2008 HONDA FIT Complaints

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

ORANGE LIGHT COMES ON AND FREEZES THE POWER STEERING. VEHICLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS IS ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER, ESPECIALLY A CHANGE FROM WARM TO COLD. ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP, I CAN USUALLY GET THE WHEEL TO LOOSEN AND THE POWER STEERING TO ENGAGE IF I TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON. IF IT'S A HOT DAY AND I CRANK UP THE AC THE WHEEL WILL OFTEN JERK (EVEN AT HIGH SPEEDS) I RECOMMEND LOOKING INTO THIS. *JS

CAR STOPPED DEAD (HAS HAPPENED 10-12 TIMES). COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. TURNED OFF IGNITION. TURNED IT BACK ON AND CAR STARTED IMMEDIATELY. NO PROBLEM AT 35 MPH ON BACK COUNTRY ROAD. BIG PROBLEM IF I WERE PASSING ON 2 LANE ROAD. INTERNET CHECK SHOWS OTHERS HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH 2008 HONDA FIT.

AFTER A DAY OF HEAVY RAINS, THE FLOOR PANELS IN MY HONDA FIT PUDDLE UP WITH WATER. THE REAR FLOOR PANELS (UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEATS) IN PARTICULAR POOL WITH WATER AND HAVE STARTED TO RUST THE HINGES OF THE CAR FOLDAWAY SEAT MECHANISMS AS THE FABRIC LINERS GET SOAKED WITH WATER. MY CONCERN HERE IS THAT MOLD WILL BUILD UP IN MY CAR MAKING MY CAR UNSAFE TO BE IN. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS. *TR

AT 5AM WHILE HEADED TO WORK, I NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT ON, DESPITE THE SWITCH BEING IN THE ON POSITION. THERE WAS A RECALL PREVIOUSLY FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. IT APPEARS THE FIX WAS ONLY TEMPORARY, AS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE HAS POPPED UP AGAIN. LOW-BEAMS DO NOT WORK, BUT HI-BEAMS AND FOGLIGHTS WORK. *TR

LAST YEAR OUR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING - COULD NOT INSERT THE KEY. THERE WAS NOTHING JAMMED OR STUCK INSIDE. TODAY THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LUCK - WE CAN'T INSERT THE KEY. NOW THE ONLY DOOR THAT WORKS IS THE TRUNK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS WATER LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE AIRBAGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TREAD ON THE TIRES SEPARATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FAILED ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER AND THAT THE WHEEL WAS STEEL AND NOT STANDARD FOR WARM CLIMATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

MY 2008 HONDA FIT SPORT BEGAN HAVING A "SURGING" ISSUE FROM THE 2ND WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 2008. I WOULD TAP THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AND THE ENGINE WOULD SURGE. HITTING THE BRAKES A SECOND TIME USUALLY STOPPED IT BUT THROWING IT INTO NEUTRAL HELPED TOO. I REPORTED IT FREQUENTLY TO THE HONDA DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT. IT CONTINUED FOR 4 YEARS, AND THEN SEEMED TO STOP FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THIS PAST MARCH, IT STARTED AGAIN, AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THEN IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS COMING DOWN THE HILL I LIVE ON. THE CAR WAS IN 2ND GEAR (USING THE SHIFTER), AND I TAPPED THE BRAKES TO SLOW A BIT. THE ENGINE BEGAN ACCELERATING AND GOING FASTER. THE BRAKES DID NO GOOD; NEITHER DID THE EMERGENCY BRAKE; FINALLY, THE BRAKES GAVE OUT AND MY FOOT WAS FLAT ON THE FLOOR. I FINALLY PUT IT INTO PARK AND IT SLOWED DOWN TO A STOP. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH I PUT IT INTO PARK WHILE MOVING, NOR COULD THEY FIND ANY REASON FOR THE ACCELERATION. AMERICAN HONDA IS NO HELP EITHER. THEY DID BUY THE CAR BACK, BUT HAVE SOLD IT AS A USED CAR, AND I FEAR FOR THE PERSON WHO PURCHASED IT. I'M SURE THEY DID NOT LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM FURTHER. ON YOUR WEBSITE, I FOUND SEVEN (7) SIMILAR REPORTS FOR THE 2008 FIT AND FIVE (5) MORE FOR THE 2009. OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM ON EDMUNDS.COM FOR SEVERAL YEARS, YET THE HONDA SALES MANAGER DID NOT WANT TO LOOK AT THE PRINTOUT I GAVE HIM. HERE ARE THE NHTSA ID#S THAT REPORT A SIMILAR PROBLEM: 10523098, 1049187, 10425811, 10344231, 10323002, 10317179, 10282552, 10266390, 10368077, 10329557, 10308988, 10280593. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER - IT IS VERY SERIOUS. *TR

AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER A CRASH WHERE MY CAR HIT A MINI VAN IN FRONT OF ME. BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT NOT IN TIME TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT.