2014 Honda Fit

Defect investigations

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.

• Electrical overstress

  EA19001Opened Apr 19, 2019Closed Sep 19, 2024Recall 20V024
  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air…

  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

Service bulletins

Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.

• 10211560Today, February 26, 2016, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. is announcing a Product Update for certain Accord, Civic, CR-Z, Fit, and Insight model years 2014-2016 vehicles for sale in the state of Hawaii to amend Monroney labels that were printed without bumper impact information. Basic Problem American Honda had a computer programming issue; an obsolete program name causing printing of no bumper impact information on the Monroney label for the state of Hawaii.
• 10193843Today, February 26, 2016, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. is announcing a Product Update for certain Accord, Civic, CR-Z, Fit, and Insight model years 2014-2016 vehicles for sale in the state of Hawaii to amend Monroney labels that were printed without bumper impact information. Basic Problem American Honda had a computer programming issue; an obsolete program name causing printing of no bumper impact information on the Monroney label for the state of Hawaii.
• 10193326BACKGROUND On the Monroney label, the bumper compliance statement is missing. Do an iN VIN status inquiry to make sure the vehicle is shown as eligible. Vehicles affected by this campaign may be in your new vehicle inventory. Repair these vehicles before they are sold. No action is needed on vehicles that have been sold. CORRECTIVE ACTION Attach the Monroney update label to the window area next to the Monroney label.
• 10186009"Service Bulletin - There are several A/C leak detection tools available. -Refrigerant Gas Leak Detector -Ultrasonic Leak Detector -Leak Dye"
• 10124971Service bulletin - After production of the 2015 Fit had begun, the design of the front bumper beam was changed to improve narrow offset (also known as small overlap) front crash test dynamics. Because early production vehicles were manufactured with the original front bumper beam design, American Honda has decided to provide the owners of those vehicles with the updated front bumper beam through this product update campaign.
• 10106686Dealer message - questions and answers on multi-model airbag inflator recall.
• 10086381Us virgin islands newspaper advertisements to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
• 10086308Text messages sent to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
• 10086306Posters sent to hawaiian independent repair facilities, automotive part stores, car washes, and gas stations to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
• 10086302Advertisement in hawaiian newspapers to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
• 10086291Flyer circulated to the residents of hawaii to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
• 10086288Letter sent in conjunction with the florida highway safety and motor vehicles department to remind florida owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.

Every Honda Fit model year

Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.