2008 HONDA FIT Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT HE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING 50 MPH; WHICH CAUSED HIM TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $9000.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 11400. UPDATED 10/06/09. *LJ UPDATED 10/06/09

2008 HONDA FIT AUG. 29 2009: VEHICLE IN REVERSE, FOOT ON BRAKE, ENGINE SURGED WITH NO USE OF ACCELERATOR, PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, SURGE STOPPED SHORTLY LASTED ABOUT 10 + SECONDS. STRONG SURGE, WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO PROPEL VEHICLE RAPIDLY. HAVE SINCE GONE ABOUT 20 MILES WITH NO RECURRENCE. NOTIFIED PENSACOLA HONDA, FLORIDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THIS DATE AT APPROXIMATELY 1300, SHE WASN?T AWARE OF ANY RECALL AND WAS UNABLE TO LOG THIS EVENT AS HISTORY ON MY RECORD. ASKED ME TO BRING IT IN. FOUND THE FOLLOWING ON LINE: REPLYING TO: SHELLEY04 (APR 23, 2009 10:19 AM) I FOUND YOUR POST BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I'M HAVING. I HAVE A 2008 FIT. I HAVEN'T CRASHED (YET) BUT IT'S CERTAINLY VERY DISCONCERTING. IT USUALLY OCCURS AT VERY LOW SPEED, WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE THE ENGINE SURGES, BUT ONLY OCCASIONALLY. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I THOUGHT MAYBE I'D ACCIDENTALLY STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT SINCE I'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE, I THOUGHT IT WAS A BIT WEIRD THAT I'D DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES SINCE THEN, AND EACH TIME I'VE VERIFIED THAT MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE. I HAVE TO REALLY MASH DOWN ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. IT HAS HAPPENED BOTH WHEN GOING STRAIGHT AND WHEN TURNING, SO I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, AND ROAD CONDITIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DRY. I WILL BE TAKING IT TO MY HONDA DEALER NEXT WEEK, BUT SINCE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS EVERY TIME, I EXPECT THAT IT WILL NOT OCCUR DURING THE TEST DRIVE. I HOPE HONDA AMERICA WILL TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT, AS COULD VERY EASILY HAPPEN IF IT OCCURS WHEN THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN OR BICYCLIST NEAR THE FRONT OF THE CAR. *TR

AIR CONDITIONING FAILED. TOOK VEHICLE TO HONDA DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT DAMAGE TO CONDENSER WAS CAUSED BY "ROAD DEBRIS" AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. $800+ TO REPAIR, WITH ONLY 22,568 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

PURCHASED (ONLINE) A SET OF "07-08 HONDA FIT ALTEZZA JDM BLACK TAIL LIGHTS LIGHT NEW" FROM A RETAILER LOCATED IN ONTARIO, CA. (FULL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE). - AFTER RECEIPT, THE ASSEMBLIES WERE INSPECTED AND DETERMINED TO BE MISSING THE REQUIRED SIDE MARKER AND REFLECTOR COMPONENTS. - ALSO, THE CUTOUTS IN THE HOUSING INTENDED TO MOUNT THE BULB SOCKETS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO SECURELY HOLD THE BULB SOCKETS, PARTICULARLY THE REVERSE LAMP WHICH IS BARELY CAPABLE OF BEING INSTALLED. AFTER THE SOCKET IS INSTALLED, A JARRING BLOW CAN CAUSE THE SOCKET TO FALL OUT OF THE REFLECTOR HOUSING, PERMITTING THE BULB TO FALL BEHIND THE REFLECTOR. ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT INSTALLED DUE TO THESE SAFETY HAZARDS. I AM CURRENTLY CONTACTING THE SELLER REGARDING REFUND FOR THIS EQUIPMENT. MANUFACTURER'S MARKINGS AND LOCATIONS THEREOF: ON REVERSE LENS: "HFT-TMC1" (APPEARS TWICE, ON OPPOSING EDGES) ON SIGNAL LENS ALONG BOTTOM EDGE: "R" OR "L", "HFT-TMC2", "JUNYAN" ON VEHICLE (CONCEALED) SIDE: "W21W(21W)" (TWO LOCATIONS), "W21/5W(21/5W)", "HFT-TB", "LENS:PC", "BASE:PC",AND "RH" OR "LH". ON SHIPPING BOX: "TLZ-FIT-0106-BK-(6)" *TR

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH ON A HIGHWAY. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME FROM BEHIND. THE SPEED OF MY CAR AT THE MOMENT OF THE ACCIDENT WAS ABOUT 45 MPH AS WELL. MY FRONT PART WAS TOTALLY SMASHED, THE BOTH OF THE SEAT BELTS GOT PULL OUT ALL THE WAY AND BROKE. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME ALSO HAD COMPLETELY SMASHED REAR PART OF THE CAR. MY CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE CONDITION THAT WAS TOWED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I DO HAVE NECK, BACK AND CHEST INJURY AND MY PASSENGER HAS THE SAME INJURY AS MIND PLUS KNEE INJURY BY HITTING HIS KNEE STRONGLY ON A DASH. MY CAR IS 2008 HONDA FIT, PRETTY BRAND NEW CAR. IT IS VERY SCARY THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

2008 HONDA FIT SPORT - DASH LIGHTS ARE ON ALL THE TIME, NOT JUST WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AS IS TYPICAL OF EVERY OTHER CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. THIS DESIGN HAS CAUSED ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO DRIVE FOR MILES AT NIGHT THINKING THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WERE ON. TWICE NOW, A CAR HAS PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT SEE MY APPROACHING VEHICLE IN THE DARKNESS. HAD THERE BEEN AN ACCIDENT I WOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE. IF THE DASH LIGHTS WERE LINKED TO THE HEADLIGHTS I WOULD IMMEDIATELY BE ALERTED THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT ON AT NIGHT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT AND CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND REMEDIED BY HONDA MOTOR CO. I FURTHER BELIEVE THAT HONDA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL IN ORDER TO FIX THIS SAFETY RELATED ISSUE. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOME UNFORTUNATE HONDA FIT DRIVER IS INVOLVED IN A VEHICULAR ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF WHAT I FEEL IS A SAFETY DESIGN FAULT. I HAVE NOT NOTIFIED HONDA MOTOR CO. OF THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IN PAST I HAVE MADE SUGGESTIONS OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE FIT AND HONDA REPLIED WITH A LETTER FROM THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT INFORMING ME THAT THEY DO NOT / WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM ANYONE WHO IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF THEIR COMPANY. I INTEND TO INFORM CONSUMER REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE IN THE HOPE THAT THEY MAY COMMENT ABOUT IT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR READERS, MANY OF WHOM MAY HAVE PURCHASED A HONDA FIT BASED ON CR'S VEHICLE REVIEWS / RECOMMENDATIONS. *TR

UNSAFE DESIGN - RECALL REQUEST I AM THE OWNER OF A 2008 HONDA FIT WITH STANDARD TRANSMISSION. THE TEN-MINUTE TEST DRIVE DID NOT ALERT ME TO THE INSUFFICIENT LEGROOM THAT MAKES ME APPLY BOTH THE BRAKE AND THE GAS AT THE SAME TIME. THE EXPLANATION FOLLOWS. LONG DRIVES OF OVER TWENTY MINUTES CAUSE MY LEG TO CRAMP AND I NEED TO SHIFT MY RIGHT HEEL TO THE RIGHT. THAT PUTS MY HEEL DIRECTLY BEHIND THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL POSITION DIRECTLY BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN THE TOE OF THE FOOT MOVES TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE SOLE OF THE FOOT ALSO COVERS THE EDGE OF THE GAS PEDAL AND BOTH PEDALS ARE PUSHED AT THE SAME TIME. THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS ALSO PARTLY AT FAULT SINCE AFTER THE INITIAL APPLICATION THE BRAKE CONTINUES TO SLOWLY SINK TO THE FLOOR INSTEAD OF HOLDING THE PEDAL HEIGHT. THIS RESULTS IN EVEN MORE GAS BEING APPLIED. HONDA HAS INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND HAS INDICATED THEY ARE WORKING NORMALLY. I HAVE DRIVEN STANDARD SHIFT CARS MANY YEARS INCLUDING, CHEVY, PLYMOUTH, PONTIAC, TWO TOYOTAS, TWO VWS, THE 1991 HONDA, AND NOW THIS FIT. THERE ARE MANY HUNDRED-THOUSAND MILES LOGGED IN THESE CARS. I REPLACED MY 1991 HONDA DX WITH THE FIT. THE CARS ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME SIZE LENGTH AND WIDTH AND THE 1991 HONDA WAS A COMFORTABLE CAR. YOU WOULD THINK THE FIT WOULD BE AS WELL PROPORTIONED. I HAVE CHECKED OTHER CARS OF THE SAME SIZE AND STYLE WITH THE THOUGHT OF TRADING. I HAVE FOUND THE NISSAN VERSA, TOYOTA SCION XD, AND TOYOTA YARIS TO HAVE THE SAME OR WORSE LEGROOM AS THE FIT. I AM 70 INCHES TALL WITH A PANT INSEAM OF 31 INCHES. MY GUESS IS THAT ANYONE WITH AN INSEAM OF MORE THAN 29 WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. RECALL THE HONDA FIT TO FORCE THE COMPANY TO ADJUST THE SEAT SO THAT IT WILL MOVE FARTHER BACK FROM THE GAS PEDAL AND/OR HIGHER. THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE CAR FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. HONDA ADDED ANOTHER FEW INCHES TO THE 2009 FIT BUT KEPT THE SAME FRONT SEAT CLEARANCE DIMENSIONS. ESTABLISH DESIGN RULES TO STOP THIS DESIGN FLAW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. THE HONDA FIT SPORT IS DESIGNED SO THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATES TO FULL BRIGHTNESS AS SOON AS THE IGNITION IS TURNED ON--DAY OR NIGHT. IT CANNOT BE TURNED OFF AT ALL. (THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONFIRM THIS.) THE PROBLEM IS THAT I, LIKE, I SUSPECT, MOST DRIVERS, RELY ON A DARK CAR INTERIOR AS A PROMPT TO TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT. THIS WEEK I HAVE DRIVEN HOME FROM WORK THREE OUT OF FIVE NIGHTS WITH NO HEADLIGHTS. (ON ONE OCCASION I WAS PROMPTED BY A KIND APPROACHING DRIVER WHO "BLINKED" ME; ON ANOTHER I ACTUALLY REMEMBERED TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON. THE DEGREE OF ILLUMINATION, INCIDENTALLY, CAN BE CONTROLLED WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THE TOO-BRIGHT DASHBOARD IS A MILD ANNOYANCE DURING THE DAYTIME, BUT THAT IN ITSELF WOULD NOT MERIT A COMPLAINT. THE MAJOR ISSUE IS THIS: I CHOSE THIS CAR LARGELY BECAUSE OF ITS EXCELLENT SAFETY RATING--AND I NOW FEEL VERY UNSAFE WHEN I ARRIVE HOME AND DISCOVER THAT I HAVE JUST DRIVING SIX MILES ON CHICAGO STREETS WITH NO HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY OF 2008 AND HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE DURING THE DAY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I TRIED TALKING TO HONDA WHERE I GOT THE CAR... AND THEY REFUSE TO PAY FOR ANY DAMAGES TO MY CAR CAUSED BY THEIR FAULTY JACK. WHAT HAPPENED: I HAD A FLAT TIRE. I WENT TO FIX IT USING THE JACK INCLUDED WITH THE CAR/SPARE TIRE. I USED THE SPECIFIED LIFT POINTS (EVEN CHECKED MY OWNERS MANUAL 3 TIMES). I'VE TAKEN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING CLASSES AT COLLEGE AND EVEN A CAR CARE CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL- AS I'M NO STRANGER TO WORKING ON CARS. THE JACK BENT SIDEWAYS AND COMPLETELY COLLAPSED- WHILE I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING OFF THE TIRE. LUCKILY I ONLY GOT THE TIRE PART OF THE WAY OFF- AND THE CALIPER LANDED ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIM (OF MY FLAT TIRE) AND NOT MY FOOT. I ENDED UP BRUISED AND WAS THANKFUL THAT MY FOOT WASN'T INJURED. HOWEVER, I WAS FRUSTRATED THAT A JACK THAT IS SPECIFICALLY MADE BY HONDA FOR MY CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO USE AND THAT HONDA WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR FAULTY AND UNSAFE WORK. IN TALKING WITH HONDA- THEY SAID THAT I MUST HAVE LIFTED IT WRONG OR NOT ON THE RIGHT TYPE OF SURFACE. I TALKED WITH [XXX] (SALES MANAGER AT SCHLOSSMANN'S HONDA CITY) AND HE TOLD ME HONDA IS UNWILLING TO FIX MY CAR NOR REPLACE THE DAMAGED RIM (LET ALONE EVEN CONSIDER THAT THEIR JACK IS FAULTY AND THIS MAY HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE). HIS CONTACT INFO: [XXX]; FAX: [XXX]; EMAIL: [XXX] MY CAR IS A 2008 HONDA FIT. OVERALL I'M HAPPY WITH THE CAR- JUST NOT THE FAULTY AND DANGEROUS (EVEN LIFE THREATENING) CREATED BY THEIR INFERIOR JACK. I KNOW THAT MY CAR IS WIDELY POPULAR- ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN- I JUST DON'T WANT THIS HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE. PLEASE HELP SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I BOUGHT HONDA FIT, 2008 MODEL A MONTH AGO. THE TRAFFIC STOPPED AND WE STOPPED, BUT THE VEHICLE IN THE REAR DID NOT STOP AND SMASHED THE FIT FROM THE REAR, MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE MIDDLE, STRUCK BY A JEEP IN THE REAR AND WAS PUSHED AGAINST A PICK UP TRUCK IN THE FRONT. THE FIT WAS A TOTAL LOSS WITH ENGINE PUSHED BACK, AND BUMPER AND FRONT END SMASHED. BOTH FRONT AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS WITH FRONT SMASHED IN. *TR