Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Honda Fit submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 23 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2009 Honda Fit. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 54,247. While the contact’s uncle was using a car app scanner, he discovered that the mileage was 172,429. The odometer was currently 90,000. There were no other agencies contacted.
My doors have defaulted to the lock position, even when the vehicle is occupied. The electronic unlock system will not permit the car to unlock. The manual lock strongly resists being moved to the unlock position. With much force, it can be moved, but immediately relocks. The only way to exit the vehicle is to force the manual lock to unlock while simultaneously pulling the handle to open the door. This is an extreme safety hazard - as one cannot easily exit the vehicle. Upon entering the vehicle, an older driver, a less strong driver, or partially disabled driver would be trapped in their vehicle with only emergency procedures able to free them. If there were an accident, and the airbag were deployed - it would be impossible for an able bodied driver to get both hands to the door and initiate the sequence necessary to exit the car. One would be trapped. An incredibly dangerous situation. I see the door actuator has been recalled on other Honda models - so it is a known issue with the manufacturer. I am currently partiually diasble, and
EVERY WINTER THE BATTERY GOES COMPLETELY DEAD. NO SIGNS OF ANY LIFE IN THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACE BY THE DEALER AFTER I HAD THE CAR 6 MONTHS. I HAVE PUT AT LEAST SIX NEW BATTERIES IN THE CAR. SEARCHING ONLINE I FIND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.
MY RADIO AT RANDOM TIMES WOULD TURN ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS IF IT LOST POWER, THEN ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO LATER MY POWER STEERING WOULD RANDOMLY CUT OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH THE RADIO SHUT OFF AND THE EPS LIGHT IN THE DASH WOULD FLASH THEN GO AWAY, DURING THIS THE CAR BECAME HARD TO HANDLE AND CONTROL. THIS WOULD HAPPEN UNPREDICTABILITY WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ON SURFACE STREETS AND VARIABLE SPEEDS. I CHECKED IT WITH A CODE READER AND NOTHING CAME UP AS A HARD CODE. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE BUT WE'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT WAS THE ELECTONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I NOTICED HONDA HAD A RECALL ON THIS SYSTEM FOR 2007-2008 HONDA FITS AND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FOR 2009 FITS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART, AND THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING ESPECIALLY SINCE HONDA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS A PROBLEM FOR 2009 FITS. AND ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THEY CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT REPLACING THE EPS WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM SO I'M POTENTIALLY OUT $1500 FOR SOMETHING THAT IS A SAFETY FLAW IN THIS VEHICLE.
THE STARTER IN ALL OF THESE VEHICLES GOES BAD VERY FAST. STATING WITH AN ODD SOUND OF METAL TO METAL ON COLD STARTS (DUE TO THE STARTER NOT RETRACTING FAST ENOUGH) 5 PEOPLE THAT LIVE NEAR ME HAVE ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM MY CAR IS NOW DOING IT AGAIN WITH A 3 YEAR OLD REPLACEMENT DENSO OEM HONDA STARTER, HONDA NEEDS TO FIX THIS...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE STEERING LOST POWER AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING LOST POWER, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, AND THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000.
MY CAR ALARM KEEPS GOING OFF WHEN I DON'T LOCK MY DOOR AND THE DOORS CONSTANTLY LOCK EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS OFF OR I'M PARKED OR IF I'M DRIVING ON THE ROAD.
CAR STALLS AND DIES AFTER INITIAL START. SOMETIMES EVEN WITH WARMING CAR UP FOR 5-10 MINUTES. OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE CAN BE 90 DEGREES AND THIS STILL HAPPENS. IF I START MY CAR, LET IT RUN FOR 5 MINUTES, PUT IT IN DRIVE, THE MINUTE I BEGIN TO SLOW FOR A STOP SIGN OR SIMPLY FOR AN APPROACHING STOP OR INTERSECTION MY CAR WILL SHUDDER AND DIE. THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TWO MECHANICS HAVE FOUND NO CODES SOFT OR HARD TO SHED ANY LIGHT ON WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. I HAVE ALREADY PAID $300 FOR A VALVE ADJUSTMENT, REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND I'M STILL HAVING THE ISSUE.
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 35 MPH, RADIO LIGHTS FLASHED OFF. SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, RADIO LIGHTS SHUT OFF, EPS INDICATOR CAME ON FOR APPROX. 2 SECS, STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN, POWER TO STEERING AND RADIO RESUMED AFTER 3-5 SECS. SAME SCENARIO OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS AT 50MPH OR BELOW. OCCURRED AT MILEAGE 170,000.
THE CAR DASHBOARD LIGHTS/RADIO LOST ALL POWER FOR 2-3 SECONDS AND THEN THE EPS LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP. THE CAR LOST POWER STEERING AND WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER DURING THIS TIME. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING AND COULD NOT TURN IT FOR THE 2-3 SECONDS THAT THE CAR SYSTEMS WERE 'OFFLINE.' THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR DID THE SAME THING AND I LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS IN VARIOUS WEATHERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON BOTH THE HIGHWAY AND BACK ROADS. UTTERLY TERRIFYING. TOWED IT TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUES AND CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WITH 0 FIXES DONE. WAS ADVISED TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT AS NORMAL SINCE NO COMPLAINTS COULD BE PROVEN WITH DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. DROVE IT WITH TREPIDATION FOR THE NEXT 5 DAYS AND ON THE 5TH DAY, THE CAR AGAIN LOST ALL POWER TO VEHICLE, DASHBOARD LIGHTS LIT UP, ENGINE LIGHT LIT UP, RADIO TURNED OFF AND TURNED BACK ON, STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AND WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. CAR CONTINUED TO DO THIS OVER THE PERIOD OF AN HR 50+ TIMES. PARKED CAR, VIDEO RECORDED IT LOSING POWER, EPS LIGHT TURNING ON/RADIO TURNING ON/OFF, STEERING WHEEL LOCKING WHILE PARKING AND DRIVING. TOWED IT A 2ND TIME TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP WHO HAS DRIVEN IT A TOTAL OF 38 MILES WITH NOTHING BEING ABLE TO BE PROVEN WITH DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. NO HARD CODES TO BE FOUND, AS ANYTIME THE CAR IS TURNED OFF ALL CODES ARE ERASED FROM THE EPS SYSTEM. CALLED HONDA CORP. AND THEY STATED SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY VIN NUMBER THAT NO PROBLEM EXISTS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND SINCE THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT PROVE ANY ISSUES THROUGH DIAGNOSTIC TESTING THAT MY CLAIM IS UNFOUNDED. HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN 14-058 WAS RELEASED AND THE WARRANTY EXTENDED FOR 2007-08 HONDA FITS, BUT THEY ARE DENYING ISSUES WITH 2009 EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE REPORTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THEM. DEALERSHIP UNWILLING TO FIX 'UNKNOWN ISSUE'.
DECEMBER 2017 I HAD MY 2009 HONDA FIT INSPECTED FOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND PASSED. JANUARY 29, 2018 I TOOK MY CAR TO DAVID MCDAVID HONDA IRVING, TX FOR INSPECTION AS THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN AND WAS MAKING WEIRD MOVEMENTS AS I SHIFTED GEARS. THE TECHNICIAN REPORT SAID: THERE WAS A 6 INCH RODENT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL CHARGE I WAS ASKED TO PAY ON FEBRUARY 3, 2018 WAS $1510.01 HONDA KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE THIS PROBLEM AS THEY SELL ON AMAZON TAPES AGAINST RODENS ( HTTPS://WWW.AMAZON.COM/HONDA-4019-2317-RODENT-TAPE/DP/B00AJTG3N0/REF=REDIR_MOBILE_DESKTOP?_ENCODING=UTF8&DPID=31IIUDIOHKL&DPPL=1&KEYWORDS=RODENT%20TAPE&PI=AC_SX236_SY340_FMWEBP_QL65&QID=1517350918&REF=PLSRCH&REF_=MP_S_A_1_1&SR=8-1), YET THEY DIDN'T OFFER TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT COST OR TO PAY EVEN PART OF IT. THE TOTAL COST OF REPLACEMENT WAS SHIFTED ON ME AS CONSUMER. I KEPT THE ORIGINAL - DAMAGED - HARNESS. SEE ATTACHED PHOTO.
TAKATA RECALL .QUESTION ; MY VECHILE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP EPS DASH LIGHT STEERING WHEEL LIGHTS UP. YELLOW ON DASH BOARD THIS GOES ON THE CAR AND DISABLES IT AND DOSE IT A LOT . IN SPEEDS OF UNDER 25 M.P. H.CAR WILL SHUT DOWN . WORRIED OF THE ACCIDENT IT MAY CAUSE . TOO SAFETY CONCERNED . AND ONLY HAVE 57171 MILES ON VECHILE . WHILE IN MOTION. TURNING ALSO LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS. IN LOCAL CITY STREETS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE. GEAR WOULD SHIFT TO REVERSE BUT CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. HONDA DEALERSHIP STATED THAT RODENTS CHEWED THROUGH WIRING ON CABLE HARNESS.
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT HAS OCCURRED TWICE. THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE CAR LOSES THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE NOT HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME YET. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOZONE AND THEY READ THE STORED CODES FROM THE OBD SYSTEM WHICH INDICATED THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR HAD GENERATED A FAULT. THE FAULT SEEMS TO GO AWAY AND THE CHECK ENGINE IS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. IT SEEMS TO GO AWAY BY SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING THE CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A CONSIDERABLE SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE YOU COULD GET REAR ENDED WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR
WHEN THE CAR SITS FOR TOO LONG IN COOLER WEATHER, IT STALLS WHEN IT IS IN GEAR. I STARTED THE CAR THIS MORNING, PUT IT IN REVERSE, AND IT STALLED. IN THE PAST I HAVE GOTTEN BEYOND THE GARAGE AND HAD IT STALL AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT. THE PROBLEM CEASES WHEN THE ENGINE WARMS UP. THE PROBLEM SEEMS SIMILAR TO THE ONE ADDRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECALL: RECALL ID # 80366 - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING READ MORE: HTTP://WWW.MOTORTREND.COM/CARS/2009/HONDA/FIT/RECALLS/#IXZZ2PDFZ2Z9U HONDA MAINTAINS THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY THIS RECALL. *TR
I OWN A 2009 HONDA FIT, VIN # [XXX], WITH 33,400 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL MESSAGES BEEN DISPLAYED REPEATEDLY ON THE MESSAGE BOARD THE LAST 2 MONTHS. THE MESSAGES DISPLAYED ARE "CHECK ENGINE", "CHECK FUEL CAP" AND ONE REGARDING THE AIR BAGS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, GERMAIN HONDA OF DUBLIN, TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY SAID I HAVE TO BRING IT IN WHEN THE MESSAGE LIGHT IS ON BEFORE THEY CAN TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG. THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE MESSAGES DON'T STAY ON VERY LONG. CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM? APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
AFTER HAVING MY CAR FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS WITHOUT THIS ISSUE, I HAVE STARTED HAVING TROUBLE GETTING MY KEY INTO THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK. THE KEY STOPS ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY INTO THE KEYHOLE. THE KEY WORKS LIKE NORMAL IN THE PASSENGER DOOR, HATCH, AND IGNITION. I ATTEMPTED USING A SPARE KEY THAT HAS SELDOM BEEN USED, BUT IT DOES NOT SLIDE INTO THE DRIVER'S DOOR KEYHOLE EITHER. SOMETHING HAS MESSED UP OR WORN OUT IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK. *TR
2009 HONDA FIT SPORT INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK - NO GAS GAUGE, NO SPEEDOMETER, NO TRIPOMETER, NO CAR ALARM, AIR CONDITIONING WENT OUT, DOORS WOULD NOT AUTO LOCK. HONDA SERVICE DIAGNOSED IT AS FAULTY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL. SAID I NEEDED TO REPLACE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO THE TUNE OF $700+ FOR PART AND $300+ FOR LABOR AND $30+ FOR SHIPPING OF PART. CAR 2 1/2 YEARS OLD, ONE OWNER, ONLY 47,000 MILES. NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
I PURCHASED A HONDA FIT IN JULY OF 2009. I HAVE DRIVEN IT 5800 MILES. THE FOLLOWING IS A DESCRIPTION OF A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT HAS RECENTLY OCCURRED: 1. IN AUGUST OF 2010 MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. 2. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY HONDA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT RODENTS HAD EATEN THE WIRING. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AND THAT THE COST TO FIX IT COULD BE AS HIGH AS $1000. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS SHOCKED. 3. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR HOME I DISCOVERED THAT THE COVERING ON THE OXYGEN SENSOR WIRING AND THE COVERING ON THE WIRING TO THE FAN HAD ALSO BEEN CHEWED ALTHOUGH THE WIRING WAS STILL INTACT. 4. HERE IS WHAT IS SO SHOCKING ABOUT THIS SITUATION. MY 2009 HONDA FIT IS PARKED 30 FEET FROM MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. THE 5 YEAR OLD ELEMENT HAS NO SIGN OF RODENT ACTIVITY AND HAS NO WIRING PROBLEMS. I CALLED THE AMERICA HONDA MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER SERVICE 800 NUMBER AND REPORTED THE ABOVE. THE REPORT HAS BEEN GIVEN A CASE #. I ALSO DID A GOOGLE SEARCH [AUTOMOBILE WIRING AND RODENTS/HONDA WIRING AND RODENTS]. THE SEARCH TURNED UP MANY REFERENCES TO THIS PROBLEM IN HONDA AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER MANUFACTURER'S AUTOMOBILES. THE SEARCH ALSO UNCOVERED MANY REFERENCES TO THE RECENT USE OF SOY IN AUTOMOBILE WIRING COVERING. IF THIS IS TRUE IT COULD EXPLAIN WHY MY 2005 ELEMENT HAS NOT BEEN ATTACKED WHILE MY 2009 FIT HAS BEEN. IT WOULD ALSO INDICATE A GLARING DEFECT IN SOME AUTO ELECTRICAL WIRING. I AM NOW DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM BY LEAVING MY FIT IN WITH MY DOGS AND LETTING THEM URINATE ON THE TIRES. AS OF NOW THIS SEEMS TO BE WORKING. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A LOUSY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. IN SUMMATION, I NOW HAVE NO ABS. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $1000 FOR RODENT DAMAGE TO WIRING THAT WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY RODENT ATTRACTIVE WIRE COVERING AND MAY REOCCUR. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY PROBLEM. THAT IS WHY I AM REGISTERING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA). UPDATED IVOQ 10/15/10 *TR
TOWING A 2009 HONDA FIT BEHIND A MOTORHOME WHEN IT LOCKED UP. EVERYTHING WAS SET ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL. IT IS AUTOMATIC. WE WERE TOLD IT COULD BE THE BATTERY BUT WE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT EXPLANATION. HAVE YOU HEARD OF OTHER HONDA FITS LOCKING UP THE FRONT WHEELS WHILE TOWING. IT DRIVES FINE IF NOT BEHIND THE MOTORHOME. WE DRAGGED THE TOAD FOR ABOUT 50 FEET AND HAD TO REPLACE TWO FRONT TIRES. *TR
CAR TURNING OFF. *TR
2009 HONDA FIT BATTERY DRAIN AND TRUSTWORTHINESS OF ELECTRONICS.*CW
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .