Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 46 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.
The 25 most recent of 46, in the owner's own words
At highways speeds vehicle became difficult to maintain in a straight path. Slight change in the steering would result in car drifting to the left or right, requiring constant correction. Car felt unsafe to drive...took to mechanic to be diagnosed. Informed car needed a new steering rack system.
The power steering warning light is on intermittently. The steering is too heavy to turn and the wheels feel like locked.
While driving without warning ⚠️ the car loses power steering the steering wheel locks up no control I hit the side walk back up power steering return and sometimes the car just shuts off a few put in park crank up
2009 HONDA FIT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING BECOMES DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE'S MODEL YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AS IT OCCURED INTERMITTENTLY.
I was driving home during evening rush hour on the freeway, 65 mph. Suddenly, it felt as though I was driving a tank. Lucky that I was in the slow lane. I used the next exit and drove the rest of the way home very slowly on surface streets. A 100 degree turn in the roadway that I drove on would have been a disaster if a car was coming at me from the opposite direction. It got harder and harder to turn the further that I got. I managed to return home o k. I have had regular Honda maintenance at the dealership where I bought the car. Nowwhere else over the past twelve years. I will call the dealer to make an appointment tomorrow. I've never previously known of this problem - have not read or heard anything via media or been advised by Honda Inc. I've been concerned about electronic steering ever since I bought the car. If there is wind blowing, the car becomes unstable and drifts sideways.
When driving my 09 fit my radio went in and out then my steering wheel indicator light popped up next thing I knew my steering wheel locked and felt stiff when trying to turn, kept happening as I drove, it’s happened at least 20 times maybe more in ONE day!!! I almost crashed because my power steering goes in and out in this car and it feels like I loose complete control of the car!!! It almost verging off on its own it feels like for about 2-3 seconds sometimes it feels like longer that this happens, once the steering wheel light goes away I can regain control. However this is very very dangerous and I do not feel safe driving the car with this is happening randomly when I’m driving !!!! It’s happening to me at LOW and HIGH speeds and it’s very scary!!!
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Fit. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at unknown speed, the steering wheel became difficult to turn with the power steering assist warning light and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The driver continued driving to her destination. The contact also stated that she was unable to start the vehicle. The vehicle was jump started. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was diagnosed at CMA'S Valley Honda as the Eps Unit.
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.
WHILE DRIVING, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD FLASHED, RADIO TURNED OFF, AND POWER STEERING CUT OUT. OCCURRED IN MANY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS INCLUDING HIGHWAY DRIVING. I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS WELL DOCUMENTED TO EXIST BOTH IN EARLIER MODELS OF THE FIT AS WELL AS THE 2009 MODEL. THE EARLIER VERSIONS LEADING UP TO 2008 HAVE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT THE 2009 MODEL DOES NOT. IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED.
I WAS IN IDLE WHEN THE RADIO FLASHED OFF AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WENT OFF. IT TURNED BACK OFF, BUT THE CAR JEARKED AND SEEMED TO LOSE POWER. IT ONLY DID THIS IN IDLE FOR WHILE, BUT ONE TIME WHEN I WAS MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL JEARKED FROM HAND AND MY CAR LUNGED AT THE SIDEWALK WHERE PEOPLE WERE! SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!! I HAVE TOLD HONDA ABOUT THIS. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THIS AS WELL. HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/ZKXIEC-EMVC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING CEASED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIRST WHILE DRIVING DOWN WINDING ROADS AND HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS ALSO EXPERIENCED ON STRAIGHTAWAYS. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. A DEALER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
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.
THE POWER STEERING IS FAILING. STEERING IS SERIOUSLY VERY HARD TO STEER. HONDA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL TO REPAIR THE STEERING. THIS IS POSITIVELY A SAFETY PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, EXTRA STRENGTH WAS NEEDED TO STEER THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIRST TEXAS HONDA (3400 STECK AVE, AUSTIN, TX 78757, (512) 220-1121) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
POWER STEERING FAILURE. FOLLOWED BY WARNING LIGHT AND VERY HEAVY STEERING, WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT FORTY TO FORTY FIVE MPH ON A PAVED ROAD IN TRAFFIC. STOPPED, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. AFTER A FEW MINUTES RESTARTED THE ENGINE, THE PS FAILURE LIGHT WAS OUT, THE PS WORKED BUT ONLY FOR ABOUT FIVE SECONDS. THE PS FAILURE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND THE PS FAILED AGAIN. DROVE HOME AND PARKED THE CAR.
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'.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,000.
INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING, CAUSES DIFFICULTY IN STEERING AND POTENTIAL LOSS OF CONTROL- DIAGNOSED BY SERVICE TECHNICIAN AS FAILING EPS CONTROL.
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 VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ENTER INTO OTHER LANES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. YARBOROUGH HONDA IN FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SCHEDULED A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING FAILED. AN UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LIA HONDA NORTHAMPTON (293 KING ST, NORTHAMPTON, MA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC STEERING BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE CAR LOSES POWER STEERING AND THE CAR BECOMES DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD AT ~40MPH AND WHEN TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK AS WELL AS PARKING HEAD-IN. AS OF 9/5/17, THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED FOUR TIMES. THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON EACH TIME. THE TEMPERATURE HAS NEVER BEEN BELOW 50 DEGREES WHEN THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED. SOMETIMES THE RADIO SHUTS OFF WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILS, BUT NOT ALWAYS. HONDA HAS ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE POWER STEERING IN 2007-08 HONDA FITS, BUT NOT FOR 2009 FITS.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN TWO LANE AND MY RADIO STARTED CUTTING OFF AND ON AND MY STEERING STARTED TO LOCK UP AND BECAME HARD TO STEER I PULLED ON SIDE STREET AND PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY AND EACH SHARP TURN WITH STEERING WHEEL HAVING TO MAKE A HARD CUT IT WOULD DIE DOWN AND WHEN I FINALLY GOT CAR STRAIGHTEND OUT IT WAS DIFFUCULT TO GUIDE I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND IT SEEMED TO RUN OKAY AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN PARKING THE CAR AT MY HOME
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 .