So What are Spring Spacers Anyway?
Although many Honda S2000s are now on their third, fourth, and even fifth owners, there are still reports of owners finding spring spacers hidden away between each strut's coil spring. Even if you are the original owner and have never inspected the suspension yourself, it is worth taking a few minutes to have a look at each corner of the car's suspension to ensure all of the spacers have been removed.
Spring Spacer Spectacle
The Honda S2000 has been considered as one of the best all-around sports cars in recent years with its lively engine and sharp handling. Unfortunately, many owners have been victims of the dreaded "spring spacers" that have accidentally been left in place on the strut coil springs even after the initial dealership pre-delivery inspection and numerous service department visits. Although some cars are nearing 20 years old, forgotten spring spacers are still being found on these cars.
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What Are Spring Spacers?
During shipment of new S2000 vehicles, Honda installed rubber spacers between the suspension coil springs. While there is no definitive answer as to why these spacers were put in place, many believe they were installed to limit suspension travel during delivery and reduce the chances of any suspension component wear.
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Neglect to Inspect
All S2000s produced from 1999 through 2009 were shipped with spring spacers installed on the strut springs. During the first 2 years of production, the removal of these spacers was regularly missed by technicians during the pre-delivery inspection before the cars were placed on the lot to sell. The excessive number of these spring spacers accidentally left in place led Honda to place a warning placard around the gear shift knob of 2002 and newer vehicles that warned that the car was not to be driven until the spring spacers were removed. Despite this warning, many cars still slipped through inspections without having the spacers removed.
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Side effects?
With the spring spacers left in place, the car may have a higher ride height with a larger gap between the tires and fenders compared to an S2000 with the spacers removed. Similarly, the ride height may vary between each wheel as some spacers may have been removed or have fallen out over time while others have been left in place. When driving with the spacers installed, the suspension is far less compliant and can be especially rough over road irregularities. The ride is typically very stiff because it limits the movement of the strut. There is good reason Honda called for these to be removed prior to the vehicle being put into service...
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Check Your Springs!
There have been reports of cars covering over 70,000 miles before the owner found spring spacers still installed on their car. There are a total of 14 spacers installed from the factory that need to be removed. To check for spacers, lift the car at the specified jacking point the unload one corner of the suspension. While the suspension is unweighted, look for spacers between each coil on the inner side of the strut spring. While it is not necessary to remove the wheels, doing so can provide better access to the strut and spring. The rubber spacers may require a bit of prying to free them but are otherwise easily removed.
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