The 2019 Honda Insight is generally reliable for a hybrid, but suffers from a catastrophic engine defect affecting early builds and a problematic fuel pump that's been recalled multiple times. When the engine fails, it fails spectacularly.
Symptoms: Knocking or metallic tapping from engine bay, Excessive oil consumption (quart per 1,000 mi or worse), Check engine light with misfire codes or low oil pressure warning, Metal shavings in oil during changes
Fix: Complete engine rebuild or short block replacement required. Piston rings fail, score cylinder walls, then rod bearings go shortly after. Book time 18-24 hours for short block swap including hybrid system disconnect/reconnect procedures. Some owners have gotten goodwill coverage from Honda even outside warranty if caught early with documentation.
Estimated cost: $6,000-9,500
Fuel Pump Failure (Multiple Recalls)
Common · high severity
Symptoms: No-start condition, cranks but won't fire, Stalling at idle or during acceleration, Rough running, surging, or hesitation under load, Fuel gauge reading erratically
Fix: Three separate recalls (19V-701, 20V-591, 21V-838) for low-pressure fuel pump failures. Pump impeller can crack and cause complete fuel starvation. Recall repair is free at dealer, but many owners experience multiple pump failures even after replacement. 2-3 hours labor if paying out-of-pocket post-recall.
Estimated cost: $800-1,200
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Leaks
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission fluid drips under vehicle, front-center area, Low fluid level warnings on dash, Rough or delayed shifts in DCT, Burning smell after highway driving
Fix: The oil cooler lines for the dual-clutch transmission develop leaks at crimp connections or corrode at mounting points. Not a full cooler replacement usually, just lines and seals. 3-4 hours labor includes fluid flush and refill with Honda DW-1 DCT fluid.
Estimated cost: $600-950
Rear Transmission Mount Failure
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Vibration during acceleration, especially in EV mode transitions, Visible sagging or torn rubber on mount during inspection, Drivetrain shifts excessively under throttle
Fix: Rear transmission mount deteriorates faster than expected, possibly due to hybrid torque transitions stressing it. Straightforward replacement, 1.5-2 hours labor. Use OEM Honda part — aftermarket mounts fail even quicker on hybrids.
Estimated cost: $350-550
Backup Camera Fogging/Failure
Occasional · low severity
Symptoms: Fogged or condensation-filled camera lens, Intermittent camera not available message, Distorted or blurry reverse image, Complete camera blackout
Fix: TSB 19-057 covers camera seal failures allowing moisture intrusion. Recall 20V-362 addresses some units. Replacement camera assembly required if moisture has damaged circuit board. 0.8-1.2 hours labor, but dealer may cover under recall or goodwill.
Estimated cost: $400-650
Seatbelt Pretensioner Recall Issues
Rare · high severity
Symptoms: Seatbelt warning light stays on, Buckle fails to latch properly or releases unexpectedly, Visible fraying or damage to pretensioner cable
Fix: Recalls 20V-052 and 20V-053 for front seatbelt buckles and pretensioners that may not restrain properly in a crash. Free dealer fix, but requires replacement of entire buckle/pretensioner assembly. Schedule proactively — this is a safety-critical item.
Estimated cost: $0
Owner tips
Check oil level every 1,000 miles religiously — early oil consumption is your warning sign for engine failure
Verify all fuel pump recalls have been completed and ask previous owner about pump replacement history
Use only Honda DW-1 fluid for DCT transmission — conventional ATF will cause premature clutch wear
Inspect engine oil for metallic flakes at every change — catch bearing damage before catastrophic failure
Solid choice if post-2019 build date or engine has been replaced under warranty; walk away if oil consumption or pump issues are already present.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
Be the first to unlock repairs for the 2019 Honda Insight
Procedures haven't been generated for this vehicle yet. Become the founding sponsor and we'll generate expert-grade, step-by-step repair walkthroughs for every common job on it — free for every mechanic and DIYer who looks it up after, forever.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY · 23V158000
2023-03-09
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2020 CR-V, 2018-2019 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019 Insight, and 2019-2020 Acura RDX vehicles. A manufacturing issue with the front seat belts may cause the seat belt buckle channel to interfere with the release button, preventing the seat belt buckle from latching.
Consequence: An unlatched seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt buckle release buttons or the buckle assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are NDA, QDB, BDC, MDD, LD9. TDF, FDG, ODH, YDI, ZDE.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-314.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE · 20V771000
2020-12-10
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, and 2019-2020 Insight vehicles. A software error may cause intermittent or continuous disruptions in communication between the Body Control Module (BCM) and other components. This may result in malfunctions of various systems such as the windshield wipers and defroster, rearview camera, exterior lights, audible warning of a stopped vehicle, and power window operation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems" and number 111, "Rear Visibility" as well as FMVSS numbers 104, 108, 114, 118, and 305.
Consequence: Various system malfunctions such as inoperative windshield wipers, defroster, rearview camera, or exterior lighting can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the BCM software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 22, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is X95.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER · 18V664000
2018-09-27
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Honda Insight, Odyssey, and Ridgeline vehicles. The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) control unit may have a manufacturing error, possibly resulting in the air bags or seatbelt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.
Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the air bags or seatbelt pretensioners do not function as intended, there would be an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the SRS unit, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are B2R, C2P, and Z2Q.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA · 18V629000
2018-09-13
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Accord and 2019 Honda Insight vehicles. In certain scenarios, the back-up camera center display may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Consequence: If the rearview camera display does not show what is behind the vehicle, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the display audio unit software, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K2G and V2F.
Building an app?
Free API access to all this data — 50 requests/day, no card required.