAD RECEIVED A COMPLETE OIL CHANGE THE DAY I PURCHASED IT BUT I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SERVICE SHOP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME MY CAR WAS LOW ON OIL. A MONTH LATER THE CHECK EMISSIONS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. IT WAS A QUART LOW. I ADDED A QUART (NOT CHEAP FOR HYBRIDS AS HONDA RECOMMENDS API PREMIUM GRADE 0W-20 DETERGENT OIL ONLY). ANOTHER MONTH PASSES AND THE CHECK EMISSIONS LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN AFTER I JUST TURN…”
NHTSA complaint #10819553, 2015

“[I HAVE THE SVC RECORDS FOR THIS INFO-POINTS OF CONTACT ARE AT THE END OF THE REPORT] ON JAN 8TH AT ABOUT 630 AM I WAS DRIVING ON I495W IN VA - I WAS AT THE INTERSECTION OF I495 AND THE EXITS FOR I95S AND I395 WASHINGTON. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 55 MILES/HR AND MY CAR ENGINE SIMPLY STOPPED. I PUT MY HAZARDS ON AND GLIDED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR HAS 125,400 MILES--I PURCHASED IT NEW IN FEB, 2012. I WAS TOWED TO SHEEHY HONDA, ALEXANDRIA, VA. THEY SAID THE SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED AND REPLACED THEM. AFTER REPLACEMENT, THEY SAID THE THERE WAS OIL IN THE SPARK PLUG CYLINDERS. THEY THEN TOLD…”
NHTSA complaint #10673081, 2015

Vehicle Speed Control 3 1 crash

“I WAS DRIVING IN A LINE OF SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC ON A TWO LINE LANE MAIN STREET KEEPING A CONSTANT SPEED OF 22 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LURCHED FORWARD ACCELERATING RAPIDLY MAKING A HIGH PITCHED SCREAMING SOUND. AS THE CAR GAINED SPEED I SWERVED INTO THE OTHER LANE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MEANWHILE I STOMPED ON THE FOOT BRAKES, PULLED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFTED INTO PARK TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. BARELY MISSING A HEAD ON COLLUSION, THE CAR JUMPED OVER THE SIDEWALK, TOOK DOWN A STEEL SIGN, SCRAPED OVER CONCRETE BARRIERS AS IT CONTINUED NOW AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY…”
NHTSA complaint #10724827, 2015 · crash

“ON JULY 31, 2015, AT APPROXIMATELY NOON, I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON PA RT. 663 APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE NORTH ON RT. 73, WEATHER WAS CLEAR, TEMPERATURE APPROXIMATELY 85 F. THE SPEED CONTROL HAD BEEN SET AT 45 MPH BUT PREVIOUSLY DISENGAGED AT A STOP LIGHT. AS I ACCELERATED THROUGH 40 MPH I RE-ENGAGED THE SPEED CONTROL USING THE RES/ACC SWITCH ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TROUGH 45 MPH AND AT 58 MPH I DISCONNECTED THE SPEED CONTROL USING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS IS THE THIRD OR FOURTH INCIDENT OF THIS TYPE AND HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO HIS OFFICE AND HONDA CUSTOMER…”
NHTSA complaint #10745367, 2015

“DRIVING WITH SPEED CONTROL ON, ON I20 EAST OF COLUMBIA SC, AUTOMOBILE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. WHEN IT REACHED 85 MPH I ATTEMPTED DO DECREASE SPEED USING THE DECEL/SET BUTTON, CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I WAS ABLE TO DISCONNECT SPEED CONTROL USING CANCEL BUTTON. AFTER WE SLOWED TO 70MPH I REENGAGED THE SPEED CONTROL. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AGAIN AND AT ABOUT 77MPH I DISENGAGED THE SPEED CONTROL USING THE CANCEL BUTTON. I HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WHICH I VERBALLY REPORTED TO .HONDA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WAS ADVISED AT THAT TIME THAT…”
NHTSA complaint #10680981, 2015

Seats 2

“BEGAN HAVING HIP AND LOWER BACK PAIN ON A LONGER COMMUTE THAN I WAS NORMALLY DRIVING AFTER CHANGING JOBS. IT STARTED AS DISCOMFORT AND SOON MOVED TO SEVERE PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK, NUMBNESS IN MY LEFT LEG AND FOOT. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS JUST ME. MY WIFE'S CAR LEASE WAS ENDING AROUND THIS TIME SO I GOT A DIFFERENT CAR AND THE LOW BACK PAIN WENT AWAY ALONG WITH THE NUMBNESS. NOW MY WIFE, WHO IS STILL DRIVING THE 2012 INSIGHT AND HAS NEVER HAD BACK OR HIP PAIN, IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS I WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE INSIGHT. *TR”
NHTSA complaint #10555927, 2013

“WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF PURCHASING MY HONDA INSIGHT, I BEGAN TO DEVELOP LOWER BACK PAIN RELATED TO SITTING IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. NOT ONLY IS THERE A GENERAL LACK OF CUSHIONING IN THE BASE OF THE SEAT WHICH ALONE WOULD BE FRUSTRATING, BUT THERE ALSO IS A RIGID LOWER BACK / LUMBAR SUPPORT THAT IS EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I CAN RECALL WHERE I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WITH A CAR SEAT. THERE UNFORTUNATELY IS NO APPARENT METHOD TO ADJUST THE AMOUNT OF LOWER BACK SUPPORT, AND MODIFYING THE POSITION OF THE SEAT HAS PROVEN FRUITLESS. I BELIEVE THAT THE DESIGN OF THE SEAT IS FLAWE…”
NHTSA complaint #10468173, 2012

Electrical System 1 1 crash

“I WAS DRIVING IN A LINE OF SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC ON A TWO LINE LANE MAIN STREET KEEPING A CONSTANT SPEED OF 22 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LURCHED FORWARD ACCELERATING RAPIDLY MAKING A HIGH PITCHED SCREAMING SOUND. AS THE CAR GAINED SPEED I SWERVED INTO THE OTHER LANE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MEANWHILE I STOMPED ON THE FOOT BRAKES, PULLED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFTED INTO PARK TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. BARELY MISSING A HEAD ON COLLUSION, THE CAR JUMPED OVER THE SIDEWALK, TOOK DOWN A STEEL SIGN, SCRAPED OVER CONCRETE BARRIERS AS IT CONTINUED NOW AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY…”
NHTSA complaint #10724827, 2015 · crash

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 1

“WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED LAST YEAR IN 2015 JULY ..IT HAD THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON AND. IT HAD TROUBLE WITH THE WAY RAN AND FEE EFFECTED THE MILEAGE AND OVER ALL VEHICLE PERFORMANCE . THE SALES PERSON [XXX] OUT OF JASPER FORD IN JASPER TEXAS SAID THAT JASPER FORD WOULD COVER IN FULL THE CHARGE OF. REPAIRS FOR. THE INDICATOR LIGHT AND ANY REPAIRS. OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE .. I NEED TO HAVE A GOOD MOTOR VEHICLES FOR MY KIDS AND I CONTACT ME AT [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR”
NHTSA complaint #10898121, 2015

Power Train 1

“EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION IS EXPERIENCED BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. 'CHECK EMISSIONS SYSTEM' CODE SHOWS ON DASH.”
NHTSA complaint #10875470, 2016

Service Brakes 1

“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 DRI…”
NHTSA complaint #11023897, 2015

Structure 1 1 crash

“I WAS DRIVING IN A LINE OF SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC ON A TWO LINE LANE MAIN STREET KEEPING A CONSTANT SPEED OF 22 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LURCHED FORWARD ACCELERATING RAPIDLY MAKING A HIGH PITCHED SCREAMING SOUND. AS THE CAR GAINED SPEED I SWERVED INTO THE OTHER LANE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MEANWHILE I STOMPED ON THE FOOT BRAKES, PULLED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFTED INTO PARK TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. BARELY MISSING A HEAD ON COLLUSION, THE CAR JUMPED OVER THE SIDEWALK, TOOK DOWN A STEEL SIGN, SCRAPED OVER CONCRETE BARRIERS AS IT CONTINUED NOW AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY…”
NHTSA complaint #10724827, 2015 · crash