There are 14 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2008 Honda Fitin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE CAR DIED WHENEVER WE COME TO A STOP, BREAK TO TURN, OR SLOW DOWN FOR RED LIGHT WITHIN THE FIRST TWO MILES OF BEING DRIVEN ON ANY GIVEN DAY. THE PROBLEM IS RE-CURRENT AND OCCURS WITH GREATER INTENSITY AT LOW TEMPERATURES. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP, BUT IT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY OR FIX THE PROBLEM. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH HAS REVEALED DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINS AND INABILITY OF HONDA DEALERSHIPS TO PIN POINT AND FIX THE PROBELM. WE CALLED HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT THEY ARE DISMISSIVE OF THE ONLINE COMPLAINTS. THE CAR IS OUTSIDE WARRANTY AND WE ALREADY SPENT SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS ON SUGGESTED FIXES.
MY 2008 HONDA FIT STALLS EVERY TIME I PUT THE CLUTCH IN FOR THE FIRST 4-6 MINUTES. WHEN I PUT THE CLUTCH IN TO STOP IT STALLS AS SOON AS I ENGAGE CLUTCH. THIS HAPPENS AT SLOW SPEEDS AS WELL AS FASTER SPEEDS FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL MINUTES. I HAVE HAD SPARK PLUGS REPLACES, VALVE TIMING FIXED, NEW BATTERY, GAS TANK CLEANER RUN THROUGH, FLUIDS CHANGED. NOTHING HAS MEDE IT ANY DIFFERENT. IT WON'T SUSTAIN IDLE INITIALLY. STALLS IN TURNS IF CLUTCH PUT IN OR TOO LOW OF SPEED FOR SECOND IN A CORNER. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. AT ABOUT 150000
CAR STOPPED DEAD (HAS HAPPENED 10-12 TIMES). COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. TURNED OFF IGNITION. TURNED IT BACK ON AND CAR STARTED IMMEDIATELY. NO PROBLEM AT 35 MPH ON BACK COUNTRY ROAD. BIG PROBLEM IF I WERE PASSING ON 2 LANE ROAD. INTERNET CHECK SHOWS OTHERS HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH 2008 HONDA FIT.
CAR KEPT STALLING WHEN I WOULD TURN ON THE ENGINE AND ALSO WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET IT KEPT BUCKING AND REFUSED TO ACCELERATE. ANYWAY, GOT TUNE UP 09172014, COST $170.00. PLUS AN OIL CHANGE. PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING? HAD DIAGNOSIS COMPLETED 12/26/2014 HOWEVER, THEY COULDN'T FIND THE REASON FOR THE CAR TO DIE WHILE TURNING IT ON. CAR IS NOW 145K MILES. RECOMMENDED I REPLACE THE BATTERY. NOW AFTER PAYING THE $265.00 FOR BATTERY AND DIAG, THEY SAY TAKE IT TO THE DEALER MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH ENGINE. EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE CAR I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE ENGINE TO WARM UP SO IT WON'T DIE...ENGINE DOES NOT MAKE NOISE, BATTERY IS GOOD AND ELECTRICAL IS GOOD SO IDK WHAT'S GOING ON. GOING TO TAKE IT INTO DEALERSHIP AGAIN BUT FEELS IT'S A WASTE BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY WON'T FIND ANYTHING AND WILL MAKE ME DO COSTLY REPAIRS THAT WON'T FIX ANYTHING. HONDA, PLEASE FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND LITTLE ACTION TO RESOLVE. I HATE THE STATE OF PANIC I GET INTO EVERY TIME IT STALLS ON ME WHILE I'M MOVING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AT START UP AND THE RPMS DECREASED. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS, THE AIR FILTER, AND THE IDLE SYSTEM WAS RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
ROUGH IDLING AND STALLING. TRIED LOTS OF THINGS TO FIX: TUNE UP, REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED, REPLACED CLUTCH, VALVE ADJUSTMENT -- NOTHING FIXED IT. DEALERSHIP NOW SAYS A SPRING IN THE ENGINE'S VARIABLE VALVE TIMING SYSTEM HAS FAILED. PROBLEM CAUSES INCREASED RISK OF COLLISION. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 2009/2010 MODELS, BUT NONE FOR 2008. HONDA FIT RECALL #11V101000, R66. SAME PROBLEM. RECALL DATE NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED. *TR
GUESSING THE DATE BUT I KNOW IT HAPPENED AROUND 65K MILES WHEN I TOOK IT INTO DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECK. CAR KEPT STALLING WHEN I WOULD TURN ON THE ENGINE AND ALSO WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY IT KEPT BUCKING AND REFUSED TO ACCELERATE. ANYWAY, GOT THE ENGINE FIXED, HOWEVER, THEY COULDN'T FIND THE REASON FOR THE CAR TO DIE WHILE TURNING IT ON. CAR IS NOW 94K MILES. EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE CAR I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE ENGINE TO WARM UP SO IT WON'T DIE...NOW IT DIES REGARDLESS AND STALLS WHILE I'M DRIVING. HAD MECHANIC FRIEND CHECK IT AND FOUND NOTHING. ENGINE DOES NOT MAKE NOISE, BATTERY IS GOOD AND ELECTRICAL IS GOOD SO IDK WHAT'S GOING ON. GOING TO TAKE IT INTO DEALERSHIP AGAIN BUT FEELS IT'S A WASTE BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY WON'T FIND ANYTHING AND WILL MAKE ME DO COSTLY REPAIRS THAT WON'T FIX ANYTHING. HONDA, PLEASE FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND LITTLE ACTION TO RESOLVE. I HATE THE STATE OF PANIC I GET INTO EVERY TIME IT STALLS ON ME WHILE I'M MOVING. *TR
2008 HONDA FIT ENGINE STALLS WHEN COLD. CAR WILL START, BUT NEEDS TO SIT UNTIL ENGINE IS WARM BEFORE IT CAN BE DRIVEN. IF THE CAR IS PUT IN ANY GEAR BEFORE THE ENGINE IS WARM IT WILL STALL. WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST STARTED IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS IDLING TOO LOW. WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, IT IDLES EVEN LOWER UNTIL IT STALLS. NO ISSUES WITH THE CAR STALLING ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARM. THIS STARTED HAPPENING AROUND 100000 MILES ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO. AT FIRST IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN A WHILE. ONE YEAR LATER (ABOUT 120000 MILES) IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED. ALL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE ON TIME. HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS WHO HAVE LOOKED AT THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND FUEL TANK/PUMP. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THE ISSUE. LOOKING ONLINE, IT SEEMS THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON ISSUE WITH NO SOLUTION. A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON 2009-2010 HONDA FITS TO FIX A SIMILAR ISSUE. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT FOR THE 2008 MODEL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHENEVER THE CONTACT WOULD BRAKE TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOTH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. NEITHER WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
WHEN 2008 HONDA FIT IS STARTED IT WILL STALL TILL ENGINE IS WARM UP SUFFICIENTLY, DEPENDING ON THE TEMPERATURE DICTATES HOW LONG THAT TAKES. IF A PERSON TAKES OFF BEFORE CAR IS WARMED COMPLETELY UP WHEN COMING TO A STOP IT WILL STALL AND IF YOUR IN A INTERSECTION WHEN IT STALLS IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS.
AT TIMES CAR STALLS AT RED LIGHT. CAR HAS ALSO QUIT RUNNING AT 70 MPH. HAVE HAD CAR AT HONDA DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE ARE NO FALT CODES. CAR IS NOW TURNING ON CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. DEALER IS NO HELP. HAVE REPLACED COILS, SPARK PLUGS, AIR FILTER AND V-TEC OIL PRESSURE SWITCH. TROUBLE STILL EXIST. HONDA DEALER HAS NO CLUE AND IS NO HELP IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. I AM AFRAID THAT SOMEONE MIGHT DIE IN THE CAR BEFORE THE TROUBLE IS FIXED. *TT
THE SAME RECURRING PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT A YEAR OR SO. IN THE MORNING WHEN I START MY CAR, ESPECIALLY WORSE IN THE WINTER, MY CAR WILL STALL OUT 2 TO 3 TIMES JUST WHILE WARMING UP. WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM AND I START TO DRIVE IT STALLS OUT IN THE ROAD AT LEAST 1 OR 2 MORE TIMES. I HAVE HAD THE HONDA DEALER I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM AS WELL AS MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. I HAVE HAD VALVES AND SENSORS CHANGED AS WELL AS BATTERY AND HAD FUEL INJECTORS CLEAN. IT IS INCREDIBLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THESE CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY WITH IT STALLING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTIONS. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. *TR
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE,ENGINE LAGS AT ABOUT 50 MPH. ALSO WHEN ENGINE IS STILL COLD AND TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE IT STALLS, IT DOES IT REPEATEDLY UNTIL IT REACHES NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. IT SEEMS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH FUEL DISTRIBUTION, WHICH MAY BE VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
2008 HONDA FIT AUG. 29 2009: VEHICLE IN REVERSE, FOOT ON BRAKE, ENGINE SURGED WITH NO USE OF ACCELERATOR, PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, SURGE STOPPED SHORTLY LASTED ABOUT 10 + SECONDS. STRONG SURGE, WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO PROPEL VEHICLE RAPIDLY. HAVE SINCE GONE ABOUT 20 MILES WITH NO RECURRENCE. NOTIFIED PENSACOLA HONDA, FLORIDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THIS DATE AT APPROXIMATELY 1300, SHE WASN?T AWARE OF ANY RECALL AND WAS UNABLE TO LOG THIS EVENT AS HISTORY ON MY RECORD. ASKED ME TO BRING IT IN. FOUND THE FOLLOWING ON LINE: REPLYING TO: SHELLEY04 (APR 23, 2009 10:19 AM) I FOUND YOUR POST BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I'M HAVING. I HAVE A 2008 FIT. I HAVEN'T CRASHED (YET) BUT IT'S CERTAINLY VERY DISCONCERTING. IT USUALLY OCCURS AT VERY LOW SPEED, WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE THE ENGINE SURGES, BUT ONLY OCCASIONALLY. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I THOUGHT MAYBE I'D ACCIDENTALLY STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT SINCE I'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE, I THOUGHT IT WAS A BIT WEIRD THAT I'D DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES SINCE THEN, AND EACH TIME I'VE VERIFIED THAT MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE. I HAVE TO REALLY MASH DOWN ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. IT HAS HAPPENED BOTH WHEN GOING STRAIGHT AND WHEN TURNING, SO I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, AND ROAD CONDITIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DRY. I WILL BE TAKING IT TO MY HONDA DEALER NEXT WEEK, BUT SINCE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS EVERY TIME, I EXPECT THAT IT WILL NOT OCCUR DURING THE TEST DRIVE. I HOPE HONDA AMERICA WILL TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT, AS COULD VERY EASILY HAPPEN IF IT OCCURS WHEN THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN OR BICYCLIST NEAR THE FRONT OF THE CAR. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026