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 2013 Honda Fit submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 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
Electrical Fire.Happened Friday 6/5/26 sometime after I parked for the night. Vehicle was parked for the night. I went out the next day and the key fob nor the key would open the door. To try and see what might be jammed, I went and looked in the passenger side window and saw the damage.
The fuse block became defective, thereby the brake lights, horn, tail lights, and blinkers stopped working.
Last evening the interior vehicle power (headlights, dash lights, AC/heat fan) intermittently flashed off then back on while driving...when this happened as I arrived home, I completely lost power steering (electronic power steering warning light came on) and could barely turn the steering wheel. Thankfully I was moving at relatively slow speed when I lost power steering, but this could certainly be a life hazard at higher speeds.
MY 2013 HONDA FIT HAS ONLY 76,000 ON IT. WHILE DRIVING THE RADIO SHUT OFF, HEAD LIGHTS DIMMED, DASH BOARD LIGHTS FLICKERED AND I LOST POWER STEERING. TOOK IT TO THE HONDA SERVICE STATION IN JASPER ALABAMA AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE LIGHT AND STEERING WHEEL WITH EXCLAMATION POINT SHOWED UP ON THE DASH BOARD. CAR LOOSES POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN COMES BACK ON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. WITH A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON IT THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AS I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE ON THIS FORUM TO HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS EXACT ISSUE.
WHILE DRIVING THE RADIO, DASH LIGHTS, HEAD LIGHTS, AND POWER STEERING CUTS OUT FOR A MOMENT THEN COMES BACK ON. THIS STARTED OCCASIONALLY 3 MONTHS AGO WITH JUST THE RADIO AND DASH LIGHTS AND HAS PROGRESSED TO SEVERAL TIMES IN A ROW AND NOW INCLUDES THE HEAD LIGHTS AND POWER STEERING. THERE IS NO PREDICTABILITY TO WHEN OR HOW MANY TIMES IT WILL HAPPEN. ONCE IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY GOING AROUND THE RAMP AT A GOOD SPEED, THE ELECTRICAL WENT OUT I LOST POWER STEERING AND ALMOST HIT THE GUARD RAIL IT CAME BACK ON JUST IN TIME FOR ME TO REGAIN CONTROL. TOOK IT TO HONDA DEALER WITH MY COMPLAINTS; THEY DID A MULTI POINT INSPECTION AND CHECKED FAULTS-NO FAULTS STORED. ALSO CHECKED WIRING AND CONNECTORS-ALL OK. TOLD ME IT WAS PROBABLY THE AFTER MARKET STARTER, I SHOULD BE FINE, TO CONTACT THE STARTER PEOPLE AS IT IS MOST LIKELY THEIR PRODUCT ISSUE AND NOT HONDA'S, THEN SENT ME HOME CHARGING ME OVER AN HOUR OF LABOR. A FEW DAYS LATER IT CUT OUT 12 TIMES IN LESS THAN 3 MILE; I HAD TO FIND A GAS STATION TO PULL OVER IN AS I DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR. TURNED IT OFF & LET IT SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES, STARTED IT AGAIN & HAD NO FURTHER ISSUES UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN IT HAPPENED ANOTHER 8 TIMES IN A ROW. CONTACTED THE CAR STARTER COMPANY TOLD THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON; THEY REMOVED THE STARTER. BUT TOLD ME HE LOOKED IT UP ONLINE & DISCOVERED THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER HONDA FITS & IS MOST LIKELY RELATED TO A FAULTY ALTERNATOR. ANOTHER ISSUE RELATED WITH THIS ALTERNATOR PROBLEM IS DEAD BATTERIES WHICH HAS HAPPENED TO ME AS WELL & AM ON MY 3RD BATTERY WITH IN 6 YEARS! THE CAR STARTER GUY SAID HE WAS CONCERNED WITH MY SAFETY & TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT BY MY MECHANIC AND HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE ALTERNATOR. WELL 2 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & IS IN THE GARAGE TODAY; NOT THE HONDA DEALERSHIP
I BUMPED INTO A RAISED MEDIAN AND THE AIRBAG CAME OUT AND THE WHEELS GOT STUCK IN THE MEDIAN. ON WHEELER ROAD. AT 10 TO 20 MPH. I HAVE AN AIRBAG RECALL BUT I HAVE TRIED CONTACTING YOU BY PHONE AND MAIL BUT IT WOULDN'T ACCEPT MY PHONE #. I GOT HUGE BRUISES AND SMOKE INHALATION FROM THE AIRBAG GOING OFF. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE. THE RADIO AND SEATBELT DOESN'T WORK EITHER GUESS IT AFFECTED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. PLEASE HELP ME. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED FOR THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, TRACTION, AND BRAKE LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE VSA MODULE FAILED TO FUNCTION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE BATTERY CONTINUED TO HAVE A LOW VOLTAGE AND WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V157000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,300.
SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT THEY WERE NOT TORQUED CORRECTLY. HONDA KNOWS AND HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST JULY OF 2016 (ACCORDING THE THEIR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS . HONDA HAS NOT EVEN SENT OUT LETTERS TO CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE THESE 2013 HONDA FITS. I LEASED THE CAR IN APRIL OF 2014 IN JANUARY 2017 WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IT SUDDENLY WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A SEMI. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE
BATTERY DIES. HAD IT PROFESSIONALLY RECHARGED, LASTED 6 WEEKS AND BEGAN DYING AGAIN. HAD TO JUMP START NUMEROUS TIMES. NOW BATTERY IS RUINED AND I NEED A NEW ALTERNATOR AND NEW BATTERY. CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. I AM 2ND OWNER, BOUGHT IT IN 11/2016 AT 24,000 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND THE KEY BECAME STUCK AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHERE THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW BECAME INOPERABLE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.
SERVICE REMINDER CAME ON FOR OIL CHANGE. NOW 10 DIFFERENT WARNING LIGHTS ARE LIT, THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER WILL NOT WORK, THE AIR CONDITIONER WILL NOT COME ON, AND THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO STEER. THE D FOR DRIVE IS RANDOMLY BLINKING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SEIZED AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED HOWEVER THE ROTORS, THE BRAKE PADS, AND THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,653. UPDATED 02/10/16*LJ *JS
THE BATTERY ON THIS CAR DIES CONSTANTLY, WITH NO PROVOCATION BUT WHEN A GARAGE CHECKS IT OUT, IT ALWAYS REPORTS AS A GOOD BATTERY. THE FIRST INCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING AND PULLED OVER FOR A 20 MINUTE NAP WITH THE AIR ON WITH THE CAR IN IDLE. THE BATTERY "DIED" AND AFTER I HAD THE VEHICLE OFF FOR AN HOUR, IT WORKED AGAIN. IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THEN, INCLUDING DYING AFTER I HAD THE CAR OFF BUT MY 4-WAY BLINKERS ON DUE TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS. IT'S GOTTEN SO BAD THAT WHEN I IDLE FOR 5 MINUTES THE BATTERY "DISCHARGES" AND THE IGNITION WON'T TURN OVER. I HAVE TO LET THE CAR SIT COMPLETELY OFF TO TURN THE IGNITION OVER AFTER A 5 - 10 MINUTE WAIT. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL, ON MY WAY TO WORK, I PULLED OVER TO TAKE A ROAD SIDE NAP FOR 5 MINUTES. THE CAR WAS IN IDLE WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND THE PHONE CHARGER PLUGGED IN. THE CAR DIED AND I LOST A FULL DAY OF WORK! BUT IT ONLY DIES FOR THE IGNITION, THE ACCESSORIES WILL ALL WORK. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE "THE BATTERY FOR THIS CAR IS SO SMALL IDLING DISCHARGES IT. SO YOU CAN'T IDLE ANYMORE." THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE BATTERY. I ACCEPTED AND WENT ON MY WAY. THEN, LATER THAT WEEK, I WENT TO SEE A MOVIE. I HAD EVERYTHING IN THE CAR SHUT OFF, BUT I LEFT MY PHONE CHARGER PLUGGED IN TO THE POWER OUTLET, WITHOUT A PHONE TO CHARGE. THE CAR DIED AGAIN AND I NEEDED MY FRIENDS TO GIVE ME A JUMP! SAME SCENARIO, ALL THE ACCESSORIES WORKED, JUST THE ENGINE WOULDN'T START. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY AND SAID "WELL NOT YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE PHONE CHARGER PLUGGED IN ANYMORE WHEN THE CAR IS OFF--THAT CAN REALLY DRAIN A BATTER." THAT MAKES NO SENSE. THAT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF YOU LEAVING YOUR (OFF) COFFEE MAKER PLUGGED IN AND POWERING DOWN YOUR HOUSE! NO ONE HAS GIVEN ME ANY OTHER EXPLANATION. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN DEFECT WHEN ONE CAN'T IDLE A CAR.
STATIC SHOCK UPON INSERTING KEY INTO IGNITION. OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND IS CURRENTLY ONGOING. DON'T RECALL DATE OF FIRST OCCURRENCE BUT WAS FIRST REPORTED TO HONDA ON 10/21/14. HONDA COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM AND INDICATED NO SIMILAR CONCERNS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. WAS ADVISED TO TOUCH SOMETHING METAL BEFORE INSERTING KEY. HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE I PREVIOUSLY OWNED. HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THIS MAY EFFECT THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND GENERAL SAFETY OF THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE.
DASH BOARD NOT VISIBLE WHEN DRIVING IN BRIGHT LIGHT. NO DAYLIGHT LIGHTING CONTROL FOR DASHBOARD. UNABLE TO READ GAUGES OR WARNINGS. *TR
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE VEHICLE WAS THAT THE BATTERY WAS DISCHARGED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THERE WAS NOT A SECOND DIAGNOSIS OFFERED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,900. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. IT HAS BEEN OVER 90 DAYS. UPDATED 08/02/16.*JB UPDATED08/1/2017*JS
BATTERY WAS REPLACED. CAR STRUGGLING TO START SO SAID ALTERNATOR MIGHT BE BAD. BATTERY LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEP TURNING ON. DEALERSHIP SAID I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE CAR FOR 100 HOURS TO GET IT CHECKED . *JS
MY NEW 2013 HONDA FIT CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. I BOUGHT A NEW 2013 HONDA FIT ON AUGUST 10, 2013. ON AUGUST 23RD THE CAR WOULD NOT START, NEEDING A JUMP START FROM A MECHANIC. I DROVE THE CAR TO DCH HONDA IN OXNARD. THE MILEAGE ON THE ODOMETER AT THE SERVICE CENTER WAS 491 MILES. THE CAR WAS TESTED AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND I DROVE THE CAR BACK HOME. THE SERVICE REPORT SAYS: 'CUSTOMER STATES IT HAD TO BE JUMPSTARTED, ADVISE. CND INSPECTED SYSTEM. UNABLE TO VERIFY CUSTOMERS CONCERN AT THIS TIME. BATTERY CHECKS OUT OKAY AT THIS TIME..WAS INSPECTED/TESTED 3 TIMES..' ON JANUARY 17TH WHEN I OPENED THE TWO REAR WINDOWS USING THE DRIVERS SEAT SWITCH, THEY WENT DOWN ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY AND WERE STUCK THERE. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY REMAINED STUCK. THEY DID GO BACK UP TO THE CLOSED POSITION, BUT NOT DOWN ALL THE WAY. ALSO THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WINDOW WAS ERRATIC. SOMETIMES GOING UP AND DOWN AND SOMETIMES STICKING. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FROM MY COMPUTER ASKING FOR AN APPOINTMENT FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOWS AND TOOK THE FIRST APPOINTMENT AVAILABLE WHICH WAS FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 24, AT 1PM. ON THE AFTERNOON OF JANUARY 20TH MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE, ALL THE WINDOWS ROLLED WITH NO ONE IN IT. THE CAR HAD 1300 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I WAS INSIDE MY HOME AT THE TIME AND HAD NOT BEEN OUTSIDE THAT DAY AND THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN. I NOTIFIED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND CALLED DCH HONDA WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THEIR SERVICE CENTER WHICH I DID. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE HONDA DEALERSHIP SINCE JANUARY 20 AND IS STILL THERE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DCH SERVICE MANAGER THAT HONDA COMPANY DOES NOT FIND THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN INVESTIGATION OF THE FIRE AND I HAVE ASKED FOR A COPY BUT THEY HAVEN'T SENT IT TO ME. *TR
CPSC: I1410516A. 2013 HONDA FIT. CONSUMER STATED ON A BRIGHT DAY, THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTS CAN NOT BE READ. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *LN
IN DAYTIME DRIVING, ON A BRIGHT DAY THE INSTRUMENTS CAN NOT BE READ. THERE IS NO CONTROL TO INCREASE BRIGHTNESS OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IN DAYTIME DRIVING. ONLY BY TURNING ON HEADLIGHTS CAN A BRIGHTNESS CONTROL FOR THE DASHBOARD BE ACTIVATED BUT THE BRIGHTEST SETTING IS STILL TO DIM TO ALLOW THE INSTRUMENTS TO BE READ IN STRONG AMBIENT LIGHTING CONDITIONS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE A DRIVER IS UNABLE TO READ SPEED, FUEL OR TELL IF WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN. AFTER 30 SECONDS, THE DOORS WERE ABLE TO BE OPENED HOWEVER, THE ANTI-THEFT ALARM ALSO ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ENTER THE VEHICLE AND START THE ENGINE, DEACTIVATING THE ANTI-THEFT ALARM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 841. *TR
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 .