2008 Honda Fit

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V770000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED FUOCO HONDA (748 N 1ST ST, GRAND JUNCTION, CO 81501, (970) 628-0454) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD 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.

PASSENGER SIDE AXLE BROKE DUE TO RUST CAUSED BY A RUBBER VIBRATION DAMPENER THAT IS INSTALLED. THE RUBBER PIECE TRAPS WATER INSIDE, WHICH JUST SITS AROUND THE METAL OF THE AXLE SHAFT AND CAUSES IT TO RUST THROUGH. IN MY CASE IT BROKE AFTER I STOPPED, THEN AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FROM THE STOP I HEARD THE PART GIVE WAY. LUCKILY I WAS AT LOW/ZERO SPEED IN A PARKING LOT, INSTEAD OF A CONGESTED HIGHWAY. IN THE PICTURES YOU CAN SEE VERY LITTLE CLEAN METAL, WHICH INDICATES THIS HAS BEEN RUSTING AWAY OVER TIME.

1) VEHICLE ENGINE HAS TO WARM UP FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS IF STATIONERY FOR LONGER THAN A FEW HOURS (REGARDLESS OF OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE); 2) TRANSMISSION SLIPPING OR PISTONS NOT FIRING WHILE IN OPERATION-WHETHER IN TOWN OR HIGHWAY; 3) IF VEHICLE IDLES, ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND UPON RESTART, HAS TO REACH 2000 RPMS TO BEGIN BE ABLE TO PUT IT INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN NUMEROUS TIMES TO MULTIPLE HONDA SERVICE STATIONS AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WITH NO POSITIVE RESOLUTION. WORK DONE INCLUDED: CRANK SENSOR, COIL PACKS REPLACED, STARTER REPLACED, FLUIDS FLUSHED, VALVES ADJUSTED. CODES PULLED HAVE NOT PINPOINTED THE ISSUE NOR DOES ANY MECHANIC HAVE AN ANSWER. ONLINE FORUM SEARCHES APPEAR TO HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER OWNERS WITH ALL MODEL YEARS OF HONDA FITS WITH SAME/SIMILAR ISSUES.

I OWN A 2008 HONDA FIT WITH 105,000 MILES ON IT. UPON ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP SIGN GOING LEFT, THERE WAS A BANG AND GRINDING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. VEHICLE THEN BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS DESPITE BEING IN DRIVE WITH THE GAS DEPRESSED. AFTER A TOW TO A LOCAL DEALER, IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A DRIVER-SIDE CV AXLE FAILURE. WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AND TO INSPECT THE PASSENGER SIDE , THEY ADVISED THERE IS NO EXTERNAL WARNING BY VISUAL INSPECTION SINCE THE AREA PRONE TO FAILURE IS COVERED BY A RUBBER BOOT. DEALER THEN MENTIONED THAT SHE HAD NOTICED FITS AND OLDER ACORDS HAVING THIS PROBLEM.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, TRANSMISSION "D" LIGHT ON, SHIFTING ROUGHLY. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS WHEN THIS HAPPENED. DIAGNOSTIC CODES RUN: P0756 AND P0847. DIAGNOSTICS RUN PER HONDA SERVICE NEWS ARTICLE "HARD OR DELAYED SHIFTING WITH A/T DTCS P0756 AND P0847" TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS DRAINED. IT SHOWED THAT IT DID HAVE DEBRIS IN THE FLUID. THAT MEANS, ACCORDING TO HONDA, THAT THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION AS THE TRANSMISSION COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT, REPORTED BY HONDA, HONDA SHOULD HAVE EXTENDED THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY PAST THE ORIGINAL 60,000 MILES TO COVER THIS. (MINE HAD 75,000 MILES AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED.) I CONTACTED THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO OFFER ANY KIND OF DISCOUNT ON THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. I CALLED HONDA'S CORPORATE OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO OFFICIAL RECALL OR EXTENSION OF WARRANTY, BUT SOME COST REDUCTION IS OFFERED IN CASES WHERE: 1. THE CUSTOMER IS A REPEAT CUSTOMER WHO HAS OWNED MULTIPLE HONDAS 2. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AT A DEALERSHIP 3. THE CUSTOMER HAS SPENT ENOUGH MONEY AT THE DEALERSHIP (FOR SERVICE ETC) TO CONSIDER THEM A GOOD HONDA CUSTOMER. I DID NOT FIT THIS CRITERIA. THE GUY AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE SAID THAT I COULD HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, HAVE THE DIAGNOSTICS RUN AGAIN, AT MY EXPENSE, AND ASK FOR A DISCOUNT, BUT BECAUSE I DO NOT MEET THE 3 CRITERIA ABOVE, I MIGHT NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH OF A DISCOUNT TO EVEN COVER THE EXTRA COST OF TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE DIAGNOSTICS RUN A SECOND TIME. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT IF HONDA WERE TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY OR DO A RECALL IN THE FUTURE, IT WOULD APPLY RETROACTIVELY TO MY CAR, WHETHER I HAVE THE WORK DONE AT THE DEALER OR AT ANOTHER MECHANIC. (I'M HAVING THE WORK DONE AT ANOTHER MECHANIC.)

RIGHT SIDE DRIVE SHAFT OF FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE FAILED UNDER ACCELERATION CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP IN INTERSECTION. EXAMINATION OF FAILED DRIVE SHAFT SHOWS CLASSIC FAILURE UNDER TORSION. THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS COMPROMISED BY SEVERE CORROSION THAT REDUCED THE DIAMETER OF THE DRIVE BY APPROXIMATELY HALF THE ORIGINAL DIAMETER. SEVERE CORROSION IS LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDER THE RUBBER VIBRATION DAMPER INSTALLED ON THE DRIVE SHAFT THAT TRAPPED WATER AND SALT GREATLY ACCELERATING CORROSION. PORTIONS OF THE SHAFT NOT COVERED BY THE RUBBER VIBRATION DAMPER WERE NOT AFFECTED BY CORROSION ALLOWING A DIRECT COMPARISON TO THE ORIGINAL DIAMETER. CURRENTLY, I AM DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH A CORRODED LEFT DRIVE SHAFT ABOUT TO FAIL AT ANY TIME.

CAR HAD EXHIBITED ISSUES WITH SHIFTER CABLE IN THE PAST, BUT NO DEALERSHIP HAD SEEN OR INDICATED ANY ISSUES. CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK, CAR THEN WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND FINALLY, WHEN THE CABLE SNAPPED, THE CAR WOULD NOT LEAVE NEUTRAL, MAKING THE CAR COMPLETELY UNUSABLE. HAD THIS OCCURRED WHILST DRIVING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

MY 2008 HONDA FIT (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) SUDDENLY FELT LIKE THE ENGINE WAS BUCKING OR HESITATING WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THIS WAS NOTICEABLE WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND, 3RD, 4TH & 5TH GEAR. IT FELT AS IF I NEEDED TO DOWNSHIFT EVEN THOUGH I WAS SHIFTING INTO THE CORRECT GEAR. ( I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS). I TOOK THE CAR TO THE HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND AFTER TEST DRIVING THE CAR WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT NOTICE THE PROBLEM AND TO COME BACK IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. A WEEK OR TWO LATER (12/9/14) WHEN IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR BUSINESS, THE BUCKING/HESITATION WAS SO BAD THAT I WAS UNCERTAIN WHAT GEAR I SHOULD BE IN WHEN DRIVING UP A STEEP ROAD. I MADE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT FOR THE COMING SATURDAY (12/13/14) WHEN I WOULD BE BACK IN CONNECTICUT, EVEN THOUGH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THE COIL ASSEMBLY FOR ONE OF THE CYLINDERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH THEY DID ON MONDAY (12/15/14). I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM FOR THE PAST FOUR DAYS. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST WAS NEARLY $257.60 WITH THE COIL ASSEMBLY COSTING $135. I CHECKED ONLINE TO SEE WHAT THE COST FOR THE PART WAS AND FOUND IT FOR $81 AT BRENARDI AUTO PARTS WHICH SELLS GENUINE HONDA PARTS AND FROM WHOM I HAVE PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED PARTS. I EMAILED THE HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT ASKING TO BE REFUNDED $50 AS THEY OVER-PRICE ON PARTS. WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM. MY QUESTION/CONCERN; SHOULD THIS COIL ASSEMBLY HAVE FAILED? WHAT IS THE EXPECTED LIFE OF THIS PART? THANK YOU. *TR

2008 HONDA FIT SPORT, 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION BEGAN BINDING (RESISTANCE, AUDIBLE CLICK FROM SHIFT LINKAGE) SHIFTING INTO 1ST, 2ND, 3RD GEAR AT APPROX 60K MILES (JUST PRIOR TO 2ND FLUID CHANGE). INITIALLY RESOLVED PROBLEM. RECURRING AT 80K MILES. TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED, CLUTCH FLUID CHANGED/BLED (NO CHANGE), CLUTCH HEIGHT AND ENGAGEMENT ADJUSTED (SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT), AND STILL NOT FULLY RESOLVED. AT THIS POINT IT IS LIKELY A PREMATURELY WORN CLUTCH, SYNCROMESH ISSUE, OR POSSIBLY SHIFT LINKAGE. BEST GUESS IS A LITTLE OF BOTH. FITFREAK.NET IS FULL OF SIMILAR TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND HONDA DOES NOT HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BUILDING RELIABLE TRANSMISSIONS. I WISH HONDA WOULD ADDRESS THEIR ENGINEERING DEFICIENCIES IN THIS AREA OR AT LEAST PROVIDE OUT OF WARRANTY COVERAGE TO OWNERS. WILL FOLLOW UP WITH DEALER, BUT EXPECTING NO COOPERATION. MAINTENANCE BACKGROUND: PROFESSIONAL A&P MECHANIC, ALL SERVICES PERFORMED ACCORDING TO HONDA'S SCHEDULE, ONLY GENUINE HONDA FLUIDS USED. VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY ORIGINAL EXCEPT FOR FRONT BRAKE ROTORS/PADS. NO ACCIDENTS, NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH CAR. *TR

WHEN I BACKED OUT OF MY DAUGHTER'S DRIVEWAY, I TRIED TO SHIFT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO REVERSE. IT CLICKED BUT WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE AS I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE. IT ROLLED FORWARD SLIGHTLY. I PUT IT BACK IN PARK AGAIN AND DECIDED TO TRY ONCE MORE. THERE WAS NO FLOOR MAT ON THE FLOOR. THERE WERE NO CARS COMING AT THIS POINT. I SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND REMOVED MY FOOT SLOWLY FROM THE BRAKE. THE CAR FLEW INTO THE STREET WITH RAPID ACCELERATION AND I COULDN'T BRAKE FOR AN ONCOMING CAR, WHICH I CRASHED INTO. THE FITS LEFT TAIL LIGHT AND BUMPER WERE HIT AT SUCH AN ANGLE AND IMPACT THAT MY CAR SPUN FORWARD AND THE TRANSMISSION MOVED INTO DRIVE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR AND IT WENT ZOOMING ACROSS MY DAUGHTER'S LAWN, ALMOST HITTING A HUGE PALM TREE AND A UTILITY POLE. IT THEN SPUN AROUND AND FINALLY STOPPED BEFORE IT ALMOST CRASHED INTO MY DAUGHTER'S HOUSE WHERE MY GRANDSON WAS WATCHING BEHIND THE WINDOW. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE OTHER CAR IN THE CRASH SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND WERE WILLING TO TESTIFY TO THAT FACT. THE POLICE REPORT LISTS MECHANICAL FAILURE AS THE CAUSE. THE HONDA FIT WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP AND REPAIRED AT A COST OF $4400. THE REPAIR PEOPLE WOULD NOT TEST DRIVE IT BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID TO. THEY DEMANDED THAT THE CAR BE TOWED TO THE HONDA DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER EXPERIENCED THE RAPID ACCELERATION PROBLEM TOO AS HE WAS MOVING THE CAR TO THE TOW TRUCK. HE HAD TO REMOVE THE KEY. THE HONDA DEALER SAID THEY INSPECTED THE CAR AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I WON'T DRIVE THAT CAR AGAIN AND TRADED IT IN AT HONDA. THEY SAID THE CAR WAS GOING TO AUCTION. WHOEVER BUYS THAT CAR COULD HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM. *TR