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2012 Honda FIT problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

113 owner complaints analyzed

11 distinct recall campaigns

49,112 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 71 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 41 of 113 complaints (36.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior1614.2%
Braking behavior87.1%
Engine operation65.3%
Electrical and battery issues54.4%
Transmission and shifting32.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags
41
Steering
16
Power Train
14
Engine
12
Electrical System
9
Vehicle Speed Control
7
Unknown Or Other
5
Suspension
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags41
Steering16
Power Train14
Engine12
Electrical System9
Vehicle Speed Control7
Unknown Or Other5
Suspension3

Air Bags: 41; Steering: 16; Power Train: 14; Engine: 12; Electrical System: 9; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Unknown Or Other: 5; Suspension: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
23
25,000 to 49,999
13
50,000 to 74,999
15
75,000 to 99,999
13
100,000 to 149,999
4
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00023
25,000 to 49,99913
50,000 to 74,99915
75,000 to 99,99913
100,000 to 149,9994
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 23; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 3

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (23). 42 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2012
6
2013
7
2014
13
2015
5
2016
38
2017
5
2018
7
2019
15
2020
7
2021
4
2022
2
2023
1
2024
2
2026
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20126
20137
201413
20155
201638
20175
20187
201915
20207
20214
20222
20231
20242
20261

2012: 6; 2013: 7; 2014: 13; 2015: 5; 2016: 38; 2017: 5; 2018: 7; 2019: 15; 2020: 7; 2021: 4; 2022: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10444189 · 2012-01-11 (January 11, 2012)

MY CAR ENGINE DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR WHEN STARTING FROM A STANDSTILL WITH THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVEN TIMES IN THE 1300 MILES I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR. THIS ABNORMAL CONDITION HAS LEFT ME MOMENTARILY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTIONS. I FIND THAT IF I AM STEERING STRAIGHT AHEAD, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MALFUNCTION BUT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO RESPOND, EVENTUALLY. HONDA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CON…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10444189 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10467857 · 2012-07-26 (July 26, 2012)

AT SUSTAINED HIGHWAYS SPEEDS OF 70-75MPH, WITH THE OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE ABOVE 87 DEG. F, VEHICLE WHEELS INTERMITTENTLY VEERED, TAKING THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE LANE RAPIDLY, AND WITHOUT ANY FEEDBACK ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS OCCURRED ON BOTH FRESHLY PAVED INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND OLDER PAVEMENT, WITH NO WIND PRESENT. IT OCCURRED SEVERAL HUNDRED TIMES DURING A 2-3 HOUR ROAD TRIP, FORCING A SPEED OF 50MPH FOR SAFETY, DESPITE THE MUCH HIGHER SPEED LIMIT. AT HIGHER SPEEDS IT WOULD OCCUR EVERY 1-2 SECONDS, REQUIRING EXTREME FOCUS AND INSANELY RA…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10467857 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10466924 · 2012-07-22 (July 22, 2012)

THIS WAS THE FIRST OF TWO INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES PARKING THE CAR AND GIVING IT A LITTLE GAS TO EASE INTO A SPACE THE CAR TOOK OFF AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED; THE FIRST TIME, ALMOST CRASHING INTO MY GARAGE DOOR AND THE SECOND TIME JUMPING A SIDEWALK AND ALMOST HITTING A METAL HAND RAIL. I TOOK IT TO HONDA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG, AND SAID I MUST HAVE HIT BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT SAME TIME. HOWEVER, SINCE MY FOOT IS TOO SMALL TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND I WAS DRIVING BAREFOOT AT THE TIME, I AM P…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,309 miles reported. Look up ODI 10466924 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10559962 · 2014-01-14 (January 14, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10559962 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10538132 · 2013-08-30 (August 30, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, BUT THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,700.

Owner-reported narrative. 16,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10538132 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10690289 · 2015-02-24 (February 24, 2015)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE CONNECTED FOB AND THE VEHICLE STALLED . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE KEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. UPDATED 6/22/2014 *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10690289 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10560160 · 2014-01-15 (January 15, 2014)

ON 12/31/2013 I PARKED MY HONDA FIT 2012 IN THE PARKING GARAGE OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES AT 6AM AND LEFT IT THERE WHILE MY LITTLE GIRL HAD SURGERY. WHEN I RETURNED TO IT AT 4:30, I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB. THE LIGHT ON THE FOB FLASHED, SO I KNEW IT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. THERE IS ONLY ONE KEYED LOCK ON THE CAR ON THE DRIVER'S HANDLE. I TRIED TO PUT THE KEY INTO THIS MECHANICAL LOCK, BUT IT WOULD ONLY GO HALF-WAY AND WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. I CALLED THE HONDA CARE LINE WHO SENT A TOW TRUCK WHOSE DRIVER TRIED FOR HALF…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10560160 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10609097 · 2014-07-08 (July 8, 2014)

THE TIRES WOULD ALL LOSE AIR WITHIN WEEKS, EVERY MONTH, DRIVEN OR NOT, AND STILL DO. FROM 4 TO 20 POUNDS OF AIR PER TIRE, STILL DO. I THINK I HAVE ROTTEN SO CALLED NEW TIRES, AS IT WAS A NEW CAR. *JS ALSO IF I LEFT 1 INSIDE LIGHT ON BY MISTAKE OVERNITE, IT WOULD NEED A JUMP START FOR OVER 2 YEARS. AFTER ABOUT 12 OF THEM IN 6 MONTHS, THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY, NO CHARGE, AND NO MORE NEED FOR A JUMP START THE 1 TIME LEFT THE INTERIOR DASH LIGHT ON, THE OVERHEAD LITTLE 1/2 SIDE OF A LIGHT. MECHANICS ARE THE WORST I HAVE EVER USED. WORST AND W…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10609097 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10953886 · 2017-02-10 (February 10, 2017)

BECAUSE HONDA CHOSE TO USE SOY-BASED WIRES FOR THE WIRES LEADING TO THE TRANSMISSION, THEY ARE VERY, VERY TEMPTING TO RODENTS. IN FACT, IN 2015, A RODENT OF SOME SORT CRAWLED INTO MY ENGINE AND CHEWED THROUGH THE WIRING THAT CONTROLS MY TRANSMISSION. PART OF THE REPAIR WAS THAT THEY WRAPPED THE REPLACEMENT WIRES IN "SPECIAL TAPE" HONDA MAKES TO DETER RODENTS (IT'S SPICY). (IN OTHER WORDS, THEY KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE AND REFUSE TO FIX IT.) DESPITE A) PARKING IN A GARAGE B) HAVING THE REPELLENT TAPE ON THERE C) HAVING PEST CONTROL AND NO RODENT I…

Owner-reported narrative. 44,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10953886 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11132314 · 2018-09-29 (September 29, 2018)

WHILE DRIVING HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CAR STARTED TO LURCH AROUND 20 MPH WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT IN A PARKING LOT AND ON CITY STREETS. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. THE LURCHING CONTINUED FOR THE NEXT 3 MILES UNTIL I GOT HOME. COULDN'T TAKE IT TO THE HONDA DEALER BECAUSE SERVICE DEPT WAS CLOSED. THE NEXT DAY, THE MIL INDICATOR CAME ON WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO LURCHING AROUND 20 MPH WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS TO THE HONDA DEALER. HONDA FOUND TWO CODES: (1) P0456 EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK AND (2) P0847 TRANSM…

Owner-reported narrative. 59,467 miles reported. Look up ODI 11132314 at NHTSA ↗