Most common 2008 Honda Fit problems
Share of the 217 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Fit complaints by model year
Best Fit years: 2017, 2020, 2011. Years to avoid: 2007, 2015. Compare all years →
2008 Honda Fit recalls (8)
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,…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing either the left or right drive shaft, if necessary, free of charge.
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.
Remedy: 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.
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,…
Remedy: 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.
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,…
Remedy: 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.
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…
Remedy: 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.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Show 2 more recalls
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.
Remedy: 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.
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…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the wire harness. The recall began on December 12, 2007. Owners May contact Honda at 800-999-1009.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Honda Fit:
Low Beam Headlights
In their Defect Information Report (DIR) of December 15, 2010, American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) notified NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall of model year 2007 and 2008 Honda Fit vehicles to repair the headlights.The recall will remedy a defect in the low beam headlight circuit that can cause a total outage of the low beam headlights.Honda's DIR states: Due to a variation in the assembly sequence…
What 2008 Honda Fit owners say
Air bags all 57 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Honda Fit. While entering a tunnel at approximately 40 MPH, the contact noticed a large wooden object on the ground. The contact depressed the brake pedal and was rear ended by another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained neck and back injuries that required medical attention. The rear driver side passenger sustained head injuries, but did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact was able to resume driving. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer nor repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V344000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Takata recall : my 2008 Honda Fit was traveling at 15 MPH and went into a police k-9 unit 'elvis'. The air bag virulently exploded on my jaw and caused my teeth to bit my tongue. The policeman mistook the injury for a seizure and I lost my license indefinitely. I was take to the hospital against my will and given 10,000 dollars in services I didn't want or need due to the air bag. Honda and Takata and NHTSA need to come clean and protect the public from this dangerous defect.
Body & structure all 43 →
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.
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 in the spare tire compartment as well. Judging by the rust disintegrated jack in the spare tire compartment, this has been happening for quite some time. …
Engine & cooling all 27 →
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Fit. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. While driving approximately 55 MPH or faster, there was a misfire coming from the engine. The contact stated while driving at slower speeds, the vehicle was wobbling. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that there was a misfire coming from all 4-cylinders. The mechanic test-drove the vehicle and the passenger's side front axle shaft detached from the vehicle. Due to the failure, the dealer was unable to further diagnose the vehicle to determine what parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the contact was unable to speak with the mechanic. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,500. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Fit. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated continuously. The vehicle was able to restart after waiting. The failure recurred four times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The contact mentioned the vehicle was shuddering while accelerating the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the cylinders, valves, spark plugs, and head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
2008 Honda Fit engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 28 / 34 / 31 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 27 / 34 / 30 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Honda Fit a good car?
Based on 217 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Fit rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Fit at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Honda Fit?
The air bags — 57 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the body & structure (43) and engine & cooling (27).
How many recalls does the 2008 Honda Fit have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2008 Honda Fit, the most recent from December 10, 2020 (driveshaft). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda Fit?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2020 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007 and 2015. See the full Honda Fit years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Honda Fit problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 74,000 miles; 37% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.