2012 Honda Fit Engine Problems

Three instances of engine misfiring, causing the car to immediately go into a speed limiting mode during driving. This is a major safety hazard and can happen in the middle of high speed driving. The first instance was a 52K miles, second at 69K miles, and third at 130K miles. The most recent instance resulted in the spark plug ejecting from the cylinder head, melting into the coil pack, and stripping out the cylinder head thread. This resulted in a costly repair.

NHTSA ID

11529075

Incident

Jun 21, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Fit. The contact stated he noticed a strong odor of gasoline inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic stated that spark plug #3 was loosened. The ignition wire was replaced, and the spark plug was tightened. The manufacturer was contacted, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 65,000.

NHTSA ID

11492292

Incident

Oct 24, 2022

Mileage

65,000 mi

Driving down the highway the spark plug was blown out of the engine head and the car lost power immediately. The car has approximately 12,000 miles and all OEM parts from the manufacture. Maintenance was kept up on the car. This is extremely dangerous since this highway is usually busy with cars and tractor trailers. My son was in the left lane and was almost hit by a tractor trailer due to the violent explosion of the spark plug being blown out of the engine. In addition, was unable to get over to the shoulder of the road and had to stop in the left-hand lane on route 80 in NJ which is very dangerous. Both of my sons were in the car when this occurred. The car was towed to my licensed mechanic who confirmed that the spark plug was blown out of the engine which caused the loud noise and loss of power. There was no warning, symptoms or messages before this occurred which is why I am extremely concerned for the safety of others who own this type of vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11464459

Incident

May 11, 2022

SPARK PLUGS NUMBER 1 & 2 CAME LOOSE AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY LOOSE POWER ON HIGHWAY. THE LOOSE SPARKPLUGS DAMAGED THE IGNITION COILS AND THE CAR WOULD ONLY RUN AT ABOUT 15 MPH WHICH WAS DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN INSPECTED THE NUMBER 3 & 4 PLUGS WERE STILL TIGHT. SPARKPLUGS AND IGNITION COILS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. AROUND 90000 MILES ON VEHICLE. DATE IS ALSO APPROXIMATE

NHTSA ID

11396580

Incident

Aug 1, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

#2 SPARK PLUG EJECTED AT 90K MILES. IN MOTION. ROUGH IDLE RESULTED AND LOW RPM'S. TOWED FOR REPAIR. READ ONLINE OF MANY OTHERS WITH SAME SITUATION.

NHTSA ID

11361365

Incident

Sep 7, 2020

Mileage

90,000 mi

A SPARK PLUG ON THE THIRD CYLINDER BLEW OUT AND STRIPPED THE THREADS ON THE CYLINDER. THE BLOW OUT CAUSED AN ELECTRODE TO BREAK OFF AND DAMAGED ONE OF THE VALVES. I MADE HONDA AMERICA AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ASKED THEM TO HONOR A "GOODWILL" WARRANTY SINCE, DESPITE BEING TWO YEARS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY, MY CAR ONLY HAS 44,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL OF CAR. HONDA REFUSED. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS WILL LIKELY BE $4,000.

NHTSA ID

11242113

Incident

Jul 30, 2019

Mileage

44,000 mi

I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW, THIS CAR IS COMMON WITH OTHER HONDA FIT MY YEAR OF SPARK PLUG BLOWING OUT , A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF ARE STUFF WITH BLOWN SPARKS PLUGS OUT THE ENGINE, MINE BLEW OUT TWICE AND HONDA IS CHARGING ME SINCE I'M OUT OF WARRANTY, I THINK SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THERE HEAD OR THREADING OR SOMETHING WRONG WITH THERE BUILDS , IT'S SPARK PLUG NUMBER TWO LIKE OTHERS

NHTSA ID

11203304

Incident

Apr 20, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD "POP" AND IT SOUNDED LIKE MY ENGINE HAD BLOWN A HOLE IN IT. I HAD IT TOWED TO A HONDA DEALER WHO TOLD ME THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD - STRIPPING THREADS COMPLETELY. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BEING TALKED ABOUT BY MANY PEOPLE ON HONDA FIT FORUMS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY CAR. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THE PLUGS JUST CAME LOOSE AND BURNED UP ONE COIL PACK, BUT IT DID NOT BLOW OUT THE SPARK PLUG. THE GEN 2 HONDA FITS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR SPARK PLUGS COMING LOSE. I WAS TOLD BY THE HONDA DEALER I NEEDED A NEW CYLINDER HEAD, COIL, SPARK PLUGS, AND HEAD GASKETS. HONDA IS DENYING MANY FIT OWNERS COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND IT WAS PURCHASED IN 2013 AS A CERTIFIED HONDA WITH A 100,000 POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THIS NEEDS TO BE COVERED IN FULL AS A WARRANTY CLAIM THROUGH HONDA USA. I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE THAT WAS TAKEN TO SHOW THE BURNED UP COIL PACK.

NHTSA ID

11083631

Incident

Apr 4, 2018

Mileage

79,000 mi

I BROUGHT MY HONDA FIT 2012 TO MY MECHANIC WITH ISSUES OF A MISFIRE IN CYLINDERS 1 AND 2. HE THOUGHT IT WAS A SIMPLE REPLACEMENT OF THE SPARK PLUGS (ONLY 51,000 MILES ON THE CAR) AND MAYBE A COIL PACK REPLACEMENT. ONCE HE REMOVED THE SPARK PLUGS FROM CYLINDERS 1 AND 2, HE SAW THE TIP OF ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS GROUND HAD BROKEN OFF INTO THE CYLINDER HEAD AND THE COIL PACKS AND SPARK PLUGS WERE WORN AND COVERED IN A BLACKISH SOOT. HE INFORMED ME THAT THIS MEANT THAT THE SPARK PLUGS HAS WIGGLED LOOSE OVER TIME AND EXTREME PRESSURE HAD CAUSED THIS ISSUE. AND SINCE NO ONE HAS EVER TOUCHED MY ENGINE, BEYOND A HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT WHEN INSTALLING THE PLUGS IN THE FIRST PLACE. ALL THE MOVEMENT CAUSED THE THREADS TO WEAR AWAY ON CYLINDER 2, SO I TOOK TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP THINKING IT WOULD BE COVERED BY HONDA, BUT THEY LESS THAN HELPFUL. THEY STATED MY MECHANIC HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS DOING, AND DID THE DAMAGE. THEY SAID THERE ARE NO CURRENT RECALLS OR CAMPAIGNS, BUT IT TOOK ME 10 SECS ON THE INTERNET TO FIND TSB'S ISSUED BY HONDA, NOTHING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING! THIS HAS PUT ME IN A FIGHT WITH HONDA OF AMERICA TO COVER THIS VERY COSTLY REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

11073320

Incident

Feb 12, 2018

Mileage

51,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE OR THE ELECTRIC THROTTLE PEDAL COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000. UPDATED 05/12/14 MA THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 2 ACCIDENTS, DUE TO THE VEHICLES SUDDEN DECELERATION AND ACCELERATION. UPDATED 05/15/14

NHTSA ID

10574437

Incident

Oct 7, 2013

Mileage

12,700 mi

ENGINE LOSES POWER AFTER IDLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT OR SLOWING TO ALMOST A STOP IN TRAFFIC. DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER ENGINE IS COLD OR WARM. ENGINE STILL STAYS ON BUT NO RESPONSE TO PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS. HAPPENS INTERMITTENT. PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR A FEW WEEKS THEN REPEATS. WORRIED ACCIDENT MIGHT HAPPEN WHEN TURNING AT BUSY INTERSECTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10566694

Incident

Jan 7, 2013

Mileage

7,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, BUT THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,700.

NHTSA ID

10538132

Incident

Aug 19, 2013

Mileage

16,700 mi

MY CAR ENGINE DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR WHEN STARTING FROM A STANDSTILL WITH THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVEN TIMES IN THE 1300 MILES I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR. THIS ABNORMAL CONDITION HAS LEFT ME MOMENTARILY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTIONS. I FIND THAT IF I AM STEERING STRAIGHT AHEAD, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MALFUNCTION BUT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO RESPOND, EVENTUALLY. HONDA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION.

NHTSA ID

10444189

Incident

Nov 25, 2011

Mileage

100 mi