There are 33 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2009 Honda Fitin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Cv axles prematurely rusting
On April 25, 2022 our 2009 Fit started rolling away when it was parked, not in gear and the parking brake was not set. In trying to "catch" the car from traveling into the street, my elderly husband took a bad fall and sustained a shattered shoulder, nerve damage, and other injuries. The car continued to travel into the street, and finally stopped after hitting the car parked across the street (my 2005 Toyota). At first, we thought it was simply an unfortunate incident and did not report the incident. Last week, however, we received the notice from Honda about the NHTSA Recall 20V-770. This is the first time we were notified about the recall! When I went to your website, it appears Honda knew about this in 2020. We are taking the car to the dealership tomorrow (August 5, 2022). I am grateful you have a site that puts our safety first. Hopefully, we will know whether a defect was a factor in the accident. I have a related safety question. The dealership said they would inspect the part, and order a new one if it needs it, and let us know when the work could be done. Is it safe to keep driving the Fit while we wait for the part? I'd rather get an answer from an unbiased professional like yourselves. Many thanks for your help.
Pulling out onto a busy highway my car lost propulsion. It died in the middle of the highway with cars coming towards me. I found out the front right drive axle broke. I have photos of the broken drive axle. I later found out the part was recalled. I was never notified of any recall. I had my mechanic fix the car. He put in a new axle. Then I found out (on Facebook) that the axle was covered by recall. I called Honda. They said they will reimburse me for the repair. I sent them all the info, detailed bill and paid in full receipt. They did not pay. They closed my case. They do not return phone calls or letters.
This is related to the Honda Fit 2000 manual transmission driver shaft recall (Service Bulletin 21-009). Part of the background of this recall reads: “Due to improper manufacturing, the paint on the driveshaft near the dynamic damper may peel and chip over time, exposing the bare metal and potentially causing it to corrode under the dynamic damper. A corroded driveshaft may break during high torque conditions, rendering the vehicle without propulsion, or allowing the vehicle to roll while in Park, which can increase the potential of a crash or injury.” I was surprised to see that only the driver shaft where the dynamic damper is located would be replaced. After I brought in my car (a manual transmission) in for the recall I noticed that the other driver shaft (does not have a damper) is corroded as well. If the drive shaft can break due to corrosion on one side why would it not break on the other side? I would assume it’s made of the same material with only differences that one has a damper and the other does not. Is the damper what would cause the breakage of the driver shaft or the corrosion? The manufacturer failed to apply proper coding on both sides of the driver shaft not just on the side of the damper. I want to bring this to your attention and want to understand the reasoning behind the decision. I am concerned that this still poses a danger for breakage of the drive shaft that wasn’t replaced and where proper coding was not used. Attached are pictures of the driver shaft that was not replaced as well as the bulletin. Thank you
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V770000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
DRIVE SHAFT BROKE AFTER PUTTING CAR INTO DRIVE (WAS PARKED ON SLIGHT INCLINE). PUSHED CAR INTO SAFE LOCATION. TOOK DRIVER SIDE TIRE OFF; SAW BROKEN DRIVE SHAFT. DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TO SAFELY INSPECT PASSENGER SIDE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V770000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED HERB CHAMBERS HONDA IN BOSTON (720 MORRISSEY BLVD, BOSTON, MA 02122, (617) 731-0100) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
DRIVING INTO AN INTERSECTION, MY CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED BEING ABLE TO PROPEL FORWARD. THERE WAS A CLUNK NOISE. I WAS EVENTUALLY PUSHED TO A PARKING LOT BY POLICE. I GOT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FOUND A BROKEN DRIVE SHAFT AND A RECALL ISSUED BY HONDA A FEW WEEKS BEFORE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V770000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. NO DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
THE RIGHT AXLE RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE WHILE I WAS STATIONARY, WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE KEFT AXLE WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE VERY RUSTED.
2009 HONDA FIT SPORT VIN# [XXX]. WE LIVE IN MAINE. IT WAS HAPPEN AFTER MY WIFE DROP MY DAUGHTER AT SCHOOL. SHE DRIVE BACK HOME SHE EXIT REGULAR STREET TURN LEFT TO ROUT 1 THEN THE CAR STOP MOVING AT THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE OTHER CAR THAT DRIVE ON ROUT 1 NEED TO STOP IMMEDIATELY. LUCKILY MY WIFE CAR DIDN'T GET HIT AND MY DAUGHTER DIDN'T STAY IN THE CAR. 2 GUYS HELPING MY WIFE CAR TO THE SIDE AND THEN SHE CALL POLICE AND TOW THE CAR HOME. CAR STILL STARTED NORMALLY BUT WHEN I CHANGE SHIFT TO D IT NOT MOVE FORWARD AND PUT R NOT MOVE BACKWARDS EITHER EVEN P I PUSH THE CAR IT STILL MOVE IT NOT PARK AND CAR MAKE NOISE SOUND ON P. I THINK IT IS A POWER TRAIN PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
DRIVER SIDE AXLE BROKE WHILE CROSSING A BUSY HIGHWAY. NO POWER TRANSFERRED WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL TO GET TO THE SIDE STREET LEAVING ME TO COAST SLOWLY ACROSS THE ROAD AS IF THE CAR WERE IN NEUTRAL. PART RETRIEVED FROM ROADWAY. STRESS BREAK WHERE THE AXLE ENTERS THE RUBBER BOOT.
THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AT A SPEED OF AROUND 35 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THE ROAD HAS 4 LANES (2 IN EACH DIRECTION) WITH NO SHOULDER AND NO DIVISION BETWEEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT POLICE CAME QUICKLY TO PUSH THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC. WE LEARNED LATER THAT THE DRIVESHAFT FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING AND IS NOW UNDER A SAFETY RECALL ORDER. WE HAVE REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER FOR THE DRIVESHAFT REPAIR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V770000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOYCE HONDA (NJ-10, DENVILLE, NJ 07834, (973)361-3000) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,087. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE GETTING VEHICLE SERVICED, THE TECHNICIANS NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WAS WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER OCEAN HONDA OF NORTH HOLLYWOOD (5841 LANKERSHIM BLVD, NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA 91601, (888) 282-4550) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE DRIVESHAFT TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V770000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 121,000.
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXLE SHAFT (CV AXLE) ON MY MANUAL 2009 HONDA FIT SNAPPED OFF WHILE IN FIRST GEAR AND DRIVING AT REGULAR SPEED FOR THIS GEAR IN A PARKING LOT (UNDER 20MPH). . IT BROKE AT THE EDGE OF THE RUBBER DAMPER ON THE SHAFT. THE DRIVERS SIDE AXLE IS RUSTED AS WELL BUT HAS NO DAMPER AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE STRESS LINES/FAULTS AT THIS TIME. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL PART ON THE CAR FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. CAR HAS 135000 MILES ON IT.
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Fit. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, causing the vehicle to reverse into oncoming traffic. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the driveshaft needing to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then stated two months later, she received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V770000 (Power train). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and informed the contact to send over documentation of the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 135,703.
THE AXLE ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BROKE. THIS RESULTED IN MY CAR GETTING DISABLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE. THE SERVICE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THERE IS A RUBBER DAMPER ON THE AXLE. SALT AND GRIME ACCUMULATING UNDER THE RUBBER DAMPER LED TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND BREAKING. THE RUBBER DAMPER SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED SO THAT IT DOES NOT ALLOW ACCUMULATION OF SALT AND GRIME. THE BREAKING OF A VEHICLE AXLE WHILE DRIVING IS A SERIOUS SITUATION, AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.
PASSENGER AXLE BROKE IN HALF. SITTING AT A LIGHT ABOUT TO TAKE OFF. CAR HAS TO BE TOWED AND IS NOT DRIVABLE.
BROKEN LEFT AXEL WHILE DRIVING AFTER MAKING A SLOW LEFT TURN OFF A STREET
Showing 1–20 of 33 complaints
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 May 4, 2026