2nd generation (GE) · GE8 · 1,022 complaints, 595 with mileage
Owners filed 1,022 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009–2013 Honda Fit, and 595 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
This generation has two distinct failure patterns rather than one, which is the most useful thing on this page. 22% of failures occur before 12,000 miles, which looks like a manufacturing defect, and a further 17% occur after 100,000, which looks like wear. Two different problems share one name in the complaint data — and an average of the two describes neither.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (37.6% of complaints, typically around 50,000 miles), the steering (9.7% of complaints, typically around 77,018 miles), the transmission and driveline (8.4% of complaints, typically around 93,429 miles).
14 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 384 | 37.6% | 50,000 | 18,600–68,222 |
| Steering | 99 | 9.7% | 77,018 | 37,000–106,000 |
| Power Train | 86 | 8.4% | 93,429 | 70,277–120,000 |
| Electrical System | 83 | 8.1% | 47,500 | 17,000–89,000 |
| Engine | 51 | 5.0% | 48,729 | 18,694–90,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 46 | 4.5% | 70,000 | 41,000–99,000 |
| Structure | 39 | 3.8% | 46,000 | 9,000–81,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 30 | 2.9% | 13,500 | 2,913–31,000 |
| Visibility | 27 | 2.6% | 14,400 | 7,954–30,000 |
| Tires | 22 | 2.2% | 16,067 | 8,595–29,936 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 331 | 203 |
| 2010 | 218 | 125 |
| 2011 | 128 | 65 |
| 2012 | 130 | 86 |
| 2013 | 215 | 116 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 47,800 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 37.6% of complaints (384 reports, 77 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 18,600 and 68,222 miles.
A single system taking 37.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The steering accounts for 9.7% of complaints (99 reports, 82 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 77,018 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 37,000 and 106,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.4% of complaints (86 reports, 70 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 93,429 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 70,277 and 120,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.1% of complaints (83 reports, 64 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 47,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 17,000 and 89,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.0% of complaints (51 reports, 46 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 48,729 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 18,694 and 90,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 4.5% of complaints (46 reports, 30 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 70,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 41,000 and 99,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2009 model year drew the most — 331 complaints — while 2011 drew the fewest at 128. The median year sits at 215.
NHTSA records 14 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (10), the transmission and driveline (2), electronic stability control (esc) (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 1,022 complaints filed against this generation, 100 reported a crash; 12 reported a fire; 99 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 9.8% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, the two-peak pattern is the useful part. The early cluster — 22% of failures below 12,000 miles — will already have happened on any example you are looking at today, and either been repaired under warranty or not. Ask what was done. The late cluster, 17% above 100,000 miles, is the one still ahead of you if the car has lower mileage than that.
On inspection, the airbag system and the steering are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 50,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Takata frontal airbag inflator recalls span this generation, part of Honda's multi-campaign Takata remediation.
Tailgate/hatch handle failure — the exterior release handle breaks or the microswitch fails, preventing the hatch from opening. A recurring, generation-specific complaint.
Front axle/CV shaft failures and premature front suspension wear are commonly reported for this generation.
Clear coat delamination and peeling, reported by owners from roughly 70,000 miles onward, concentrated in the earliest model year.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 20V770000 | 2021-03-08 | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft |
| 19V502000 | 2019-08-12 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V500000 | 2019-08-12 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |
| 19V378000 | 2019-07-05 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V661000 | 2018-11-06 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V268000 | 2018-06-22 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 18V042000 | 2018-02-16 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 17V545000 | 2017-10-30 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 17V030000 | 2017-02-22 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 16V061000 | 2017-02-22 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |
| 16V346000 | 2016-11-15 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 14V258000 | 2014-06-23 | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft |
| 13V157000 | 2013-08-01 | Electronic Stability Control (Esc) |
| 11V101000 | 2011-03-07 | Engine And Engine Cooling |