On Thursday March 25, 2010, I was involved in an accident while driving my 2008 Honda Fit. It was a beautiful day and I was traveling in traffic at 40 to 50 miles per hour. When the car ahead of me came to a stop, I applied my brakes but they would not engage. I had plenty of time to stop but the brakes failed and I rear-ended another car. It was so frightening to know that I couldn't stop and that I was going to hit the guy ahead of me. Even on impact and with the extensive damage to my front end, the airbag never deployed. An ambulance was called because I was in pain and could not stand without my legs giving out. Eventually, with assistance I was able to move. This has been very unsettling and although I am feeling better, I am still hurting. Police were also called to the scene. After their investigation , they did not issue me a citation and waited at the scene until the car was towed. Later that evening I received a call from my Hondadealership informing me that the ABS light was illuminated and that it indicated brake failure. I explained that that fact was also documented in the police report. I no longer feel safe in this car. . I have found the blogs and forum reporting thousands of similar accidents involving the 2008 Honda Fit. Why wasn’t I advised before now that there could be an issue? I am a mother of three. Thankfully I suffered only bruising and lower back pain. I daresay that if I had been travelling at a higher rate of speed, this accident could have been fatal to me or someone else.
The Fit does not seem to do very well at all on ice and snow. It has low ground clearance, for one, but the large wheels and the tires it comes with just do not seem to generate any traction at all. The slipping and sliding on snow is probably a different problem than the brakes not holding or the car surging forward from a stop or slow down. You can try putting something heavy in the back--a couple of bags of sand or kitty litter, for instance, or potting soil, etc.
fyi - The last thing in the world you want to do with a front wheel drive car in the winter is to weigh down the back of it as you suggest above. It will magnify any traction problems.
This is almost word for word what happened to my 08 fit. They didnt total my car but almost 6000 in damage. I believe they (Honda) may be starting to realize there is a problem. My ex husband has a 08 element and they just sent him a recall notice for brake failure. Honda will not own up to the fact that the braking system is a lemon to say the least. The dealer wont (or cant) say they agree and tell you to have the insurance co investigate. After 3 weeks of a rental car I needed (financially) my car back. I too have a small child and it is quite unnerving to say the least but I have no other option to get a new car. The best of luck to you. At least we can all, and there are many of us, state that the braking system is a total :lemon:
Honda dealership tells me they can find nothing wrong with my car and just give me a blank stare. I haven't had much time to pursue the attorney avenue. Instead, I made a complaint on line at NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration). They gather data on specific vehicle complaints and look for trends and patterns. The form is very easy to navigate and only takes a couple of minutes to fill out. I encourage everyone who has experienced a safety issue with their Honda Fit to report it immediately. They will conduct an investigation and get back with you if they need more information. After doing some research, I believe that NHTSA is the best manner to achieve my goal of getting the Fit recalled for safety issues. Good luck!
carfit4me; I want to thank you for your original posting and for keeping up with it. I'm at the dealer now waiting for my '08 Fit Sport to come off the lift for it's 75K service. The only issue I've had with this car, to date, is the ABS "drop 'n' grind".
The pedal drops and the ABS kicks in when it shouldn't. Mine mostly happens in the warmer weather, strangely enough. I've been complaining about this to my dealer for the last 40K+ miles to no avail. I've also presented your thread several times since finding it about 20K ago. Today, the "drop 'n' grind" happend to the tech, FINALLY!!! He originally told me it was working as expected and there was nothing he could do about it. He did have to go to extremes, which could legitimately have caused a wheel to slide (left turn onto a small sand patch while braking). I kept the pressure on and mentioned your posting, AGAIN. This time he and the service consultant told me to share the posting and they would speak to their manager.
At 60K I shared your post with a service consultant, who is no longer with the dealer, and he finally noted it in the computer. I do have my prior complaints scribbled on the work orders, however.
Today is a good day. I suggest any of you Fit owners who recognize this issue to stay on your dealer. Thank you again for your post. Regardless of what happens, your post has been central to my arguments to this point.
CARFIT4ME, I'm so glad that someone at Honda is finally listening to you about your brake problems. Unfortunately, I was so afraid that I might be hurt in my Honda Fit I had to sell it for a huge loss. Furthermore, my insurance increased by $120 per month as a result of a "chargeable accident." Please notify NHTSA as soon as you can (as noted in my previous post). If they see a pattern, perhaps a life saving recall will be announced. Thanks for your feedback. Be safe!
I have such problems with losing control of my Honda Fit skidding on snow or wet roads, that I have finally decided I need to get a different car to be safe. I've driven in Northern Wisconsin all my life and to be sure I have lost traction a time or two in 40 years of driving, but never like this, never so often in such moderate conditions. Normally if I slid on snow or ice I slid in a straight trajectory. In the Fit, it feels as if the car jerks left or right causing you to lose traction. I have lost traction several times and floated across lanes before I recover – thank goodness I did not hit another car before recovering. I changed to snow tires, but that did not solve the problem, it did help with better recovery from a slid. It can just as easily occur in light snow or rain that should not cause a problems. In fact, I have felt a similar jerking left or right just crossing over a tar patch on the road, but in dry conditions it doesn’t lose traction. Honda dealer has never heard of a similar problem and therefore only recommends trying new tires. Well - I have changed tires twice in only 28,000 miles.
Hi. Thank you for your post. At this point I have 80,000 miles on my fit and use Dunlop tires which as I recall the car came with. I have experienced the same thing you have in the past, and did have an instance of running into the back of another vehicle. Luckily, no one was hurt when I suddenly had no brakes at all. I attributed this to driving through a sudden flood and not waiting for the car to dry off first. I am now extremely careful in cold and wet weather. I slow down long before intersections that look wet or slippery. I do live in the Catskills where the winters can often be challenging, but have never used snow tires. Do find the ABS system challenging and weird in a way I cannot figure out. Never had this problem with my Honda civic onto which I put 300,000 miles. Sorry, that I can offer no help. Have sort of resigned myself to taking extra care, but have found no solution.
Are you saying it jerks left or right after you start sliding? That almost sounds like some kind of stability control/anti-lock brake behavior. My latest vehicle is my first with ABS and I'm planning on taking it out someplace safe when snow starts to fall to see how it's going to behave differently compared to our previous vehicle that didn't have ABS. I'm expecting a somewhat different type of feel as the ABS system tries to keep the wheels from locking up when I start to slide. I'm just wondering if you're experiencing something similar
The Fit jerks off course first, then I lose traction. I have wondered if it isn't a malfunctioning ABS, but the dealer said no.
I have had several vehicles with ABS and I've actually tested the brakes on slippery snow just as you are thinking of doing. It is amazing how it pumps control to each of the tires and brings me to a controlled stop.
Since I do not have a stability control system on the Fit I think the ABS is kicking in with just one tire on slippery surfaces at speeds higher than 40 mph. Since I can't get any confirmation as to what is wrong, I've decided to get a different vehicle before winter.
I liked everything else about the Fit, but I just don't feel safe.
Since you're talking about sliding, I'm assuming that you're using the brakes when this happens. That's why I'm wondering about ABS being a factor. Have you had an ABS vehicle before this? If so, I assume that your Fit is behaving a bit differently than you expected?
Have your brakes caliper check. If it is woring out one brake pad than the other, that means they need to replace the calipers. I just found this out today, since I have to for the first time brought my car to friend's mechanic. Since I have been having problems of grinding and sliding when I hit my breaks. I am now going to the my dealer on Wednesday to get this resolve. I will keep you posted.
I have been a careful driver for many years and never had an accident. On December 14th of 2010 I traded in my 2002 Civic for a 2008 Fit. I wish I could turn back the clock and not do it!! The first day on the way to work, I tried to stop at an intersection and I heard a "clicl,click,click" noise and began to roll on through the intersection! I was able to put it into a sideways slide which allowed me to stop but it scared me! I went to the dealership and I was told to get Blizzak tires and that the click I heard was normal Abs operation and I should get used to it. I believed them to my detriment. On January 23rd on dry pavement at 25 mph I was unable to stop for a firetruck and plowed into the back of another vehicle.. $9672 in damage and almost none to the other vehicle. I called American Honda and they got back to me but it was really odd...they called to ask me about "unintended acceleration" when I was very clear that the brakes had failed. The dealership had the brakes checked and they said there was nothing wrong. If you bought a fit It would be best to get rid of it for your sake and the sake of your family. Honda knows there is something wrong but won't admit it..look what happened to Toyota...All those people who had to die in Toyotas before the NTSB did something! I say as consumers our biggest impact is word of mouth and refusal to purchase. I went and bought an Older Buick. No Computer tied to the brakes. Much happier now!!
Hello, No More Fit For Me. I'm glad that you've unloaded your Honda Fit so that you can be safe. But please, make your complaint to NHTSA. Complaints to Honda (or any car manufacturer) go nowhere and NHTSA will only intervene once they see a pattern. If everyone on this forum would file their complaint with NHTSA, they might do a recall. I got rid of my 2008 Honda Fit more than a year ago because of brake problems that caused one accident and almost a second one. I have posted on here several times. Please go back and read my experience if you haven't already. Venting helps some of us feel better, but ultimately it accomplishes nothing. It only takes a few minutes to make your NHTSA complaint and it could save lives. Thanks.
Thanks for the discussion and forum. I've had ABS prior to this car, then a Civic without ABS (a relief), but now my Fit with ABS. Don't ask me why. I am used to stopping early because the braking action takes so long to finally stop the car with ABS. Tonight in a slippery snow squall I was a highway exit ramp, which goes downhill somewhat, lots of cars in a row--I was third up, getting to the stop sign at the bottom. I stepped on the brake well ahead of time but the pedal wouldn't depress more than half way. I leaned on it heavily, could hear the braking system but it wouldn't budge any more and I hit the car in front of me. I'm somewhat freaked out. No damage to my car I could see but a dent in the other car's bumper. Honestly felt as if I did everything right and had to just watch as I crashed. Really minor damage except to my ego and the inconvenience to the woman I hit. It was just so odd. I got home and looked at my records: the tires were replaced at 28K miles and it's gone 48K now. I'll have them checked again along with brakes. Any insights? I just am not feeling confident living in NH snows with this car. I will contact NHTSA, good suggestion.
When I had my 08 Honda Fit, I had to change the tires prematurely as well. More importantly was the brake failure and subsequent accident. When I narrowly missed crashing into another car (only because he cleared my path) I decided I had to get rid of the car. I took a huge loss on the car, but my life is worth it. My suggestion to you is to get rid of the car and report it to NHTSA. They will eventually have to do something if we all voice our safety complaints. It is easy and only takes a few minutes. Your complaint could help make a difference. Thank you and NEVER drive an unsafe car.
Recently, the brake booster on my Fit seems to be sporadically malfunctioning for the first 30 seconds after starting the car. During this time the brake pedal is VERY hard and it requires a huge amount of force to get the car to stop (and I'm a big guy).
It only happens occasionally (about 20% of cold starts) and it "fixes itself" after 30 seconds or less.
I took it into the dealership and they could not find any problems. I did report this to the NHTSA.
Has anyone else experienced this, and what was the resolution?
Went to Honda dealer and was told there is nothing wrong with brake calipers and just needed new brake pads. Have them changed and paid for the pads. Went to my mechanic for the usual oil change and he was aware what I was told by the Honda mechanic, today. He examined the brake, they are still wearing unevenly and there are still the same constant noise when I brake and brake loosened itself when braking, the car was going at 20 miles an hour before me hitting my brake to stop the car from hitting a car. I did report this to NHTSA. today. Calling Honda again on Monday, since customer service on the weekends.
northernfit. Yes I have experience the same thing, since I am in North California. Weather is not as cold in NH mind you, which volumes of what may be wrong the brake system.
Alright.... I registered just because I couldn't take all of the misinformation and people saying the same things. I needed to set the recored straight. Please dont think that I don't like Fits. I have and 08 Fit. I love it, but Honda Fits are not made to be driven IN THE SNOW! They are light, have skinny tires, and yes their ABS "Anti lock Breaking System" isn't awesome, but ABS in your, and everyone elses, Fit is doing it's job. It annoys me too. However, this ABS keeps your car tires from locking up in which case you will go from very little control to no control at all. Which would you rather have? And yes you "slide" a long way on the ice or snow because the Fit is light and the tires are skinny. Perhaps the reason you feel unsafe in those conditions is because you are driving the absolute wrong car for those conditions. People do not buy submarines to water ski, airplanes to scuba dive or motorcycles to explore the wilderness, The reason being....they are the wrong vehicles. I had an Expedition. It was a beast in the snow and the ABS was awesome.
Honda seems to have a brake problem with most of their vehicles. Unfortunately nothing will be done until a lot of Honda drivers are killed when their brakes fail. Waiting for the 2012s. Our next vehicle will NOT be a Honda. Too bad; we had a 20-year relationship. In the meantime we will not let the incompetent dealerships near our Ody. What happened to Honda?
After reading the posts in this forum and others, we won't be buying a Honda again - any Honda. Real scary stuff! Our Odyssey was OK until the recall was performed. All the brake fluid leaked out. Is Honda out to kill it's customers?
My fit use to malfunction as well. It started only 2 weeks after I bought the car. very similar to your issue. I took it to the dealership explaining similar accounts to yours. yet they could not replicate it. This has been a very huge burden for me. It has happened more than 5 instances since bought new in July of 2008. I've even gotten into an accident because of the malfunction. Yet I can not prove its the brakes. From July 2008 - about Dec 2008, I have seen countless amounts of 2007/2008 fits being towed with front end damage. some far worse than mines. but yet i see no recalls on this issue!! I think more fit owner need to report theses type of incidents
I traded mine in for a nissan rogue. Needless to say, due to the two accidents on record, I didn't get a lot on the trade in, but I honestly couldn't put my child in that lemon another day. I will never buy another honda again.
Thank you. I will print out these messages and take to dealer. Keep thinking I did something wrong. Luckily, I only had one accident 2 years ago. Since then, whenever it is wet or cold I slow down way before. Also, I have a manual and take foot totally off clutch even if stalling results. Thank you for keeping at this. I have a fit07.
I wonder if that is the same problem I am having. It has only happened a few times when I have had to slam my brakes as when someone cuts in front of me. It sounds and feels like I am driving on those bumps installed on roads to tell you when you cross a line. I haven't crashed, maybe because I have been lucky to have enough space to stop first?
Here I am replying to my own message a bit over a year later to get an update online.
I've had the Fit into the dealer 4 times in the last year, and the dealer has tried a few things to fix the issue, but with no resolution.
At start-up there seems to be enough brake booster vacuum for one braking; the next time I hit the brakes it goes to the floor as if there is no power brake assist. There are brakes there, but it takes a HUGE amount of force and if you're not expecting it it would be easy to hit something. It happens 50% of the time I start the vehicle (after sitting 8+ hours). The issue is worse when in reverse (lower gear and thus more power from the engine?).
The second dealer I went to said this is a known issue with no known repair. While at the dealership, a Civic owner said she has the same problem and the dealers told her that it is "normal". The service manager told me to let the car warm up for 2-minutes before driving.
A year ago, I had 32,000 miles and now I have 76,000 miles. The problem is worse with no resolution in sight. And it scares me that if my wife drives the car (I usually drive it) she might not be ready to hit the brakes as hard as needed. Unless this gets fixed by a dealer, I won't be buying another Honda.
I have posted here before about my crash and another near miss due to brake failures. You can read those posts for more detail if you like. Please report your issue to NHTSA. It only takes a few moments. They are the only entity that can make a recall happen. Honda isn't going to voluntarily recall their cars.
As far as you or your wife driving the car, an emergency can never be anticipated. If it could, it wouldn't be an "emergency." No matter your skill or anticipation of a problem, if the car doesn't stop in time, you or someone else could be seriously injured or die.
I sold my car to a dealership...and yes, I disclosed the problem with the brakes. Though I suffered a significant financial loss because the car was only about a year old, the money was not worth my life or that of my daughter. Please be safe.
I'm setting up my 2013 Fit to be towed behind an RV. With my auxiliary braking system, I need to know whether the Fit has "Vacuum" or "Active" brake system.
Comments
When the car ahead of me came to a stop, I applied my brakes but they would not engage. I had plenty of time to stop but the brakes failed and I rear-ended another car. It was so frightening to know that I couldn't stop and that I was going to hit the guy ahead of me. Even on impact and with the extensive damage to my front end, the airbag never deployed.
An ambulance was called because I was in pain and could not stand without my legs giving out. Eventually, with assistance I was able to move. This has been very unsettling and although I am feeling better, I am still hurting.
Police were also called to the scene. After their investigation , they did not issue me a citation and waited at the scene until the car was towed.
Later that evening I received a call from my Hondadealership informing me that the ABS light was illuminated and that it indicated brake failure. I explained that that fact was also documented in the police report.
I no longer feel safe in this car. . I have found the blogs and forum reporting thousands of similar accidents involving the 2008 Honda Fit.
Why wasn’t I advised before now that there could be an issue? I am a mother of three. Thankfully I suffered only bruising and lower back pain. I daresay that if I had been travelling at a higher rate of speed, this accident could have been fatal to me or someone else.
The Fit does not seem to do very well at all on ice and snow. It has low ground clearance, for one, but the large wheels and the tires it comes with just do not seem to generate any traction at all. The slipping and sliding on snow is probably a different problem than the brakes not holding or the car surging forward from a stop or slow down. You can try putting something heavy in the back--a couple of bags of sand or kitty litter, for instance, or potting soil, etc.
fyi - The last thing in the world you want to do with a front wheel drive car in the winter is to weigh down the back of it as you suggest above. It will magnify any traction problems.
Two words: snow tires.
I want to thank you for your original posting and for keeping up with it. I'm at the dealer now waiting for my '08 Fit Sport to come off the lift for it's 75K service. The only issue I've had with this car, to date, is the ABS "drop 'n' grind".
The pedal drops and the ABS kicks in when it shouldn't. Mine mostly happens in the warmer weather, strangely enough. I've been complaining about this to my dealer for the last 40K+ miles to no avail. I've also presented your thread several times since finding it about 20K ago. Today, the "drop 'n' grind" happend to the tech, FINALLY!!! He originally told me it was working as expected and there was nothing he could do about it. He did have to go to extremes, which could legitimately have caused a wheel to slide (left turn onto a small sand patch while braking). I kept the pressure on and mentioned your posting, AGAIN. This time he and the service consultant told me to share the posting and they would speak to their manager.
At 60K I shared your post with a service consultant, who is no longer with the dealer, and he finally noted it in the computer. I do have my prior complaints scribbled on the work orders, however.
Today is a good day. I suggest any of you Fit owners who recognize this issue to stay on your dealer. Thank you again for your post. Regardless of what happens, your post has been central to my arguments to this point.
I'm so glad that someone at Honda is finally listening to you about your brake problems. Unfortunately, I was so afraid that I might be hurt in my Honda Fit I had to sell it for a huge loss. Furthermore, my insurance increased by $120 per month as a result of a "chargeable accident." Please notify NHTSA as soon as you can (as noted in my previous post). If they see a pattern, perhaps a life saving recall will be announced. Thanks for your feedback. Be safe!
I have had several vehicles with ABS and I've actually tested the brakes on slippery snow just as you are thinking of doing. It is amazing how it pumps control to each of the tires and brings me to a controlled stop.
Since I do not have a stability control system on the Fit I think the ABS is kicking in with just one tire on slippery surfaces at speeds higher than 40 mph. Since I can't get any confirmation as to what is wrong, I've decided to get a different vehicle before winter.
I liked everything else about the Fit, but I just don't feel safe.
I called American Honda and they got back to me but it was really odd...they called to ask me about "unintended acceleration" when I was very clear that the brakes had failed. The dealership had the brakes checked and they said there was nothing wrong.
If you bought a fit It would be best to get rid of it for your sake and the sake of your family. Honda knows there is something wrong but won't admit it..look what happened to Toyota...All those people who had to die in Toyotas before the NTSB did something! I say as consumers our biggest impact is word of mouth and refusal to purchase. I went and bought an Older Buick. No Computer tied to the brakes. Much happier now!!
Recently, the brake booster on my Fit seems to be sporadically malfunctioning for the first 30 seconds after starting the car. During this time the brake pedal is VERY hard and it requires a huge amount of force to get the car to stop (and I'm a big guy).
It only happens occasionally (about 20% of cold starts) and it "fixes itself" after 30 seconds or less.
I took it into the dealership and they could not find any problems. I did report this to the NHTSA.
Has anyone else experienced this, and what was the resolution?
Thanks.
northernfit. Yes I have experience the same thing, since I am in North California. Weather is not as cold in NH mind you, which volumes of what may be wrong the brake system.
I've had the Fit into the dealer 4 times in the last year, and the dealer has tried a few things to fix the issue, but with no resolution.
At start-up there seems to be enough brake booster vacuum for one braking; the next time I hit the brakes it goes to the floor as if there is no power brake assist. There are brakes there, but it takes a HUGE amount of force and if you're not expecting it it would be easy to hit something. It happens 50% of the time I start the vehicle (after sitting 8+ hours). The issue is worse when in reverse (lower gear and thus more power from the engine?).
The second dealer I went to said this is a known issue with no known repair. While at the dealership, a Civic owner said she has the same problem and the dealers told her that it is "normal". The service manager told me to let the car warm up for 2-minutes before driving.
A year ago, I had 32,000 miles and now I have 76,000 miles. The problem is worse with no resolution in sight. And it scares me that if my wife drives the car (I usually drive it) she might not be ready to hit the brakes as hard as needed. Unless this gets fixed by a dealer, I won't be buying another Honda.
I have posted here before about my crash and another near miss due to brake failures. You can read those posts for more detail if you like. Please report your issue to NHTSA. It only takes a few moments. They are the only entity that can make a recall happen. Honda isn't going to voluntarily recall their cars.
As far as you or your wife driving the car, an emergency can never be anticipated. If it could, it wouldn't be an "emergency." No matter your skill or anticipation of a problem, if the car doesn't stop in time, you or someone else could be seriously injured or die.
I sold my car to a dealership...and yes, I disclosed the problem with the brakes. Though I suffered a significant financial loss because the car was only about a year old, the money was not worth my life or that of my daughter. Please be safe.
Thanks for any help.