2012 Honda Fit Power Train

I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, WHEN I STARTED MAKING THE LEFT TURN I FELT AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BUT I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PUT VEHICLE IN PARK BUT IT WOULD STILL ROLL, I THEN APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CALL MY SON, HE ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED, I TOLD HIM THAT I HEARD A LOUD BANG & THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE & THE VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING AFTER IT WAS IN PARK, HE SAID IT SOUNDS LIKE I HAD A BROKEN AXEL I THEN CALLED AAA. AAA ARRIVED & ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED & IF THE VEHICLE ROLLED WHEN PUT IN PARK, I SAID YES IT STILL ROLLED & THE DRIVER TOLD ME I HAD A BROKEN AXEL. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY SON'S GARAGE, WHERE HE REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXEL, THAT INDEED HAD SNAPPED IN HALF. THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS TURNING ONTO BUSY RT 27 IN SHARON, MA. NOW I'M WORRIED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE AXEL COULD SNAP IN HALF WHILE I'M DRIVING MY VEHICLE.

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, I HEARD A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A BUZZING/GRINDING SOUND. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THE AXEL HAD SNAPPED AT THE LOCATION OF A VIBRATION DAMPER.

THE PASSENGER SIDE AXLE SNAPPED IN TWO INSIDE THE RUBBER DAMPER WEIGHT AT ITS CENTER. AS HONDA FORUMS ON THE INTERNET SHOW, THIS IS BECOMING MORE COMMON AS FITS AGE. THE DAMPER IS HELD IN PLACE BY ONLY ONE STAINLESS STEEL CLAMP ( AT ITS LOWER END). SINCE WATER AND SALT CAN ENTER ITS UPPER END , WITHOUT A CLAMP THERE, IT STAYS IN THE SPACE BETWEEN THE AXLE AND DAMPER AND THE CORROSION BEGINS. EVEN AFTERMARKET MANUFACTURERS HAVE DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND LEFT THE DAMPER OFF THEIR AXLES. WHEN THIS BREAK HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS STARTING OFF FROM A STOP AND TURNING RIGHT ON A CITY STREET.

THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000 < MILES. I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THAT LED TO A HIGHWAY. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT THE CAR DID NOT MOVE.I HAD THE CAR BROUGHT TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP. UPON THEIR INSPECTION, I WAS TOLD BOTH FRONT AXLES WERE BROKEN. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE REP, ONE AXLE DISINTEGRATED AND THE OTHER HAD A NOTICEABLE CRACK IN IT. I REQUESTED THE DAMAGED COMPONENTS BE SAVED FOR AN INVESTIGATION ISN'T THIS A SAFETY CONCERN? WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY?

WHILE COMING TO A STOP ON A HILL ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARD.

CAR WAS STOPPED IN A ROUNDABOUT. UPON ACCELERATING THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNK AND THE CAR QUIT MOVING UNDER IT'S OWN POWER. THE PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE AXLE HAD SNAPPED UNDERNEATH THE VIBRATION DAMPNER. EXAMINATION OF THE BROKEN AXLE SHOWS EXTREME RUST HAD OCCURRED UNDER THE VIBRATION DAMPNER REDUCING THE AXLE'S DIAMETER AND THUS WEAKENING THE AXLE.

MOVING FORWARD AFTER RED LIGHT STOP; HEARD A "CLUNK" AND SOMETHING DROPPED. COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. I ONLY HAVE 74,000 MILES ON CAR AND IT LIVES IN MY GARAGE. NO ACCIDENTS AND ALTHOUGH WE HAVE POTHOLES IN NE I HAVE NEVER HIT A BAD ONE THAT EVEN KNOCKED THE ALIGNMENT OUT. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED! POLICE HAD TO COME TO DIRECT TRAFFIC AROUND ME. I'M NOW WORRIED THIS COULD HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY!!

STOPPED AT RED LIGHT. WHEN GREEN I HAD BARELY PUT FOOT ON GAS WHEN I HEARD"CLUNK" AND FELT SOMETHING DROP.COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. FRONT DRIVER SIDE AXEL BROKE. ONLY 74K MILES AND CAR LIVES IN GARAGE. NO ACCIDENT, NOT EVEN LARGE POTHOLES. NEVER KNOCKED OUT OF ALIGNMENT. BUSY INTERSECTION SO POLICE CAME TO DIRECT TRAFFIC. I SEE OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE. I AM WORRIED THE OTHER SIDE WILL BREAK WHEN I AM ON THE HIGHWAY!

RIGHT FRONT AXLE BROKE TWICE IN ONE YEAR AT BOOT. REPLACED BY HONDA ONLY TO BREAK 10,000 MILES LATER.

THE LEFT FRONT AXLE SHAFT BROKE IN JUNE 2018, WITH 89,032 ODOMETER MILES, AND THE RIGHT AXLE SHAFT BROKE DECEMBER 3, 2019 WITH 105,436 MILES. IN THE MOST RECENT INSTANCE I WAS STOPPED ON A HILL, WITH A CAR BEHIND ME, AND WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE THE AXLE BROKE AND MY CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. I APPLIED THE BRAKES QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR BEHIND ME. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR MILES FROM HOME WHERE SHE WAS STRANDED UNTIL A TOW TRUCK COULD BE CALLED. MY MECHANIC SAYS HE IS SEEING THIS WITH SOME FREQUENCY ON HONDA FITS, AND IT SEEMS TO BE THE RESULT OF RUST WHERE HONDA INSTALLS A RUBBER VIBRATION DAMPER AT THE AXLE. THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS INCIDENT IS OBVIOUS IF THE CAR WERE TO LOSE PROPULSION ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED, OR WHERE THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTS TO ROLL BACKWARDS AS I EXPERIENCED. AND APPARENTLY THIS IS BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE HONDA FIT, AND MAYBE OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME DESIGN.THE REPAIR OF BOTH AXLES HAVE COST US A TOTAL OF $740.00.

DRIVESHAFT FRACTURED AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE PLEASE REFER TO NHTSA RECALL 14V-258 FOR SIMILAR OR SAME DETAILS.