2007 Honda Fit Steering

The contact owns a 2007 Honda Fit. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the power steering became inoperable. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000. The VIN was not available.

The power steering indicator lights up and there is no power steering when the car is started. Sometimes the light goes out and the power steering is active after driving several miles. But, frequently the steering does not improve after 25-30 miles of driving. This makes it very difficult when trying to navigate turns, and backing up. The problem according to the mechanics is the Electronic Power Steering Module (EPS Module).

The Electronic Power steering stopped working

The contact owns a 2007 Honda Fit. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle or while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist would fail to operate as needed with the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle once the power steering assists failed. The manufacturer nor the dealer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING WHEEL STEERED ON ITS OWN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION ON AND OFF AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER (RALPH HONDA, 3939 W RIDGE RD, ROCHESTER, NY 14626) RESET THE CONTROL MODULE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPARIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 132,000.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY ROAD GOING 45 MPH DRIVING STRAIGHT AND MY STEERING WHEEL JERKED OUT FROM BOTH HANDS AND SWERVED ME, MY WIFE, AND OUR INFANT DAUGHTER INTO THE ONCOMING LANE. THE POWER STEERING THEN WENT OUT AND I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE STOPPED AT A GAS STATION. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. WE HAVE HAD THE POWER STEERING FAIL ON US BEFORE, BUT IT HAD NEVER JERKED THE WHEEL OUT OF MY HANDS LIKE IT DID THIS TIME. IN ANOTHER INSTANCE, WE WERE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY (DRIVING STRAIGHT), AND THE EPS GAVE OUT FIRST ONE ONE SIDE, AND THEN THE OTHER, PULLING HARD ON ONE SIDE, BUT NOT PULLING THE WHEEL FROM MY HANDS. I TOOK MY HONDA FIT TO A LOCAL DEALER. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN AND A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THIS ISSUE. I HAVE A REBUILT TITLE ON MY CAR AND THE WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER MY ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL.

EPS FAILURE: LAST MONTH, AFTER A GAS STATION STOP; I STARTED THE CAR, TO SEE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) INDICATOR LIT. FINDING THE POWER STEERING NOT WORKING, I CHECKED THE MANUAL. TURNING THE CAR OFF & ON AS RECOMMENDED RESET THE INDICATOR AND UNLOCKED THE POWER STEERING. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL MORE TIMES SINCE THEN. LAST WEEK THE PROBLEM HAPPENED THREE TIMES, AND PERSISTED UNTIL I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE. I'M WORRIED ABOUT FAILURE IN TRAFFIC, DURING A TURN, ETC. READING ONLINE, I FOUND MANY DRIVERS REPORTING THIS TROUBLE WITH BOTH OLDER AND NEWER FITS, LOW AND HIGH MILEAGE; SOMETIMES HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING. THE TROUBLE CAN OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE ISSUE IS DETAILED IN HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN 09-043, JULY 7, 2009.

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING ON THE CAR BECOMES HEAVIER THAN NORMAL UNEXPECTEDLY. THE STEERING LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND AND ON ALLOWS THE CAR TO BE OPERATED NORMALLY, BUT THE CONDITION CAN RETURN.

LOSS OF POWER STEERING. IT WAS PARKED THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IN 2011. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN FOR A COUPLE YEARS. NOW IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, ON 06/10/2014. MOSTLY WHILE PARKED/IDLE. ONCE WHILE IN TRAFFIC. I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS ON A WINDY ROAD. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! HONDA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. I HAVE READ ABOUT THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE ISSUE (REPLACING EPS CONTROL UNIT.) *TR

POWER STEERING WENT OUT. CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND THE STEERING WORK. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

UPON RESTARTING THE CAR AFTER A REST STOP THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOTED TO BE UPSIDE DOWN. IT COULD BE TURNED 360 OR MORE DEGREES WHEN THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING. THE STEERING WORKED WHEN THE CAR WAS MOVING, BUT AT A STOP IT MAY BE TURNED FREELY AGAIN. *TR

I'VE HAD THIS ISSUE NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS BELOW APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES F, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MODULE RELAY MAKES A STRANGE CLICKING BUZZING SOUND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ENGINE STARTS. THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO MOVE. THE CONDITION CAN BE REMEDIED BY TURNING THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, WAITING A FEW SECONDS AND TRYING AGAIN, ALTHOUGH THIS CYCLE MAY HAVE TO BE REPEATED A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE THE POWER STEERING COMES BACK ON. DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ACTIVE IS DANGEROUS AS IT'S OBVIOUS THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED TO BE HIGHLY ASSISTED. YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE STRANDED BY THIS ISSUE. APPARENTLY IT'S A COMMON ONE, SO MUCH SO THAT HONDA HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR IT WHICH CALLS FOR REPLACING THE EPS MODULE AT A COST OF $700+. LUCKILY I HAVEN'T HAD IT FAIL WHILE DRIVING BUT I'M AFRAID IT COULD AS IT HAS FOR OTHERS. IT'S OBVIOUS WITH THE FREQUENCY OF THIS ISSUE THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE EPS MODULE WHICH SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL. *TR

ONCE IN AUGUST 2013 I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THEN AGAIN THIS TIME IN APRIL 2014 POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING, THIS TIME I WAS GOING AROUND 45 MPH. BOTH TIMES, WHEN YOU TURN CAR OFF AND START AGAIN POWER STEERING WORKS FINE. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL, ON A CURVE, AT ABOUT 40MPH, THE POWER STEERING LOCKED. I WAS SO CLOSE TO GETTING IN A MULTI-VEHICLE CAR ACCIDENT. USUALLY THIS EPS PROBLEM HAPPENS FIRST THING, RIGHT WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON. OBVIOUSLY, HONDA ACKNOWLEDGES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE EPS, EXCEPT THIS TIME, IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR. THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS, INCLUDING FATALITIES. THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS PART INSTEAD OF JUST DOING A SERVICE BULLETIN. GM HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM, IF NOT THE SAME, AND THEY CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THEIR CLIENTS TO DO A RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM, RATHER THEN JUST PROVIDE A SERVICE BULLETIN. HONDA SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CLIENTS. *TR

WAS IN THE LEFT TURN LANE TO ENTER FREEWAY ON-RAMP. ONCE SIGNAL TURNED GREEN, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. WAS SOMEHOW ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK HOME. TURNED OFF THE IGNITION PER CAR MANUAL, RESTART CAR AND TROUBLE CLEARED (NO MORE WARNING LITE, STEERING OK). DID SOME RESEARCH ON WEB, FOUND OUT THAT HONDA HAS ISSUED SERVICE BULLETIN 09-043 TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT (IE. REPLACE EPS CONTROL MODULE). WENT TO INDEPENDENT HONDA REPAIR SHOP, NO TROUBLE CODES FOUND ON THEIR SCOPE (CLEARS OUT AFTER RESTART). CALLED HONDA CUST SERVICE (800-999-1009), BUT WAS TOLD THAT SINCE IT'S OUT OF THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD, AND NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I JUST TOOK MY CAR TO THE HONDA DEALER TO HAVE THE EPS MODULE REPLACED ($700 + LABOR), SINCE I DO NOT WANT TO RISK DRIVING KNOWING THAT THE STEERING CAN GO OUT AT ANY MOMENT. I'M HOPING THAT NHTSA CAN PUT PRESSURE ON HONDA TO ISSUE A RECALL AS THIS PROBLEM CAN BE LIFE THREATENING, ESPECIALLY IF THE EPS WENT OUT ON A CURVE OR MOUNTAIN ROAD. ONCE AGAIN, WHEN THE EPS UNIT GOES OUT, IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER!!! *TR

I STARTED THE CAR AND NOTICED THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS ON. I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN READ ONLINE THAT I SHOULD TRY RESTARTING THE CAR. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS STILL ON. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TURNED IT BACK ON AGAIN AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. STEERING WAS NORMAL AND I DROVE TO WORK. I AM AFRAID THIS MAY FAIL AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AND I HAVE SEEN THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON INTERNET WEBSITES. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED TO ENGAGE WHEN STARTING FROM A COLD START AND ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE OUT OF A PARKING LOT. INDICATOR PANEL LIGHT CAME ON. TURNED CAR OFF, THEN STARTED AGAIN AND POWER STEERING ENGAGED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS SAME SCENARIO OCCURRED A FEW MORE TIMES OVER THE FOLLOWING MONTHS, HOWEVER, MUCH MORE FREQUENT THESE LAST 2 MONTHS, NOV./DEC. 2013. HAS NOT HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE ROAD THANKFULLY. CAR BECOMES VERY HARD TO STEER. INFORMED HONDA SERVICE CENTER 12/17/13 OF PROBLEM DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THEY PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC ($75) AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CONTROL UNIT (EPS) FOR $958. INVESTIGATED ONLINE POSTS AND FOUND MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE AS WELL. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN CONDITION BY HONDA (SERVICE BULLETIN # 09-043) AND IS A POTENTIAL AND DEADLY SAFETY ISSUE, I FEEL IT WARRANTS INVESTIGATION AND SUBSEQUENT RECALL ACTION. *TR

STOPPED AT RED LIGHT POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON STEERING WENT STIFF. 2ND INCIDENT. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED. STEERING WAS HEAVY WHILE DRIVING. *TR

POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. WAS FINE AFTER RESTART, BUT THIS IS DANGEROUS. DEALER ONLY RESET COMPUTER. THIS PROBLEM IS ALL OVER THE NHTSA SITE, AND THE CAR NEEDS TO BE RECALLED! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA FIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER HAD TO USE MORE EFFORT IN ORDER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING. COULD BARELY MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. I FOUND OUT THAT HONDA HAS A TSB OUT ON THIS KNOWN PROBLEM (TSB # 09-043). IT INVOLVES AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT OF THE EPS MODULE. IF THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, YOU'RE OUT OF LUCK. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL, AS THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

POWER-ASSISTED STEERING FAILED APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES INTO DRIVING. WARNING LIGHT FOR STEERING DID ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH CONSOLE. AFTER TURNING OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTING, THE POWER-ASSISTED STEERING RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN STREET AT 35 MPH. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. AN INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH BOARD AFTER THE STEERING QUIT. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME WITH OUT THE POWER STEERING. WE FOUND A FORUM ON LINE WHERE WE FOUND THE PROBLEM ADDRESSED. ONCE WE RE-STARTED THE CAR THE POWER STEERING WORKED. THE PEOPLE ON THE FORUM HAVE COMPLAINED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY WIFE AND CHILDREN. IF IT GOES OUT WHENEVER WHAT WILL HAPPEN THE NEXT TIME? *TR

OVER THE YEARS I HAVE EXPERIENCED MY POWER STEERING FAIL AND IS HAPPENING MORE OFTEN THE OLDER THE CAR GETS. WHAT HAPPENS EACH AND EVERY TIME IS WITHIN THE FIRST 5-10 MINUTES OF DRIVING IN THE MORNING AND USUALLY ON A DAMP AND COOL DAY IS THE POWER STEERING WILL STOP WORKING AND A INDICATOR LIGHT WILL COME UP ON MY DASHBOARD. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I DID WHAT THE MANUAL SAID AND PULLED OVER, TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND RESTARTED IT. IT WAS FINE AFTER THAT AND ONLY HAPPENED ABOUT TWICE THE FIRST YEAR. WHEN I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT SAID THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND SAID TO DO WHAT THE MANUAL SAID. AFTER TELLING THEM THIS HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR THEY WERE NEVER CONCERN OR CHECKED ERROR MESSAGES FROM THE ELECTRICAL MODULE. I'VE BROUGHT THIS TO THEIR ATTENTION SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE SITIUATION. SINCE THAT FIRST YEAR IT IS GRADUALLY GET WORSE. I STARTED KEEPING TRACK IN A CALENDAR WHEN EVER THIS OCCURS. ONE MONTH IT HAPPENED THREE TIMES AND TWO OF THOSE TIMES WERE TWO DAYS IN A ROW. LUCKILY IT'S ONLY FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY ONCE WHICH WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE! SO FAR WITHIN THE LAST YEAR THIS HAS HAPPENED NINE TIMES. *TT