2012 Honda Fit Steering Problems

The electronic steering power assist failed several times in the past two weeks. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The safety of occupants was put at risk because of the difficulty of steering safely in traffic. The car has not yet been taken to my dealer for evaluation. The vehicle or component has not yet been inspected. No warning lamps or other symptoms of the problem appeared prior to the failure.

While driving my regular commute to work with the radio on, the radio and interior lights (not sure if headlights because I can't see them) flashed on and off and the power steering warning light flashed on and off. At that time, the car jerked and I lost power steering for a moment. This happened several times and the radio stopped working. This did not happen on the way home, but reoccured a few days later. I made an appointment with the dealer They had my car for the day and were not able to locate the issue, but they fixed my radio and told me to bring it back if it happened again. They checked alternator, fuses, and looked for an electrical short. A few weeks later, it happened again, I brought the car back and they could not find the problem, but fixed the radio. The car was fine for a month and it is happening again. Losing power steering while driving is a serious safety hazard for myself and others.

OUR WELL-MAINTAINED HONDA FIT HAS DEVELOPED AN ISSUE WHERE THE EPS STEERING LIGHT COMES ON SPORADICALLY DURING DRIVING. IN EACH OF THESE EVENTS, THE STEERING ASSIST SOMETIMES CUTS OUT FOR A SECOND OR TWO CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO MANUALLY CONTROL THE STEERING. IN ALL EVENT INSTANCES, CABIN POWER IS AFFECTED: POWER TO RADIO WILL RESTART, AND SOMETIMES DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO AS WELL. IN MORE SEVERE INSTANCES DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND SEATBELT LIGHTS CUTOUT MOMENTARILY AND A STEERING DTC SHINES QUICKLY IN THE DUMMY LIGHT CLUSTER. ENVIRONMENT: EPS STEERING ISSUES HAPPEN AT ALL MANNER OF SPEEDS AND MANUEVERS - REGULAR BACKROAD DRIVING, PARKING LOTS AND EVEN SITTING IDLE. CAR HARDLY HAS BEEN DRIVEN THE PAST FEW YEARS (UNDER 7500/YEAR) AND HAS NEVER HIT ANYTHING, BEEN BUMPED (OR IF IT DID, WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT) NOR BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND. WE ARE IN A SALT-BELT STATE. PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRING LATE DECEMBER 2020, DURING REGULAR COLD WEATHER (30-45 DEGREES CONSISTENTLY); IT IS NOT GARAGED.

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING LIGHT TURNED ON INTERMITTENTLY. THIS CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP OR BE REALLY HARD TO STEER. THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENS AT LOWER SPEED OR WHEN IDLE. THIS CAN OCCUR MID STEER AT TIMES AS WELL.

I HAVING INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING. SO FAR IT HAS HAPPENED MOSTLY WITH LOW SPEED TURNS. I WILL HAVE TO USE MORE EFFORT TO COMPLETE THE TURN WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HAD THE POWER STEERING LIGHT COME ON WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD ONCE FOR A FEW SECONDS. 60,000 MILES ON CAR SO FAR WITH NO PROBLEMS IN THE PAST AND NO ACCIDENTS.

EPS WARNING LIGHT AT SLOW VEHICLE SPEED. LOST OF STEERING POWER ASSIST.

WHILE DRIVING CAR WHEN THE EPS LIGHT COMES ON AND POWER STEERING CUTS OUT MID-DRIVE. USUALLY, THIS IS WHILE THE CAR IS HOT, BUT NOT ALWAYS. SOMETIMES, I CAN TURN THE CAR OFF AND THE POWER STEERING RESETS, BUT IT WILL OFTEN CUT OUT AGAIN. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. I'M TERRIFIED THAT IT WILL CUT OFF AND I'LL GET IN AN ACCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING, MY CAR RADIO WILL TURN OFF AND MY POWER STEERING WILL STOP WORKING. IT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY STARTS WORKING AGAIN (BOTH RADIO AND POWER STEERING), SO I CANNOT IDENTIFY IF ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ARE AFFECTED. IT APPEARS THAT THE LIGHTS AND BLINKERS ARE WORKING AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF, BUT I CAN NOT SAY THAT FOR SURE. STOPPING THE CAR AND WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING SEEMS TO FIX THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY, BUT IT CAN REOCCUR AT ANY TIME. I HAVE COUNTED IT OCCURRING 12 TIMES DRIVING 3/4 MILE AT SPEEDS OF 25 MILES PER HOUR. I TYPICALLY EXPERIENCE IT WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT. THE CAR HAS 57,000 MILES AND GOES TO THE DEALERSHIP REGULARLY FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE.

HTTP://FORUMS.EDMUNDS.COM/DISCUSSION/COMMENT/3559372 MY CAR WOULD NOT START TODAY AND EPS LIGHT DISPLAYS. UPON RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT 2007-2010 MODELS HAVE NO RECALL BUT LINK ABOVE DEALS WITH SOMEONE WITH A BRAND NEW 2012 FIT THAT HAD A SERIOUS ISSUE WHEN THEIR CAR WAS 2 MONTHS OLD. MINE IS OBVIOUSLY OLDER NOW, BUT NOTE THAT IT HAS LESS THAN 24K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE IF THERE ARE MORE SUCH ISSUES OUT THERE THAT I DO NOT KNOW OF, SINCE LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAN BE A BIG PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, THE OLDER MODELS WERE NOT RECALLED, BUT HONDA SUPPOSEDLY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THAT PART UP TO 150K MILES. NO SUCH ACCOMMODATION HAS BEEN MADE FOR MY 2012, BUT I FIND IT QUESTIONABLE THAT THE POWER STEERING IS AN ISSUE FOR ME AT UNDER 24K MILES AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE OTHER PERSON. I WILL HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP TOMORROW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING SEIZED AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TIRES APPEARED WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND DIAGNOSED ALIGNMENT FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. UPDATED 09/21/15*LJ UPDATED 12/05/2017*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 53 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, SHE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A SHARP TURN BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO STEERING ATTEMPTS AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE, BOTH INCIDENTS RESULTING IN A CRASH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES IN EITHER CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE IN ANY DIRECTION AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CRASHING INTO A CURB. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,300.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED TO DETERMINE WHY THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.

UNINTENTIAL DRIFTING AT HIGHWAY SEEDS FROM 58 TO 70 MPH. BY THE TIME YOU GET TO 70 THE VEHICLE IS ALMOST UNCONTROLABLE. CAN NOT KEEP THE VEHICLE CENTER LANED. I AM NOT THE OLNY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. *TR