The Lemon Index
Honda's 2.0 L and 2.2 L naturally aspirated inline-4, DOHC in the S2000, model years 2000–2009.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 48/100, #88 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 2 known issues listed below.
Reliability by year
Why the car page shows more: the S2000 page counts 107 complaints and 2 recall campaigns for 2000–2009, everything NHTSA files as "S2000", other engines included. This page counts only the 107 complaints and 5 recalls we can tie to the Honda F20C / F22C1 by model name or the owner's own words.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | S2000 | 40 | 48 (172 videos) | 3 |
| 2001 | S2000 | 13 | not enough videos yet | 0 |
| 2002 | S2000 | 10 | not enough videos yet | 0 |
| 2003 | S2000 | 8 | not enough videos yet | 0 |
| 2004 | S2000 | 5 | not enough videos yet | 0 |
| 2005 | S2000 | 15 | not enough videos yet | 0 |
| 2006 | S2000 | 10 | not enough videos yet | 2 |
| 2007 | S2000 | 3 | not enough videos yet | 1 |
| 2008 | S2000 | 3 | not enough videos yet | 0 |
| 2009 | S2000 | 0 | not enough videos yet | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine 5
None of them is about the engine itself.
13V246000 Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Honda S2000 2006–07
The brake booster may be unable to maintain.
06V270000 Equipment · Honda S2000 2006
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MOTORCYCLES, THE OWNER'S MANUALS CONTAIN INCORRECT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S (NHTSA) VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE.
04V257000 Exterior Lighting · Honda S2000 2000
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE LENS OF THE SIDE MARKER LAMP AND SIDE REFLEX REF…
00V016000 Seat Belts · Honda S2000 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CONVERTIBLE PASSENGER VEHICLES.
00V316000 Seat Belts · Honda S2000 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES.
NHTSA recalls by model and year. A recall counts here when every confirmed version of that model-year had this engine, or the recall names it. Check a car's VIN for its own open recalls.
Engine problems Honda told dealers about
Honda sent dealers 17 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- On some model vehicles, there is an alternator/starter tester (ast) module capable of testing alternators,…
- Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code p1457 - evap bypass solenoid valve failure
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- Timing chain tensioner rattle (Owner-reported). A rattle at startup usually means the timing chain tensioner needs replacing, per SlashGear and PistonHeads buyer's guides. Fix: Replace the timing chain tensioner.
- Oil use (Owner-reported). Some engines use up to a liter of oil every 1,000 miles while others use almost none. If the level runs low, the computer blocks VTEC. 2 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (AP1 S2000).
Sources: SlashGear: 12 things you should know before buying a Honda S2000 (Mar 2023), PistonHeads: Honda S2000 buying guide, powertrain (Jul 2014). The same list as on the S2000 page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Honda S2000 S2000 | 2000–09 |
Engine codes: F20C (2.0), F22C1 (2.2). Power: 240 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Honda F engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the Honda F20C / F22C1 engine?
In the US: the Honda S2000, model years 2000–2009. See the version table for each one.
Is the Honda F20C / F22C1 reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 48/100, #88 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 2 known issues listed below. Owners filed 107 complaints we can tie to it, about any part of the car. Its cars had 5 recalls (0 about the engine, fuel or powertrain). Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Honda F20C / F22C1 make?
240 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.