Honda Fit 2009–2013
2nd generation (GE) · GE8
NHTSA data through 12 August 20261,022 complaints, 595 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 15,000 and 84,250 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 5 complaints (0.8%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 4,000
- 25%
- 15,000
- Median
- 47,800
- 75%
- 84,250
- 90%
- 118,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 115 | 19.3% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 66 | 11.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 50 | 8.4% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 42 | 7.1% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 35 | 5.9% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 43 | 7.2% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 35 | 5.9% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 35 | 5.9% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 39 | 6.6% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 32 | 5.4% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 35 | 5.9% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 12 | 2.0% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 14 | 2.4% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 11 | 1.8% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 6 | 1.0% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 4 | 0.7% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 5 | 0.8% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 3 | 0.5% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 6 | 1.0% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 2 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 5 | 0.8% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
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.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 15,000 and 84,250 miles. The median is 47,800 miles.
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 77,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (8.4% of complaints, typically around 93,000 miles).
14 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Airbag system50,000median 50,000 miles, middle half 19,000 to 68,000
- Steering77,000median 77,018 miles, middle half 37,000 to 106,000
- Transmission and driveline93,000median 93,429 miles, middle half 70,000 to 120,000
- Electrical system48,000median 47,500 miles, middle half 17,000 to 89,000
- Engine49,000median 48,729 miles, middle half 19,000 to 90,000
- Problems owners could not categorise70,000median 70,000 miles, middle half 41,000 to 99,000
- Body structure46,000median 46,000 miles, middle half 9,000 to 81,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 384 | 37.6% | 50,000 | 19,000–68,000 |
| Steering | 99 | 9.7% | 77,000 | 37,000–106,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 86 | 8.4% | 93,000 | 70,000–120,000 |
| Electrical system | 83 | 8.1% | 48,000 | 17,000–89,000 |
| Engine | 51 | 5.0% | 49,000 | 19,000–90,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 46 | 4.5% | 70,000 | 41,000–99,000 |
| Body structure | 39 | 3.8% | 46,000 | 9,000–81,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 30 | 2.9% | 14,000 | 3,000–31,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 27 | 2.6% | 14,000 | 8,000–30,000 |
| Tyres | 22 | 2.2% | 16,000 | 8,500–30,000 |
Which systems, and when
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.
Differences between model years
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.
Recalls and what they cover
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.
Reported severity
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.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 15,000 and 84,250 miles, with a median of 47,800. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
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.
Documented problems
Airbags 2009–2013
Takata frontal airbag inflator recalls span this generation, part of Honda's multi-campaign Takata remediation.
Body 2009–2013
Tailgate/hatch handle failure — the exterior release handle breaks or the microswitch fails, preventing the hatch from opening. A recurring, generation-specific complaint.
Suspension/Driveline 2009–2013
Front axle/CV shaft failures and premature front suspension wear are commonly reported for this generation.
Paint/Body 2009–2011
Clear coat delamination and peeling, reported by owners from roughly 70,000 miles onward, concentrated in the earliest model year.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 331 | 203 |
| 2010 | 218 | 125 |
| 2011 | 128 | 65 |
| 2012 | 130 | 86 |
| 2013 | 215 | 116 |
Recalls (14)
| 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 |
What owners reported
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…
2009 · 28 miles · Transmission and driveline
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Honda Fit. The contact stated the vehicle would sporadically stall without warning when traveling at any speed. The contact stated the failure has occurred over 20 times however, the dealer was unable to duplicate or locate a failure in the vehicle. The dealer advised without being able to…
2009 · 200 miles · Engine and its cooling system
After i'd had the car about a year, suddenly the driver's seat belt started locking up and preventing me from being able to move. This is ongoing. This happens when i lean forward only slightly. The only way to release it is to press into the back of the seat, but sometimes the belt continues to lock up every time…
2009 · 900 miles · Seat belts
Built from 595 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page