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Seems to be more pronounced when car is old along with break squeak/squeal even with foot very fimrly on brakes....
no sounds like this im my echo or '03 civic before..I tried a new car @ a dealerhip and it sounds like this also...service comments the same as yours...not impressed...cheap car in some ways!!!!!!!!!!!
Does anyone else think it would be helpful to have the gear indicator always lit while in "D" mode?
Coming off a manual transmission, I am thankful that there are paddle shifters to give me control over engine breaking. My only stink is that I don't know what gear I'm in until after I give a paddle a squeeze. Has anyone heard about firmware upgrades that would keep the gear indicator always lit. I know that in 'S' mode I can select clutchless manual, but with only 1800 miles, I haven't explored this option yet.
The main reason
One reason for my request stems from a time I was engine breaking down a hill and accidentally put it into 2nd when the car had already put itself into 3rd. Anyone who likes to paddle-shift their Fit knows how different the ratios are between 2nd and 3rd. It is an uncomfortable experience for you and your passengers when you don't expect it.
Another reason occurs on my daily commute, when climbing a hill with the need to pass, I like to drop it down to 3rd, but if the car is in 4th and the computer allows it, I might find myself in 2nd when I don't want to be. This isn't quite as big a deal, because I should be looking more at my RPMs and what band will give me an adequate amount of horses and torque.
I guess it's the dreaded 2nd gear that I fear. Putting it into 3rd seems to be the best for passing and engine breaking. Also I'm used to selecting a gear and then giving it gas. Now I just mash down a peddle and hope I give it enough 'gas' so that the logic puts it into the right gear.
The main reason I asked was because of the ratio gap between 2nd and 3rd. I was engine breaking on a hill and stuck it in 2nd. The engine could handle this, but it was unexpected.
I haven't gotten used to full manual mode. I do like those shift paddles.
Does anyone know the simple answers to these Q's?
1) Is it possible to install after market cruise control for the Fit base model?
2) How much will it likely cost?
3) Any recommended companies I should seek out?
4) Does the after market cruise void any factory warranty ?
5) Any downside of buying a 2007 vs. 2008 fit?
MANY thanks!
i have a 2007 and every time i drive the car, as i drive forward when the car shifts from 1st to 2nd (automatic)i hear this Horn like sound...it sounds like an old horn on a Model T ford or an old jalopy. I kid you not...it does it every time and now if i stop quickly and the car shifts down, it makes the same noise only louder...it is increasing. Also did it once downshifting around a corner.
anyone had this problem????
Does anyone know if the Base Fit can have Cruise Control added after purchase? I don't believe that Honda will do it, but am wondering about other options and how good they would be.
I want to buy the Base Fit because it has slightly higher clearance than the Sport and I drive occasionally on very rough roads. Not a lot, but often enough that I can imagine the lower trim of the Sport being ripped off by some of the bumps and potholes that take you by surprise.
I suppose the other solution is to have the lower trim removed rather than repaired if it gets damaged.
Any suggestions about the Cruise Control? And/or any feedback on either model and how they do on rough roads?
Thanks!
clewis3
I would like to replace it with the last generation Acura TSX shift knob. Anyone know if the size would be the same?
Thanks
I drove stick shifts sometimes back in the early 70s and it wasn't a problem because there weren't nearly as many cars on the road and rarely were there traffic jams (Minneapolis, MN, at the time).
I have since relocated to Omaha, NE, 10 years ago, and the situation is totally different. In late 2006 I bought a new 07 Ford Focus with 5spd (a really cheap one, $10K brand new on a MSRP of $15K) and drove it 20 miles each way on commute to work. After a while it really wore me out because traffice on the interstate would back up and I'd find myself shifting gears about 200 times in 20 miles and it was taking 45-60 min to get home. By then I was wore out. I sold the car after 1 year and 10,000 miles - it was a nice vehicle but the stick shift had become a problem. Then I bought another new 2007 Ford Focus for my wife to drive, top of the line ($13K paid, MSRP was $19K), with automatic. World of difference (better, more comfortable to drive), but now the gas mileage sucked. 07 Focus with 5spd got 30-32 mpg, same car with AT was only getting 21-22 mpg - 10 mpg less! EPA ratings were 27/34 on the AT Focus, and Ford is not known for their cars actually getting the gas mileage you see on the window stickers. So, dissatisfied with the gas mileage on the Focus with AT I bought, I sold that one too (for $12,500 only $500 off new price and owned it 9 months and drove it 6K miles.
Since Dec 07, I've bought 3 new 08 Fit Sport Automatics (1 for my son, 1 for my wife, 1 for me). We all love our Fits, fun to drive, easy to park/handle, cheap on gas.
If your budget allows, get the AT. I know Fits are getting hard to find and the price the dealers are getting is way up from 3-6 months ago. The MSRP on the 3 Fits I bought were all $16,705, and what I paid for them (without state sales tax, title, license, etc. - all that stuff we pay at our county tax offices after the sale here in NE, and typically ran another $1300-1400/car) was $16,122 (low), $16,167 (middle), and $16,322 (highest). Advertised dealer invoice is $16,122, so I feel I got good deals on all 3 purchases. Getting those kind of prices now would be difficult, but doable if you are a good negotiator.
Those are the speeds listed in the owners manual as the best shift points.
However, I'm experiencing something different.
my new fit (just took delivery yesterday) feels more natural at 10, 20, 30, 40 IF i want no greater than 2500 rpms per shift.
anybody else? does this change over time? (granted i've only got 90 miles on the thing!)
Having sung all the praises, I've become more and more concerned with the transmission. It doesn't shift smoothly .You often get a little "ah-ha!" moment between gears because the transmission seems to let the engine run free for just a bit before the next gear engages. Sometimes it's enough to make you feel thrown forward in your seat just enough to make you wonder what just happened.
When starting off, it shifts from 1st to 2nd at about 15 mph and then almost immediately shifts to the next gear (3rd or some sort of overdrive gear). The result is that the car seems to lose all power (Small wonder. You're turning 1500 rpm at 20mph with a 1500cc engine) so you give it more gas and then it down shifts and goes on. This annoys my wife. Sometimes she talks about it.
When cruising on a level road and you try to speed up, sometimes it immediately shifts _up_ to a higher gear (of course, again, all power seems to vanish) and then the car seems to figure out that was maybe not a good choice and shifts down again, sometimes two gears.
As I said, we drive for mileage and so we are very easy on the accelerator most of the time. If you are trying to keep up with rush hour traffic, you really don't notice anything undesirable about the transmission but the mileage 'tanks', so to speak.
We took it to the dealer this morning and the shop manager drove it around the block with me as the passenger. He made several comments like: "THAT's not right", "I gotta check for a software update" and "It shouldn't be driving like THAT" and "Don't worry, we'll get that fixed".
I really felt like things were going to be OK.
So I left the car at the dealer and a couple of hours later they called to tell me that all tests had checked out and that the same shop manager had determined that ALL 2009 Fit's drive just like ours and they would be happy to let us drive another one just so we could see for ourselves.
Ever since I got that call, my bull-'feather' detector has been blinking red.
So I thought I would ask you good folks if this transmission behavior sounds familiar and/or normal or do I need to get a bit firm with the dealer and/or Honda in getting this resolved.
Incidentally, the shop manager told me during the test drive that they are not authorized to do any repairs on the transmission in our car. If it doesn't seem right, they change it out, period. I suspect this all-or-nothing approach to transmissions is going to make people in his position a tad resistant to declaring that a transmission is indeed performing at a sub-standard level.
Anyway, I hope I haven't gone on too long and I would love to hear anything you have to say.
Thanks very much in advance,
Ken
sounds fishy to me...i have a 2007 Honda Fit and i had a weird sound in my transmission and still do but it does not affect the drive. Drive the other 2009 cars and drive the same way you described or your wife....i cannot believe all Fits shift that way..i havent any problem with my auto shift and as far as they are not authorized to touch the transmission?????what is THAT...never heard of such a thing. When i had problem in the past..i went to the service manager in Honda and told him i wanted to speak to the representative from Honda who periodically visits. (i believe they visit all of the dealers & service areas ) and speak with her/him about this problem. (they took care of me because they did not want me to speak with the rep from Honda) if they wont or if they say, they dont come here..haha.... go over his head to Honda itself...you can find their address on the internet. Honda stands behind their cars.
If all the 2009s shifted like you described we would have all kinds of messages on this forum... best
It was always a little jumpy in the lower gears at first, especially when going from a complete stop into 1 or 2, but it seemed to mellow out after a few thousand miles and my awareness of the gas pedal's sensitivity. I dismissed it as a new car that hadn't been broken in yet and continued to drive. Things seemed to be going great, but then I started to notice the car getting stuck in 3rd gear when going down hills. The engine would just wur (sp?) until I assisted it by clicking the right paddle shifter. I shouldn't have to assist an automatic tranny. Anyway, the car did not always do this and like I said mellowed out in time. However, now it's back to getting stuck in 3rd going downhill and it's skipping gears altogether as I drive.
Has anyone ever experienced going from 1st into 5th by the time they reach 35MPH??? It seems to jump right into 3rd, hit 4th at 20MPH, and then 5th at 35MPH. Then the car has no power at all and the engine just wurs/spins.
Has anyone ever experienced going from 1st into 5th by the time they reach 35MPH??? It seems to jump right into 3rd, hit 4th at 20MPH, and then 5th at 35MPH. Then the car has no power at all and the engine just wurs/spins.
I have a 2009 Fit Sport Auto and it does none of those things. Our car is almost up to 9,000 miles now. It never did any of these things even when new. I would say something is wrong with your car. We do however only get 34 mpg combined.
Don't be put off if it won't act up for him.
Good luck!
Has anyone heard of this? Anyone know if there's a way to get ride of the noise? Thanks...
manual transmission?
I'm familiar with a short shifter on a BMW.
If the Fit has a truly short shifter it will improve
the shifting dramatically.
Anyone have any comments?
Thanks guys
I do understand your various problems and great concerns when various ones of you are having these problems and not getting the attention you need. If your individual cases were mine, I'd get ahold of the Service Manager's ear and drag him out to your car. Put him in the passenger's seat like I did and demonstrate the problem. Don't be nervous or fearing that you're taking up too much of his time. You've spent 5 figures on your Fit and it should work correctly. Go for that drive and have him note the problems. If you're out on the road for 30 minutes, so be it. You're in control cause you're in the driver's seat. Be courteous and respectful while being straightforward and insistent. Ask him to note the problems on a pad of paper. Then, if neccessary, ask to come back and jump into a new Fit for a test drive, noting none of the problems you're having with your individual car. I'd keep at him, again kindly and respectfully, till he says he'll get to the bottom of your problem. He does not want a scene in front of other customers when you return to the dealership. Be willing to make one, if he wants to blow you off. You might have to get kinda tough with him. Just remember, you paid good money and the car is not right! While reasoning with him, he should give a darn that one of his cars is running around out there with a tranny problem. If he makes an ignorant comment like "I'm not authorized to work on your trans" or "the problem you're having is normal", and sticks to a comment like that, tell him you'll take it to a fellow dealership and have them look at it. He and his dealership probably won't want the bad press he'll know you'll give, going to a fellow dealer...
If you feel that things must come to a head in the service area or the showroom, be willing to notch it up to that point but you must do it keeping your emotions in control. Do not become a raving lunatic, knowing that other customers and the dealership staff will look at you like you are - a crazy. Losing control and allowing anger to take over will not help you. It'll feel good to tell them off but will hurt you and the probability that your problem will actually be corrected!
Again, you've got to take the bull by the horns and lay on somebody till the problem is corrected. DO NOT accept a blow-off, hoping the problem will go away on its own or that you'll live with it. When the warranty runs out, you'll be sorely sorry you didn't get it taken care of when you had the chance! I'll tell you what, if my car isn't right when I pick it up, I will take my own advice and live at that dealership while pestering Honda on the phone, doing whatever is neccesary to leverage them to take care of "their and my" problem.
All of this written in my humble opinion,
Dan
These cars are just over engineered, and we are stuck with the bill and the poor performance.
1) The 1st gear sometimes pops out to neutral almost by itself when I switch to the 2nd.
2) When coasting backwards (2-4mph) and switching into the reverse gear I hear a loud grinding noise
3) When switching into the 2nd gear I hear a thud and the engine experiences a shake each time the gear is selected, also when coasting forward.
Took it to the dealer, who quoted me $800 for transmission teardown to find if this all happened because of my misuse. I am sure I didn't cause these problems, don't know what to expect...will post what happens next...I also like the car for its economy - got 47mpg by going 60mph on a freeway (on a 90F day)
(from wikipedia) Drive-by-wire, DbW, by-wire, or x-by-wire technology in the automotive industry replaces the traditional mechanical and hydraulic control systems with electronic control systems using electromechanical actuators and human-machine interfaces such as pedal and steering feel emulators. Hence, the traditional components such as the steering column, intermediate shafts, pumps, hoses, fluids, belts, coolers and brake boosters and master cylinders are eliminated from the vehicle. Examples include electronic throttle control and brake-by-wire.
In fact, I used to have an 08 Honda Fit (base with manual trans), which I traded-in for a 7-seater and regretted right away. In a couple of days, I went back and purchased an 09 Fit Sport with manual transmission (I still have my 7-seater of course, in addition to the Fit).
Now I'm enthusiastic about the Honda Fit, but I have been holding back on purchasing one because on both Fits I drove, the 5 speed manual transmission / linkage seemed mechanically sticky, cumbersome, rough to the feel. When I push it into gear, it seems to mechanically hang up for a moment before it goes into gear. The shifting just doesn't feel as smooth as the 85, 89 and 97 Honda Civic Hatchbacks that I have previously owned.
It that a characteristic of the Honda Fit or did I just run into a couple that were not so smooth in the shifting?
Thank for you input
The cable linkage very occasionally will stick a bit and the shifter will pop back into my hand, but this happens once every year or so--literally, about a dozen times in 11 years.
I have a 2009 Fit, and the shifter seems similar. I find the cable linkage actually lighter and more responsive in most situations, but it's definitely a different feel. I'm now well used to it and enjoy driving both sticks.