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2008 Honda Fit Common Problems & Recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration holds for the 2008 Honda Fit. Nothing on this page is written from memory — it is all imported from NHTSA's public database.

Safety recall campaigns

8 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 2008 Fit, newest first.

CampaignComponentWhat the recall says
20V770000
2020-12-10
Power Train
Driveline
Driveshaft
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Acura ILX, 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, and 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles with a manual transmission and 2009-2013 Honda Fit vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New…

Risk: A broken drive shaft may cause a sudden loss of drive power. The vehicle could also roll away if the parking brake has not been applied before the vehicle has been exited. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing either the left or right drive shaft, if necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk with an interim letter mailed February 2, 2021. A second letter will be sent once the remedy is available. …
19V501000
2019-06-27
Air Bags
Frontal
Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement…

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.
17V029000
2017-01-10
Air Bags
Frontal
Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2011 Honda Element vehicles, 2005-2012 Acura RL vehicles, 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2005-2008 Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American…

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KD9 and KE0.
16V344000
2016-05-23
Air Bags
Frontal
Passenger Side › Inflator Module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the…

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3.
13V260000
2013-06-24
Visibility
Power Window Devices And Controls
Honda is re-recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Fit vehicles covered under previous recall 10V-033. The remedy applied in this earlier recall may have been insufficient. In the affected vehicles, over time, the plastic cover may separate from the master power window switch allowing water to enter the driver's window and reach the master power window switch. If the master power window switch is damaged as a…

Risk: An overheated switch can cause smoke, melting and fire.
Fix: Honda will notify owners in July 2013 and will instruct owners to take their vehicles to dealers to have a free inspection conducted. If the switch is damaged, it will be replaced free of charge. If the switch is not damaged, the owner will be instructed to await a second notification that will…
10V033000
2010-02-02
Visibility
Power Window Devices And Controls
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 FIT VEHICLES. UNDER SEVERE CONDITION, WATER MAY ENTER THE DRIVER'S WINDOW AND REACH THE MASTER POWER WINDOW SWITCH. IF THE MASTER POWER WINDOW SWITCH IS DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE WATER INTRUSION, OVERHEATING AND FAILURE OF THE SWITCH MAY RESULT.

Risk: AN OVERHEATED SWITCH CAN CAUSE SMOKE, MELTING AND FIRE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SWITCH AND INSTALL A COVER AROUND THE SWITCH HOUSING TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING THE SWITCH. IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, THE SWITCH WILL BE REPLACED AND A COVER WILL BE INSTALLED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DURING MARCH 19,…
10V624000
2010-12-15
Exterior Lighting
Headlights
High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch
HONDA IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 HONDA FIT VEHICLES. DUE TO AN ERROR DURING INSTALLATION OF THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE COMBINATION SWITCH THAT CONTROLS LOW HEAD BEAM FUNCTION, THE WIRES FOR THE LOWER BEAM CIRCUIT WERE PULLED TIGHTER THAN INTENDED. AFTER REPEATED USE OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TERMINAL FOR THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAN BECOME WORN AS A RESULT OF THIS TENSION, WHICH…

Risk: THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS CAN BECOME INOPERATIVE DECREASING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE'S VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOW BEAM TERMINAL AND PERFORM NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 24, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.
07V549000
2007-12-03
Air Bags
Frontal
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA , WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE WIRE HARNESS FOR THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) AND THE…

Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, A DEPLOYING FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG OR FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO SMALL OR OUT-OF-POSITION OCCUPANTS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 12, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 800-999-1009.

Summaries are quoted verbatim from NHTSA's official campaign records. A single campaign often covers dozens of model years and several nameplates, so a summary may name vehicles other than the 2008 Fit — that is normal. Every record listed here carries this vehicle's own make, model and model year in NHTSA's database. Whether a recall is still open on a particular car can only be determined by VIN.

Owner complaints by component

217 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Fit, grouped by the component owners reported. Counts reflect how many owners complained, not how often the fault actually occurs.

Reported componentComplaints
Air Bags
10 crash, 13 injured
48
Structure
1 injured
28
Power Train
1 crash
17
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
3 crash, 1 injured
11
Steering 10
Exterior Lighting
1 fire
8
Unknown Or Other 8
Engine 8
Vehicle Speed Control
3 crash, 1 injured
5
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting 5
Electrical System
1 fire
4
Power Train,Engine 3

A complaint is an unverified owner report. It is a signal about where to look, not proof of a defect.

What owners actually wrote

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaint filings on this model year. These are the owners' own words, not our diagnosis, and each one is a single unverified report.

Air Bags (48 complaints)

MY AIR BAGS LIGHT CAME ON. TESTING SHOWED AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED. IT TURNED MY AIRBAGS OFF. UNSAFE TO DRIVE. 2007 & 2009 HAS AN AIR BAG RECALL. WHAT ABOUT 2008?
filed 09/03/2020 · ODI 11353014
TAKATA RECALL MY AIRBAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN MY 2008 HONDA FIT, PER THE WEIR CANYON HONDA DEALER. THE LIGHT WENT ON ON MY DASHBOARD WHEN I WAS DRIVING. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR WITH THIS DEFECT, AND I CAN'T AFFORD $1325 TO REPLACE IT. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFECT LIKE THE PREVIOUS RECALL ON THE AIRBAG.
filed 07/26/2018 · ODI 11113848

Structure (28 complaints)

My Bumper snapped off with going down a driveway. It’s made of plastic and it’s broken and need to be replaced. This is an ongoing issue with this vehicle. Every Honda fit I see on the road has this issue. This is dangerous and could cause an accident.
filed 02/20/2023 · ODI 11508180
WATER ENTERS THE CAR EXCESSIVELY WHENEVER IT RAINS. WHEN RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE, I DISCOVERED THAT MANY FIT OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. IT APPEARS THAT WATER COMES IN AROUND THE WINDOWS AND THE PLASTIC SHEETING INSIDE THE DOOR COMPARTMENT ISN'T SEALED CORRECTLY, SO INSTEAD OF SHEDDING THE WATER TO OUTSIDE OF THE CAR IT ALLOWS THE WATER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE AROUND THE REAR SPEAKERS. I'M NOT SURE YET HOW IT IS GETTING INTO THE HATCH AREA. I TYPICALLY HAVE MY REAR SEATS DOWN, SO I DIDN'T NOTICE THE TWO INCHES OF STANDING WATER IN MY BACKSEAT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION LED ME TO FIND TWO INCHES
filed 05/08/2020 · ODI 11323804

Power Train (17 complaints)

My Honda Fit with an automatic transmission experienced a driveshaft failure due to corrosion in August 2018. At that time, Honda had announced a recall for similar driveshaft corrosion failures affecting manual‑transmission Honda Fits, but no recall existed for automatic‑transmission vehicles. Because there was no recall for my vehicle configuration, and no notice from Honda, I had the vehicle repaired at an independent repair shop at my own expense. Honda later expanded the recall to include automatic‑transmission Honda Fits in June 2019. However, I never received a mailed recall notificat
filed 04/02/2026 · ODI 11728799
Id like for my car to get assessed for any of the 8 recalled items that pop up in your system.. I bought this car from a dealership and I don't believe that they did anything for it to fix the recall problems
filed 08/23/2025 · ODI 11682600

Service Brakes, Hydraulic (11 complaints)

AT START-UP THERE SEEMS TO BE ENOUGH BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM FOR ONE BRAKING; THE NEXT TIME I HIT THE BRAKES IT GOES TO THE FLOOR AS IF THERE IS NO POWER BRAKE ASSIST. THERE ARE BRAKES THERE, BUT IT TAKES A HUGE AMOUNT OF FORCE AND IF YOU'RE NOT EXPECTING IT WOULD BE EASY TO HIT SOMETHING. IT HAPPENS 50% OF THE TIME I START THE VEHICLE (AFTER SITTING 8+ HOURS). THE ISSUE IS WORSE WHEN IN REVERSE (LOWER GEAR AND THUS MORE POWER FROM THE ENGINE?). THE SECOND DEALER I WENT TO SAID THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH NO KNOWN REPAIR. WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP, A CIVIC OWNER SAID SHE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM A
filed 05/09/2012 · ODI 10457967
THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES LACK FEEL AND ARE "SPONGY." THIS CAUSES GREAT DIFFICULTY DURING BRAKING. AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE BRAKES SEEM TO FUNCTION PROPERLY, BUT AT LOW SPEEDS IT DOES NOT. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, INSTEAD OF BRAKING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL DROP. THE CAR CONTINUES TO MOVE AS IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT BEING PRESSED DOWN. THE CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE LAST FEW SECONDS, I MUST HIT THE BRAKES EVEN HARDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN STOPPING. THIS CREATES A HAZARD FOR VEHICLES BOTH IN FRONT AND IN BACK OF ME. THERE IS VERY LITTLE CONTROL IN TH
filed 01/18/2012 · ODI 10444429

Check your own VIN

A recall only matters if it is open on your car. The lists above are for the model year as a whole; the free official lookup below tells you what applies to your specific 17-character VIN.

NHTSA recall lookup by VIN

Free, official, and takes about thirty seconds. No account needed.

05Common questions

Does the 2008 Honda Fit have any safety recalls?

Yes. NHTSA records 8 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 2008 Fit. The most recent is campaign 20V770000, filed 2020-12-10, covering Power Train › Driveline › Driveshaft.

Was the 2008 Honda Fit affected by an airbag inflator recall?

Yes. 4 of the 8 campaigns on record for this model year involve the airbag system. The fix is a free inflator replacement at an authorised dealer.

What do owners complain about most on the 2008 Honda Fit?

The most-reported component is Air Bags with 48 of the 217 owner complaints on file, including 10 reports involving a crash. Complaint counts show where owners report trouble; they are not proof of a defect.

How many owner complaints are on file for the 2008 Honda Fit?

217 complaints with NHTSA for the 2008 Fit, spread across 61 reported component groups.

How do I check if my 2008 Honda Fit has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's free recall lookup. Recalls are applied per vehicle, so the model-year lists above cannot tell you whether your particular car is covered.

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