2008 Honda Fit

AT START-UP THERE SEEMS TO BE ENOUGH BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM FOR ONE BRAKING; THE NEXT TIME I HIT THE BRAKES IT GOES TO THE FLOOR AS IF THERE IS NO POWER BRAKE ASSIST. THERE ARE BRAKES THERE, BUT IT TAKES A HUGE AMOUNT OF FORCE AND IF YOU'RE NOT EXPECTING IT WOULD BE EASY TO HIT SOMETHING. IT HAPPENS 50% OF THE TIME I START THE VEHICLE (AFTER SITTING 8+ HOURS). THE ISSUE IS WORSE WHEN IN REVERSE (LOWER GEAR AND THUS MORE POWER FROM THE ENGINE?). THE SECOND DEALER I WENT TO SAID THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH NO KNOWN REPAIR. WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP, A CIVIC OWNER SAID SHE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERS TOLD HER THAT IT IS "NORMAL". THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME TO LET THE CAR WARM UP FOR 2-MINUTES BEFORE DRIVING. A YEAR AGO, I HAD 32,000 MILES WHEN THIS FIRST OCCURRED 20% OF THE TIME; NOW I HAVE 76,000 MILES AND IT OCCURS 50% OF THE TIME. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS MAY THINK THE BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL, WHEN YOU HAVE TO PUSH EXTREMELY HARD TO GET THEM TO WORK (AS WHEN YOUR BRAKE BOOSTER FAILS). IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO STOP EVEN THOUGH I'M 6'7", 200 POUNDS, VERY STRONG AND I'M A HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR SO I'M PREPARED FOR THINGS TO GO WRONG. *TR

MY HONDA FIT REPEATEDLY STALLS FROM COLD ENGINE STARTS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING REGULARLY AND RANDOMLY FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. IT WILL STALL BOTH WHEN AT A STOP (SUCH AS AT A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN) AND AT SLOW SPEED, SUCH AS WHEN PULLING OUT OF A DRIVE OR BACKING UP. THIS STOPS HAPPENING ONCE THE ENGINE WARMS UP. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO TWO MECHANICS, NEITHER OF WHOM HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH JUST MY VEHICLE AND NOT BOTHERED TO REPORT THE PROBLEM TO SAFECAR.GOV, EXCEPT THAT WHEN I DO AN INTERNET SEARCH ABOUT MY PROBLEM, I FIND THAT MANY, MANY OTHER OWNERS OF 2008 FITS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO A "STALL" ISSUE RECALL FOR 2009-2010 FITS. THANK YOU. *JS

WATER LEAKING THROUGH REAR HATCH WEATHER SEAL. ORIGINALLY THOUGHT WATER CAME THROUGH REAR HATCH WHENEVER I OPENED IT TO GET THINGS DURING A STORM.I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT WATER WOULD ACCUMULATE WHEN IT RAINED EVEN WHEN THE HATCH WAS NEVER OPENED. I STARTED TO HEAR SPLASHING TYPE SOUNDS THINKING IT WAS THE FUEL OR A LOW COOLANT LEVEL. A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS VACUUMING THE CAR AND LIFTED UP THE REAR FLOOR COVERING OVER THE TIRE WELL AND DISCOVERED AT LEAST TWO GALLONS OF WATER ALMOST SUBMERGING THE SPARE TIRE. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS I STARTED TO OBSERVE WATER DRIPPING DOWN THROUGH A PLASTIC COVER THAT HOUSES A UTILITY HOOK ON THE CAR'S CEILING. THE HEADLINER ALSO WAS LEAKING NEAR THE HATCH .I NOW CHECK THE TIRE WELL AFTER IT RAINS AND IT NEVER FAILS THAT THE TIRE WELL AND SURROUNDING AREA ARE WET. I CAN ONLY USE THE DEFROST SETTING BECAUSE IF I DON'T THE WINDOWS WILL FOG UP. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THE REAR SEAT CARPETING GETTING DAMP EVEN WHEN ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS USED DURING A STORM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS DOWN PLAYED THE SITUATION SUGGESTING I HAVE THE WEATHER SEALS REPLACED BY THEM WITH A CHARGE FOR THE PART AND LABOR. I SPOKE TO HONDA OF AMERICA AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE DIAGNOSED FOR A FEE. I HAVE SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS INVESTIGATING ON MY OWN AND HAVE REACHED MY OWN DIAGNOSIS THAT THE WEATHER SEALS ON HONDA FITS ARE DEFECTIVE. I AM ABOUT READY TO TRADE THE CAR IN FOR SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES A HONDA. I LOVE THE CAR BUT CAN ONLY FORESEE MORE AGGRAVATION DOWN THE PIKE. I AM CAPABLE OF APPLYING SILICONE CAULK UNDER THE EXISTING WEATHER SEALS BUT WILL NOT BECAUSE I AM DISSATISFIED THAT HONDA HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON ALL HONDA FITS. *TR

THE SAME RECURRING PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT A YEAR OR SO. IN THE MORNING WHEN I START MY CAR, ESPECIALLY WORSE IN THE WINTER, MY CAR WILL STALL OUT 2 TO 3 TIMES JUST WHILE WARMING UP. WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM AND I START TO DRIVE IT STALLS OUT IN THE ROAD AT LEAST 1 OR 2 MORE TIMES. I HAVE HAD THE HONDA DEALER I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM AS WELL AS MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. I HAVE HAD VALVES AND SENSORS CHANGED AS WELL AS BATTERY AND HAD FUEL INJECTORS CLEAN. IT IS INCREDIBLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THESE CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY WITH IT STALLING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTIONS. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. *TR

I STARTED BUILDING CONDENSATION UP IN MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO STRAUB HONDA IN TRIADELPHIA, WEST VIRGINIA. THEY SAID THAT IT SEEMED TO BE A DOOR SEAL WAS LEAKING. THEY CHANGED THE DOOR SEAL AND DRIED OUT THE WHOLE CAR. FIRST OF ALL, FOR A VEHICLE FOR NOT EVEN 18,000 MILES ON IT SHOULD NOT HAVE SEALS GOING BAD. THEN ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER IT WAS LEAKING AGAIN. I COULDNT EVEN SEE OUT OF MY WINDOWS BECAUSE THEY WERE FROZEN FROM THE INSIDE. WHEN THEY THAWED OUT, MY WINDOWS WERE DRIPPING WATER ONTO MY DASH AND DOORS. I TOOK MY CAR BACK INTO STRAUBS AGAIN. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD CALLED A NUMBER TO SEE IF THIS PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING NATIONALLY. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS SOME HONDA FITS THAT WERE DOING THE SAME THING AND THAT THERE WAS CRACKING ALONG THE HATCH OF THE CAR AND WATER WAS RUNNING THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND SETTLING AT THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. I DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE INTERIOR WIRING OF THE CAR, BUT I HOPE THERE IS NO WIRING THAT THIS WATER TRAVELED THROUGH. NOW, I HAVE PAID $300.00 OUT OF POCKET TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT IS OCCURRING TO OTHER HONDA FITS AS WELL. IF THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO OURS, THAN ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE IS MORE OCCURENCES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET IN CONTACT OF STRAUBS FOR ANY REASON, I HAVE THAT NUMBER AVAILABLE ALSO. I ALSO HAVE A PICTURE OF WHAT IT IS LIKE TRYING TO DRIVE THE CAR WHILE THE WINDOW IS DEFROSTING, YOU CANT DO ANYTHING WITHN IT UNTIL IT IS MELTED 25 MINUTES LATER. *TR

AT TIMES CAR STALLS AT RED LIGHT. CAR HAS ALSO QUIT RUNNING AT 70 MPH. HAVE HAD CAR AT HONDA DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE ARE NO FALT CODES. CAR IS NOW TURNING ON CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. DEALER IS NO HELP. HAVE REPLACED COILS, SPARK PLUGS, AIR FILTER AND V-TEC OIL PRESSURE SWITCH. TROUBLE STILL EXIST. HONDA DEALER HAS NO CLUE AND IS NO HELP IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. I AM AFRAID THAT SOMEONE MIGHT DIE IN THE CAR BEFORE THE TROUBLE IS FIXED. *TT

THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES LACK FEEL AND ARE "SPONGY." THIS CAUSES GREAT DIFFICULTY DURING BRAKING. AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE BRAKES SEEM TO FUNCTION PROPERLY, BUT AT LOW SPEEDS IT DOES NOT. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, INSTEAD OF BRAKING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL DROP. THE CAR CONTINUES TO MOVE AS IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT BEING PRESSED DOWN. THE CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE LAST FEW SECONDS, I MUST HIT THE BRAKES EVEN HARDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN STOPPING. THIS CREATES A HAZARD FOR VEHICLES BOTH IN FRONT AND IN BACK OF ME. THERE IS VERY LITTLE CONTROL IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. FROM THE FORUMS, IT APPEARS THERE ARE MANY OTHER HONDA FIT OWNERS WITH THE SIMILAR PROBLEM. SOME HAVE GOTTEN INTO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS FAILURE, WHILE OTHERS HAVE BEEN MORE LUCKY. THIS IS CERTAINLY A ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP, WHOM HAVE DENIED ANYTHING BEING WRONG. I URGE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER BEFORE ANOTHER PERSON IS KILLED/ INJURED DUE TO THIS FAILURE.

AFTER ATTEMPTING TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP ON A CITY STREET ON A SUNNY DAY WITH ABOUT 2.5 CAR LENGTHS BETWEEN MY FIT AND AN ACCORD. THE VEHICLE'S ABS SYSTEM OVERREACTED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BECOME VERY CHOPPY, DRAMATICALLY INCREASING THE DISTANCE IT TOOK TO STOP. THIS CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO REAR END THE ACCORD. IN RETROSPECT, HAD I NOT APPLIED 100% BRAKE FORCE AND DID NOT TRIGGER THE ABS, I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE JUST SHORT OF REAR ENDING THE OTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SITUATIONS UNDER VARIOUS ROAD AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH THIS VEHICLE, WHERE THE ABS ACTIVATES PREMATURELY AND REMAINS ACTIVE, EVEN WHEN THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT GRIP. EVEN LIGHT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE GOING OVER SOME POT HOLES AND UP ONTO DRIVE WAYS TRIGGERS THE ABS SYSTEM. I NEVER PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I ALWAYS LEAVE ENOUGH SPACE BETWEEN MYSELF AND OTHER VEHICLES, BUT AFTER DOING SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AFTER MY ACCIDENT, IT HAS BECOME APPARENT TO ME THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE ABS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. NOR AM I THE ONLY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO THE NHTSA. AS A NOTE, I HAVE DRIVEN VARIOUS SMALL AND LARGE VEHICLES - WITH AND WITHOUT ABS - AND THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN REACTED SO POORLY IN AN EMERGENCY/PANIC SITUATION. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THESE ABS PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH THE FACTORY DUNLOP TIRES AS MY RECENT ACCIDENT WITH PERFORMANCE (GRIPPY) FIRESTONE FIREHAWK WIDE OVAL INDY 500 TIRES (WITH >50 TREAD). I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE ESTIMATE FOR THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE, BUT THE FRONT BUMPER IS DAMAGED AS WELL AS THE HOOD - NOT SURE IF THERE IS ANY FRAME DAMAGE. NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED, NO OCCUPANTS WERE HARMED. I WILL ALSO REACH OUT TO HONDA AMERICA. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR

NOTICED DAMP/WET CARPET UNDER RUBBER FLOOR MATS ON NOV 15TH 2011, NOTED A MOLDY SMELL. CLEANED CAR DRIED OUT CARPET. NOTICED REAR CARPET VERY WET AFTER RAINY PERIOD DEC 21 2011. PULLED UP CARPET, WATER ALL OVER TOP HUMP WERE SEAT BRACKETS ATTACH TO CAR FRAME, CARPET WAS SOAKED ALL WAY TO FRONT SEATS. I FEEL THIS MAY BE A STRUCTURAL ISSUE AND SAFETY ISSUE. OVER ON MILES FOR WARRANTY TO COVER. SCHEDULE WITH LOCAL DEALERSHIP. *TR