The 2022 Honda S660 is a JDM kei-car roadster with a mid-mounted turbocharged 0.66L three-cylinder and CVT. It's mostly solid for what it is, but the tiny high-strung engine and constantly-loaded transmission create predictable stress points, especially if driven hard or tracked.
CVT Transmission Mount Failure
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 40,000-70,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking or excessive engine movement during gear changes or hard acceleration, Vibration felt through the cabin at idle or under load, Visible sag or tearing in the rear transmission mount
Fix: Replace the rear transmission mount, which carries most of the mid-engine load. Access is tight but doable without dropping the subframe. 2.5-3.5 hours labor for an experienced tech.
Estimated cost: $400-700
CVT Oil Cooler Line Leaks
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Red transmission fluid pooling under the engine bay or rear wheel wells, Transmission overheating warning light or limp mode, Burnt smell from hot CVT fluid hitting exhaust components
Fix: The cooler lines corrode or crack at the fittings due to heat cycling and road salt (if imported to northern climates). Requires dropping protective panels and sometimes the exhaust. Line replacement plus flush and refill. 3-4 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $600-1,000
Valve Lifter Tick and Premature Wear
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Persistent ticking or tapping noise from the engine, especially on cold starts, Noise worsens with extended oil change intervals or low-quality oil, Check engine light with misfire codes in severe cases
Fix: S07A engines are sensitive to oil quality and change intervals. If lifters collapse or cam lobes show wear, it's cylinder head removal, lifter replacement, and potential camshaft work. 8-12 hours labor depending on cam condition.
Estimated cost: $1,800-3,200
Turbocharger Wastegate Rattle
Common · low severityTypical onset: 30,000-60,000 mi
Symptoms: Rattling or buzzing noise from the engine bay at idle or light throttle, No performance loss or check engine light, Noise disappears under boost
Fix: The wastegate actuator arm develops play in its bushings—common on small IHI turbos. Not a failure risk, but annoying. Turbo replacement or actuator rebuild. 4-5 hours labor if replacing the turbo unit.
Estimated cost: $1,200-2,000
Timing Chain Stretch and Tensioner Wear
Rare · high severityTypical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Rattling from the front of the engine on cold starts, Check engine light with cam/crank correlation codes (P0016, P0017), Rough idle or hesitation under acceleration
Fix: High-revving small engines stress timing components. If the chain stretches or the tensioner fails, it's a head-off job to replace chain, guides, and tensioner. 10-14 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $2,500-4,000
Harmonic Balancer Delamination
Rare · medium severityTypical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Vibration that increases with RPM, Visible wobble or rubber separation on the crankshaft pulley, Serpentine belt wear or throwing belts
Fix: The rubber damper ring separates from the hub due to heat and high-revving use. Replacement requires removing the front accessory drive. 2-3 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $400-700
Buy one if you want a quirky, fun JDM novelty and can wrench or budget $1,000/year for the inevitable CVT and engine maintenance—skip it if you need reliability or cheap repairs.
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.