Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Honda Fit Exterior & Bodywork Questions

13»

Comments

  • maxnmaxn Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2010
    Our Honda Fit developed a 14" crack while parked. It runs from the middle of the driver's side edge towards the centre. There was no sign of any impact point, We took it immediately to our Honda dealership and they seemed to agree that it could be a stress crack and forwarded pics and details to Honda district office. I was prepared for a fight but 3 days later we were told they had been authorised to replace it.
    I'm glad we took it to the dealer so quickly because the next day a tiny part ofthe crack had opened a miniscule bit and 2 separate windshield repair shops that I showed it to thought that that indicated an impact point, and neither thought it was a stress crack. In forty years of car ownership I have never had this happen before, but it seems as if with this model it could likely happen again. Otherwise love the car.
    This forum was invaluable in helping things along - bravo!!!
  • lexusolutionlexusolution Member Posts: 1
    My sister had a crack on the fit at the lowest part of the windshield on the passenger side. Honda's glass people said it's due to a chip. Honda told us that using the heat if there's ice on the windshield would cause it to crack. I guess honda's trying not to admit their windshield crack and break. Just want to add this to the queue. Seems like honda is trying not to admit that windshield need to be recalled.
  • lovethecarlovethecar Member Posts: 1
    Same windshield problem as everyone else - appeared without impact on the passenger side and runs right to left. My opinion of Honda is slipping...
  • lsmith24lsmith24 Member Posts: 1
    Just wanted to add my complaint. I returned to my Fit after work one day and found a crescent-shaped crack that begins low on the front windshield, near the wipers. It was a frigid day (high teens) and I was using the heater that morning.
    I'm still debating whether to bite the bullet and pay or try my dealership first. In any case, I'm going to call Honda corporate (1-800-999-1009) to register the complaint.
  • callaziazancallaziazan Member Posts: 1
    This is exactly what happened to mine. It started out about 10" and has grown to at least 14". It is lower down on the driver's side and is slowly traveling toward the middle. Reading this forum gives me hope. I'm glad to know I'm not alone.
  • gracecbchengracecbchen Member Posts: 1
    Just yesterday I found a front windshield crack on my 2009 Fit for no reason. The crack is on the driver side and curve up from the bottom for about 12" to 13". I found no chip, impact by pebble or what so ever to cause the crack.
    I think the stress fracture is a common cause and is dangerous to consumers. Message #9 suggest the complaint can be direct to NHTSA; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
    http://www.nhtsa.gov
    I am going to call dealer for a remedy tomorrow. Wish I do not have to pay for the manufacturer defects for my 2009 Fit. Other than this problem, I love my Fit.
  • bevstr8fanbevstr8fan Member Posts: 1
    I bought the car in March, by April, I had 3 different cracks(dings), I had never owned a car or truck that has done this to me. I have no knowledge what caused these dings, except for one of them, a truck passed me and flung a small rock. The insurance company had someone patch this one ding, but it developed a stress crack in it, and within a months time, it cracked straight across my windshield about 15 or 18 inches across, growing longer everyday. My deductible is 500, and the work will run 392...figures...I'm afraid to fix the windshield, only to crack again, Honda seems to use cheap, thin, glass on these cars...I love my car, but a new car should not have this kind of problem. Very concerned.... :confuse:
  • xfit08xfit08 Member Posts: 3
    First of all. The body cannot take simple swipe, like oh...say a car using your car as a door holder or even a slight swipe or bump because of wind or human error.

    How did I feel the first time I found a parking lot ding on my door? Wanted to extremely hit some one.

    Thus I always try to find parallel parking spaces. Note of advise on this part. Do not squeeze it in between huge cars...yes ding on the bumper.

    Also you might not like the front fender being so low. It cannot go up or down an inclined roads easily, you basically have to slowly crawl.
  • windwatcrwindwatcr Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    I'm working with a friend that had her 08 Fit developed a crack similar to what everyone is describing. This happened before she took it in for the first oil change. The dealership here in Omaha did their pen test and said it was a rock chip impact that occurred near the passenger side wiper arm. Unusual place for a rock chip to occur. How did you make out on your claim? Which dealership did you go thru? Unfortunately, my friend, middle aged female did not raised he-- like I would have and now, windshield still not repaired is going to cost many hundreds to fix. How can Honda America claim to not know what is going on here? How can one contend the pen test as not accurate diagnosis for these stress cracks? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
  • 2352ohoh2352ohoh Member Posts: 4
    I was driving home yesterday, it was about 99 degrees in San Ramon, CA. My new Honda Fit had been sitting in the sun all day closed up. I always make sure to leave windows down a little in the heat though. I bought this car 2 mos ago with 20 miles on it when I bought it. It now has over 1000 miles on it. I keep the windows down until I got on the freeway, then I put them up and turned on the air. about 2 to 5 miles into my travel I heard a pop which sounded like it came from under my dash, like the air condioning unit. I said that is not good, but I didn't see it, and it came from within the car, under dash. I made a mental note of it. I got home and washed my car. As I was washing the windshield I noticed it had a great big moon shaped crack in it. I took it to dealership right away. They did pen test said it wasn't covered in warranty, because he said he found a fisher where inpact hit. It was coming from bottom of passenger side , under windshield wiper up further where he daid rock hit it and then up and over to middle windshield. I left thinking he was right. The next day I did same routine, with car and I heard same crack noise coming from airconditioning unit, around the same area on hwy., that happened day before, there was no rocks, no trucks by me. I will fight this to the end. This engine is right under dash, which is right under windshield. This is a fault in the way it is made, and quite frankly I will fight to get everything back in the deal including my 2006 Hyndaii Tiburon, that kept a couple of star specks from rocks hitting windshiend forever, with no major change. I made a huge mistake not to check this website before buying. I love my new car otherwise, but this is something I will not tolerate. Not after signing a $26,000 contract with them, and leaving a car that I adored for 5 yrs, with no problem. Thanks for the info., I suggest you all read everybody's input, and let's put a stop to this bull. I want out.
  • jcbohjcboh Member Posts: 2
    I printed the messages from this board and took to my dealer and sent to Honda. I kept calling Honda America until I got someone to open a case for me on this. The next thing I knew, my dealer called to say Honda was payong for a new windshield.
  • 2352ohoh2352ohoh Member Posts: 4
    I am with you on that one. I might have to have my cousin who is a lawyer to file a huge lawsuit, for all of our behaves. I'm calling tommorrow to get out of this 26,000 dollar contract I made two mos. ago with them. And I won't trade it in for another model, and I won't accept the tax and license bill on it either. I want every dime I put in, and I want out of this contract, or I will sue for much more than that. That is what we all should do, who has a contract for the purchase of this vehicle. Honda does make great cars, but they better allow me to step away like a lady!!!!!!
  • 2352ohoh2352ohoh Member Posts: 4
    amen, it takes all the people to stand up together and fight this thing. They said I could trade it for another Honda, but I'll be stuck with the tax and license. Let's see what they'll be stuck with when it's over.
  • smallkahunasmallkahuna Member Posts: 1
    I experienced the same problem that everyone on this discussion thread is describing. 1st cracked window happened after I returned to my car in a hot parking lot. I had it replaced through my insurance after two dealers insisted it was a rock hitting the windshield. Come on give me a break! The car was parked! The 2nd cracked on the replaced windshield happened two months after the replacement on a cold rainy day. I am driving around with that crack because I suspect that it was a Honda design flaw. Now I am convinced that it is a flaw because other Honda Fit owners are experiencing the same problem. Thanks 2352ohoh for bringing this to my attention. What is our recourse? I am in.
  • 2352ohoh2352ohoh Member Posts: 4
    Your welcome about the info. Your situation is exactly why I've decided I've made a mistake purchasing my new Honda Fit 2011 model. I've already had a windshield crack so badly it needs replacing. The car is new, I purchased it may 1, 2011. I'm talking to a lawyer tomorrow, to see what my options are. I will let you know what our options are, after that. Wouldn't it be something to make a class action lawsuit against this Co. I'm not a sue happy person, but I feel something is going on here, and it's not rocks and it's not our fault. Even if it was rocks, it still shows that this windshield is not acceptable. I feel it has something to do with the hot whether and cold whether. They have a responsibility to inform the consumers about their good points and their bad points. They know somethings wrong, and their putting their heads in the sand. I can't afford a new windshield, I had to drive home in the wind, and rain yesterday, on the freeway. I was scared to death with this cracked windshield. This is a safety issue, that other people need to know about. Especially channel 7 news. I don't want the same thing to happen again, that's why I would rather get out of contract. I'll let you know what happens. Sounds like a major recall to me, and it might have to be the consumers, this time to do it.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    As frustrating as problems with cars can be, the Edmunds forums cannot be used to organize legal actions. Any posts along those lines, including passing along attorney information or posting links to sites about class actions will be removed.
  • pilot125pilot125 Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a new 2011 Honda Pilot 8 days ago and have a huge crack in the windshield below the windshield wipers. It extends the entire length of the windshield and curves up on the driver and passenger sides. I have less than 1000 miles on the SUV and no rocks have hit the windshield. I brought it back to the dealer and he said a pebble hit the windshield and caused the crack. NO WAY. This is defective glass.
  • kvs60kvs60 Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2011
    Same problem as everyone else. My daughter's 20 month old, low mileage (~5,000) Fit was in for some safety recall work, and an oil change, which went smoothly enough, though after she got the car home she noticed a long crack on the passenger side of the windshield, starting from the edge. Appeared to be this same stress fracture that everyone else is describing here, with no indication of a chip from a stone. Really not clear whether anything the service guys at the dealer did that might have increased the chances of this happening. Apparently the car was outside in the hot sun prior to my daughter picking it up, and they cranked the air to full when they drove it over to the pickup area while she was paying, though that kind of temperature differential really shouldn't cause this to happen so easily.

    Took the car back to the dealer the next day (Fladeboe Honda, Irvine, CA), they did the pen check, no arguments, they took pictures of the crack to send to Honda, ordered the new windshield, called me after a few days once the windshield was in, scheduled the appointment with the glass guy that does the replacement, then we took the car back for the work, and everything covered under warranty. They did say they hadn't seen this before on a Fit, but that the Pilot had a problem in the past, as others mention here.

    So no problems getting it replaced, but it's pretty worrying that this happens so easily and I'm concerned it might happen again. I think I'll make a complaint to NHTSA as someone above suggests.
  • angie777angie777 Member Posts: 1
    Last weekend I was washing my car (2009 Honda Fit) and I heard a thump. I thought it came from a neighbor or something, not from my car. When I was whiping my windshield I noticed 3 big cracks originating from the bottom middle of my windhsield by the Windshield wiper. I called Honda and they advised that if there are no points of impact, the replacement might be covered under warraty. I was relieved, my dad, myself and my boyfriend inspected the cracks and did not see any points of impact.

    I took my car in today. I had to wait 45 minutes for a supervisor to inspect my car. After an hour of waiting I was approached by an agent not the supervisor and was told that a small nick was found in the middle of two of the cracks . We asked that they show this to us.

    The supervisor came out and poked the "nick" with his pen several times, possibly making the '"nick" worst and bigger. He started off by saying that Honda is very careful and takes pride in their parts and that they would not pay for it. I started to think that the car should had been inspected in front of me to make sure that Honda didnt create the "nick" themselves, too late for that.

    The next step would be for a Honda rep. to inspect it. I asked them to set up an appointment. They couldnt tell me when but they promised to call.

    In the meantime I will look into taking my car to a Glass Specialist and get a second opinion.

    THIS SUCKS

    I had take my car in for a Recall already, I love this car but im starting to think it was a bad choice. I should have bought a Scion!
  • cindyjcindyj Member Posts: 7
  • fit2010fit2010 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2010 Fit with less than 10K miles. Drove it earlier today in the city (not many rocks in the city), did not see or hear anything impact the car or windshield. Got in this evening and noticed a nice 6 inch, moon shaped crack in the lower part of the windshield, starts below the hood line of the car, near the wipers, a very odd place for an impact fracture. Sounds like this is a "known" issue that Honda does not want to "know". Frustrating. I was heading to trade it in tomorrow morning, now have to stop by Honda dealer first to see if I can get it replaced!
  • acool6401acool6401 Member Posts: 2
    2013 Honda Fit. Only 6 months old and 6413 miles. Today, I parked it in the indoor garage where I work and I know the windshield was in perfect condition at that time. I'm always inspecting it for dings, bird poops or scratches before I drive it, especially because I live in NYC....anyway....

    ... When I returned from work, lo and behold, it had a 10 inch crack that stemmed from the very bottom center of the windshield (underneath the wipers). The crack goes straight up from the edge for about 4 inches and then curves around in a crescent shape. After careful inspection, I am certain that it is some kind of stress fracture because there is absolutely no point of impact or missing glass along the entire length of the crack.

    I'm no design engineer but I'm pretty confident that it is a Honda design/manufacturing defect and and will fight to make sure they make good on it. As one poster stated before...It seems that the frame around the window could be expanding beyond its flex specs and placing undue pressure on an already thin/weak window to begin with. Hot/cold contrasting temperatures would simply contribute to an already inherent weakness in design. I also suspect the installation and/or the sheer size of the window could also be another contributing factor in the designs vulnerability.

    The break point in the windshield seems to be a common denominator in all these supporting posts therefore I don't think its some freak random coincidence. Honda may need to go back to the drawing board on their windshield/frame design. I smell a recall in the future but only if we all act and make it known. I will call Honda corporation and see what they say and do. All of us with this same problem need to register this complaint with the Honda Corporation. We need to band together on this issue or suffer the losses. I at least want a warranty replacement.
  • aafit09aafit09 Member Posts: 1
    edited May 2013
    I bought my Fit in 2009 new. Within 2 months of owning the car, I went out to my parked car to find a crack starting dead center at the top edge of the windshield in a straight line downward behind the rear view mirror. Confident that nothing had hit the windshield, I took the car to the dealership, called Honda America, and was eventually told that the windshield would not be replaced due to the pen test "proof" that something had hit the window. I eventually folded after much frustration and paid to replace the window myself. This was ~May 2009.

    Coincidentally, just this morning -- May again? Something to do with the weather? -- I went out to my parked car to find a new crack -- this time starting dead center at the bottom edge of the windshield going behind the wipers in a straight line upward. I swear I could draw a perfect line from where the crack in 2009 occurred at the top to where this one occurs at the bottom. By the end of the day, the crack has created the same hook shape that others have described.

    I called Honda America and heard the same story: "we've never heard of this problem." I told them that many other people have reported it -- how can they tell me they have never heard of it? I asked for a manager to escalate my call to and was told that I could not talk to someone else and that I would have to go to the dealership. For the record, a pen test today would prove that there is no nick.

    I am very frustrated with Honda's lack of attention to this potential safety issue. The cost of the replacement windshield certainly doesn't seem worth the lost satisfaction of so many Honda customers who will think hard about buying another Honda vehicle.
  • acool6401acool6401 Member Posts: 2
    Same thing happened to me, same crack, same spot , same shape and I took it the Plaza Honda in Brooklyn. It was clearly a stress crack.
    I told them not to do their [non-permissible content removed] pen test ( though I didnt use the word "[non-permissible content removed]" to them) unless I was present so I could watch and monitor the test like a hawk.
    I know I had no dip in the crack because I inspected it myself. Even one of their managers said "it looks like a stress crack to me"
    They distracted me by asking me to talk to the service manager and when I turned my head back to look at my car, someone was jabbing their pen into the crack...after I told them not to do it!!! I immediately told them to stop and they did but it was too late...."Oh sir, sorry but this is not covered because you and have a tiny dip in the crack according to our pen test" so I was fuming mad so I said..."Well since I'm not covered let me show you how easily one could make a dip in the crack with that pen" and I deliberately made another one to prove my point and believe me guys when I say that it does not take much pressure on that pen to do it.

    I think its the dealers tricks of the trade to get away with not covering a crack that was clearly a stress crack before they ran their little test that saves them hundreds. I ended spending a few hundred at Safelite Auto Glass. These dudes gave me a great price and did quality replacement work. I also added windshield coverage to my auto policy for the future. I am very disappointed with the Honda Corporation and refuse to do any work at a Honda dealership from now on. I would rather find a good mechanic and pay out of pocket. I just dont trust the service at dealers and it always way over priced anyway. In addition to that, they always seem to find a way to not cover what is supposed to be covered. At least thats been my experience maybe somebody else has better things to report but I doubt too many will step forward for that.
  • mcbrushmcbrush Member Posts: 1
    I have a black 2013 Honda Fit with "delicate" paint. It is 4 months old, has 15,000 km and hundreds of small chips on the hood and even a few on the left front fender. We made 3 winter trips through the mountains since we bought it. I have owned many vehicles and made many winter trips and have never had such a problem. Honda Canada denied a warranty claim, saying that rock chips weren't covered and a complaint to Honda Canada Customer Service produced the same result but with an offer from the dealership to give us a "good deal" on repainting the front end of the cars. Has anyone else had similar problems?
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    he, he...let me know what the good deal is on repainting the front hood; we'll get a volume discount. My 2007 Fit's hood looks like was in Beirut in the '70s. Although I like my cars to look as nice as they can, it is what is under the engine that matters most to me, and if my car is to take on battle scars, I want them on the outside metal and not on the interior where I have to look at them all the time.
  • barnhambarnham Member Posts: 1
    Took my 2009 Honda Fit to have it aligned over a year ago. The mechanic told me they couldn’t do it. I forget what he said as to why. I don’t know if he said the frame was bent or something else wrong with the car. The care has never been in an accident based on two car reports. I hit a curb that caused a small dent in the front. Guess I thought I was still driving my Forester.
    I have a coupon from dealer to balance all 4 wheels, rotate tires and inspect brakes. While doing this, will the mechanic notice if anything is wrong with the frame? Maybe I have to have them do an alignment to find this out. Thanks!
  • smallpotatoessmallpotatoes Member Posts: 2
    I parked my car in the garage last night and all is well; this morning I get the car out of the garage and I notice a 12-16" crack originating from under the plastic by the windshield wiper. I looked at the crack and no signs of chips or anything in fact the crack is so thin I took a second look to make sure it wasn't a scratch from the wiper even though it curves the opposite way. Then I remember that when we originally researched the car in 2009. there was a thread in the unofficial honda fit forum about cracks in the windshield. So I went online and found this thread. The posts are unbelievably and I stress unbelievably similar to my story. I called the honda number 1-800-999-1009 and spoke to a rep named Christina... she told me there was no recall and my warranty was out and because of that I was basically sol. I told her I am not alone with this problem and it wasn't the money or the insurance claim which by the way; here in florida, covers for windshield with no deductible. I was calling because; as a responsible consumer and because up until this point I liked honda, to tell them that there was obviously a problem with their product and they should do something to fix it and own up to it. Basically do the right thing. They told me again there was no problem because there was no recall. I told them about this thread and they said they cannot take the views of third parties (third parties?...customer feedback). She told me that I should take the car to a dealership to get it checked out, and I told her I was willing to do that but asked her if it was determined not to be my fault (chip or anything else) If honda would own up to the problem . She said she could not say. I escalated the call to Marla her supervisor because I was going nowhere besides her telling me that she was writing down what she told me. The supervisor Marla was just has helpful as Christina was and told me that she was also writing everything down and I could not speak to anyone else. I felt like I was in that episode of Seinfeld where the doctor blackballs Elaine for complaining. She told me there was nothing they could do for me. I hung up in disbelief about the total lack of customer service and care. I have had at least four hondas in the past including the fit. The fit will most likely be the last. I guess this was literally the crack that broke the camel's back. I have filled a claim with the insurance company they're coming monday to fix the car.
    p.s. I talked to a dealership locally and the service person told me to bring it in and that she will look at the crack and this thread. I am going there tomorrow (saturday). I will post what ever happens.
  • smallpotatoessmallpotatoes Member Posts: 2
    edited September 2013
    Went to dealership and talked to very nice service manager he looked at the crack and said it looked like it was a chip. I asked him how could it be, because it was almost under the wiper. He also explained that the crack spreads over time. I told him how unhappy I was with customer service at corporate Honda and he agreed they can be difficult and because of that he could not do anything else he said those are the same people that I talk to. Monday morning (today). The glass repair company came to repair the car and the guy initially said that the crack looked really weird because of the place where it happened and because he couldn't see chip. i gave him a magnifying glass and then he said that yes there seem to be a chip but that he would let me know after he took the glass out and inspected it to see where the crack originated. he finished the work and showed me that the crack started because of that minuscule chip. I called Honda back to apologize to Marla. Still not happy about the customer service because of the lack of empathy due to the fact that I am a customer inexperienced with cracks and that after all these facts I had a reason to be concerned.
  • mediamachinemediamachine Member Posts: 1
    My daughter parked her 2013 Honda Fit last night. She returned in the morning to find a 14" crack straight across the middle of her windshield starting from the middle of the drivers side edge. There does not appear to be any "chip". After reading these comments and many other complaints on other sites it is becoming obvious Honda does not own up to stress fractures or they are not making windshields durable enough to absorb the slightest impact (normal driving conditions). I have seen rocks bounce off my Cadillac windshield leaving craters in the windshield that did not crack. My 1994 Honda has pits all over the windshield and no cracks after 20 years. After owning five Hondas I too think this is the end. A reputation is an easy thing to lose. We'll see how they respond tomorrow.
Sign In or Register to comment.