What 175 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Fit

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

NHTSA ODI 11203349

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.

NHTSA ODI 11072843

DASH BOARD NOT VISIBLE WHEN DRIVING IN BRIGHT LIGHT. NO DAYLIGHT LIGHTING CONTROL FOR DASHBOARD. UNABLE TO READ GAUGES OR WARNINGS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10628103

WE DO NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT MUCH BUT WHEN WE DID RECENTLY THE HEADLIGHTS DIO NOT PROJECT FAR ENOUGH INTO THE DISTANCE THEY ARE WIDE ENOUGH AND SEEM TO BE SET AT THE RIGHT HEIGHT BUT AS I SAID THEY DO NOT SHOW FAR ENOUGH IN THE DISTANCE TO SEE DEER ETC THIS HAS BEEN ALREADY HAD A NOTICE IN THE CONSUMERS REPORT APR ISSUE THIS CAN BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION ALSO NOT AS IMPORTANT BUT THE CAR DOES NOT COME WITH A VALOR KEY SO IF YOU GET LOCKED OUT YOU CAN'T GET BACK IN THIS CAN BE A PROBLEM IN CERTAIN CASES WE BUY A NEW CAR EVERY 5 YRS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A VALET KEY AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT WOULD BE A GREAT EMERGENCY THANKS HOPE THIS IS CORRECTED AND THE ONLY WAY IS IF HONDA FEELS THE PRESSURE OF THE CONSUMER THANKS *TR

NHTSA ODI 10503323