2009 Honda Fit

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE SECONDS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000

AFTER I'D HAD THE CAR ABOUT A YEAR, SUDDENLY THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT STARTED LOCKING UP AND PREVENTING ME FROM BEING ABLE TO MOVE. THIS IS ONGOING. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I LEAN FORWARD ONLY SLIGHTLY. THE ONLY WAY TO RELEASE IT IS TO PRESS INTO THE BACK OF THE SEAT, BUT SOMETIMES THE BELT CONTINUES TO LOCK UP EVERY TIME I PRESS BACK, TO THE POINT THAT THERE IS NO MORE ROOM TO RELEASE THE TENSION ON THE BELT. AT THIS POINT I JUST HAVE TO TAKE THE BELT OFF, WHILE I'M DRIVING. THIS OVERLY-SENSITIVE LOCKING MECHANISM HAS BECOME A HAZARD WHEN I'M IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND HAVE TO QUICKLY CHECK OVER MY SHOULDER BEFORE CHANGING LANES. I HAVE TO LEAN FORWARD IN ORDER TO SEE AROUND THE HEADREST, BUT I GET TRAPPED AGAINST THE SEAT. AGAIN, I HAVE HAD TO UNFASTEN THE BELT IN ORDER TO GAIN THE MOBILITY NEEDED TO DRIVE PROPERLY. I BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE DEALER AND HE SIMPLY BRUSHED IT OFF, STATING THIS WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. THIS IS AN IMPROPERLY WORKING SAFETY FEATURE, MAKING IT AN UNSAFE FEATURE. THE DATE PROVIDED BELOW IS THE APPROXIMATE DATE THE PROBLEM STARTED. ANOTHER ISSUE IS THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS DIRECTLY IN MY LINE OF VISION. I HAVE TO DUCK TO LOOK UNDER IT WHEN I'M SIMPLY TRYING TO SEE OUT THE WINDSCREEN. THIS ALSO IS A HAZARD. LASTLY, I FIND THE WINDSCREEN FRAME ON THE LEFT SIDE IS SITUATED SUCH THAT IT PERFECTLY BLOCKS PEDESTRIANS WHO MIGHT BE STANDING ON THE CORNER OR ENTERING AN INTERSECTION. IT'S SO WIDE AND ANGLED THAT IT COVERS A LARGER AREA THAN MOST VEHICLES. THE LARGE WINDSCREEN IS A NICE FEATURE, BUT NOT WHEN IT COMPROMISES SIDE VISION.

TAKATA RECALL ITHACA CARSHARE IS A SMALL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION SERVING 1,400 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH 25 VEHICLES AVAILABLE FOR SELF-SERVE RESERVATIONS ON A 24/7 BASIS. SIX OF THESE VEHICLES ARE HONDA FITS AFFECTED BY THE TAKATA RECALL. FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR MEMBERS AND LIABILITY PURPOSES, WE REMOVED THESE VEHICLES FROM SERVICE ON APRIL 4, 2016. WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH BOTH OUR LOCAL HONDA DEALER AND HONDA CORPORATE MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THUS FAR BOTH HAVE REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY COMPENSATION FOR THE LOSS OF REVENUE CAUSED BY THESE VEHICLES BEING UNSAFE TO DRIVE. EACH VEHICLE REQUIRES INSTALLATION OF SPECIALTY HARDWARE FOR OUR USE, SO SUBSTITUTE VEHICLES PROVIDED BY HONDA (WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED) ARE NOT AN OPTION FOR US. AS EACH DAY GOES BY, WE LOSE $250-300 IN REVENUE, SO AS OF THIS WRITING WE HAVE LOST OVER $3,000. AS A SMALL NON-PROFIT, THIS RECALL HAS A HUGE EFFECT ON OUR BUDGET. WE EXPECT THAT OUR LOSSES WILL TOTAL AT LEAST $10,000, IF NOT MORE. FAILURE OF HONDA TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION FOR THIS LOSS IS BOTH INCONVENIENT AND UNACCEPTABLE. WE CONTINUE TO SEEK COMPENSATION FOR THIS LOSS AND REQUEST ANY ASSISTANCE YOU MAY OFFER ON OUR BEHALF.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DEALER WOULD NOT PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V061000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING ON TWO OCCURRENCES, BOTH CITY STREET AND FREEWAY, THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) INDICATOR LIT UP AND POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND SHUT DOWN. MY DAUGHTER HAD TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS SHE FELT SO UNSAFE WITHOUT ANY POWER STEERING AND FELT A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION. THE EPS WARNING INDICATOR WAS INTERMITTENT AND DISAPPEARED WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. HOWEVER, THE EPS WARNING REOCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE SAME DAY. THE 2007-08 HONDA FIT MODELS RECEIVED EXTENDED WARRANTIES FOR THE SAME EPS MALFUNCTION PROBLEMS, ALONG WITH ELIGIBILITY FOR GOODWILL CONSIDERATION. THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR THE 2009 MODELS. DUE TO THE EXTREME DANGER OF NOT KNOWING WHEN THE EPS MALFUNCTION WOULD OCCUR AGAIN, THE CAR IS BEING REPAIRED WITH A COMPLETE NEW EPS SYSTEM WHICH WILL BE COSTING US OVER $1000 FOR PARTS/LABOR.

MULTIPLE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE FAILED--NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DOOR LOCKS EITHER DON'T WORK TO UNLOCK OR TO LOCK OR THEY MAKE A WHIRRING NOISE, AFTER WHICH THEY MAY OPEN. AT 78,119 MILES ON THE CAR, I REPLACED BOTH THE LEFT REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR AND THE REAR HATCH LOCK ACTUATOR. AT 120,000, THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR, THE LEFT REAR (AGAIN), AND THE REAR HATCH LOCK (AGAIN) HAVE ALL FAILED! SHOP WANTS $359 EACH! TO REPAIR. HONDA CUSTOMER CARE PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE OTHER THAN TO SAY NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED.