My dumb newbie questions... :)

[robothebobo]

So, i recently bought a 2007 Fit Sport in Taffeta White with dark grey interior. It's in great shape AFAICT and i'm really pleased with it so far. I've wanted a white GD-style Fit Sport since I first saw them a few years ago and this seemed like a lucky chance (garage kept, decent mileage, spotless, sold privately by a couple who were being relocated to Germany by work, and had to sell).

Anyhow, this being my first real car, i have a few probably dumb newbie questions:

1. Regular maintenance: The car is still under the original Honda warranty. There is a sticker on the windshield that says maintenance is due at 29,000 miles or at a certain date, about 2 weeks ago. The car is at 31,000 miles. However, the oil life indicator says 30%. The sellers have been getting the car serviced at the dealership, and said that it was safe to ignore the window sticker and go by the oil life indicator on the dash. Is this true?

Also, I'm assuming that it's best to go to a Honda dealer for maintenance. Is this scheduled maintenance covered under the warranty, or do i pay out of pocket? Is it worth getting the extended warranty (assuming that i can, as the second owner)?

-Braking: under gentle to moderate braking, there is a slight vibration detectable. It's not severe shaking or anything, but enough to notice on a smooth road. Someone i spoke to mentioned that it could be warped rotors. Is this a common issue? I don't have any reason to believe that the car was driven very hard in the past, which is apparently the main cause of warped rotors. From reading the manual, worn brake shoes should make a squealing noise, not vibration, so I don't think that's the problem.

-Checking fluids: I read the manual, and it recommended checking the oil, AT fluid, and coolant on a regular basis. The oil is easy enough, but i cannot reach the AT fluid stick without wedging my hand way down past some very hot parts of the engine. It's in a really hard to reach place! Same with the coolant reservoir. The picture in the manual is quite different from the actual engine.. it shows the reservoir as being easily accessible with a funnel stuck in the opening. In reality, there's no way you could get a funnel in there, not without a long hose anyway. What gives?


I'm sure i'll have some more dumb questions soon, but i'll start with these

Thanks,

Robin

[kenchan]

not sure when the previous oil change was done so i cant be for certain, but typically i would just do the change at 15%.
anyone can do the Fit's oil change. very easy.

not sure about the vibration

dont have a AT (well, my GE is AT...) so dont know but you can check the level when the engine is cold. you should be able to see the coolant near the bottom of the reservoir when the engine is cold. there should be a max and min marking somewhere. i remember adding coolant when my GD was new.

not sure wat you're saying about a funnel, but i use a long funnel (sold at most auto parts stores) sometimes depending on how far i need to reach.

hope some of this helps get you started off.

[Juliane]

Yes, your shaking on braking could and probably is warped rotors. i've got the same thing on my '95 Camry. Hate it. But not that expensive to fix.

You can get Honda to check your fluids when you get your oil changed. Or wherever you go. Most mechanics won't be so mercenary as to charge for checking your fluids, if they are, go elsewhere.

How are your driving conditions? If you (or the previous owners) take a lot of short trips and live in a dirty city, it doesn't hurt to change the oil a little more frequently. Strictly speaking it is not necessary - you can go by the service light - but depending on conditions it can help your car.

[mahout]

Originally Posted by robothebobo

So, i recently bought a 2007 Fit Sport in Taffeta White with dark grey interior. It's in great shape AFAICT and i'm really pleased with it so far. I've wanted a white GD-style Fit Sport since I first saw them a few years ago and this seemed like a lucky chance (garage kept, decent mileage, spotless, sold privately by a couple who were being relocated to Germany by work, and had to sell).

Anyhow, this being my first real car, i have a few probably dumb newbie questions:

1. Regular maintenance: The car is still under the original Honda warranty. There is a sticker on the windshield that says maintenance is due at 29,000 miles or at a certain date, about 2 weeks ago. The car is at 31,000 miles. However, the oil life indicator says 30%. The sellers have been getting the car serviced at the dealership, and said that it was safe to ignore the window sticker and go by the oil life indicator on the dash. Is this true?

Also, I'm assuming that it's best to go to a Honda dealer for maintenance. Is this scheduled maintenance covered under the warranty, or do i pay out of pocket? Is it worth getting the extended warranty (assuming that i can, as the second owner)?

-Braking: under gentle to moderate braking, there is a slight vibration detectable. It's not severe shaking or anything, but enough to notice on a smooth road. Someone i spoke to mentioned that it could be warped rotors. Is this a common issue? I don't have any reason to believe that the car was driven very hard in the past, which is apparently the main cause of warped rotors. From reading the manual, worn brake shoes should make a squealing noise, not vibration, so I don't think that's the problem.

-Checking fluids: I read the manual, and it recommended checking the oil, AT fluid, and coolant on a regular basis. The oil is easy enough, but i cannot reach the AT fluid stick without wedging my hand way down past some very hot parts of the engine. It's in a really hard to reach place! Same with the coolant reservoir. The picture in the manual is quite different from the actual engine.. it shows the reservoir as being easily accessible with a funnel stuck in the opening. In reality, there's no way you could get a funnel in there, not without a long hose anyway. What gives?


I'm sure i'll have some more dumb questions soon, but i'll start with these

Thanks,

Robin

our standard recommendation for purchasing a used vehicle is change the oil at first opportunity and then follow your scheduled oil changes and fluids check at least once per week and include tire pressures.
not surpriseingly many owners or dealers getting rid of a vehicle will reset the oil interval without changing oil (easy per owners manual). You'd be stunned by the number of times we took in used cars with even receiopts for oil changes that a quick wipe of the finger around the oil cap brought out solid ring of solidified oil from cars 'sworn' to have been changed every 3000 miles.

Braking is probably case of warped disc or pad material stuck to rotor from vehicle parked a long while with brakes hot.. You can check the pads for thickness greater than 1/8"; its its close the former owner possibly used them pretty hard to get them that worn in 28k miles and thats likely why warped rotors or pad material on rotors. The former may take new rotors or at least turning to spec and the latter turning the rotors by dealer or other good shop.

Most auto parts stores Autozone, etc) sell long reach funnels for AT but unless color or water shows up make sure its up to but not over the mark. I also have an AT but have no trouble reaching the gage stick. If youre talking about the AT filler then that requires a cold engine.

[nightmaregirl]

i have a 2007 honda fit, my brakes are making this horrible squealing noise. i have been told that my pads need to be replaced, no bigie there, but it was also suggested to me that it might be my calipers sticking. is this a common problem?

[polaski]

If your caliper or caliper slides stick, they won't let the pressure off the pads, and then the pads will just wear out. Usually the heat generated will badly warp the rotors.

Far more likely a torn boot on a caliper slide causing sticking than a caliper piston. Also look for uneven wear levels on pads, i.e. on one side of the rotor worn out, the other side still lots of pad left, or worn down on one end of the pad and not the other, etc. That could help you trace trouble.

If it's not stuck, it might just be normal wear. The more highway driving you do, the more miles you get. Myself I consider a 30k pad replacement interval typical for this area and my driving style. The drums last darn near forever tho thank goodness, my last car had 170k+ on the shoes and they still had 90% of the material on them, though I had to replace the drums due to excessive rust.

Yes checking coolant level absolutely sucks with this car. Bad spot!

[nightmaregirl]

would that cause a high squealing noise?
is it also normal to have honda charge you 30 bucks just to diagnose the problem?

[mahout]

Originally Posted by nightmaregirl

i have a 2007 honda fit, my brakes are making this horrible squealing noise. i have been told that my pads need to be replaced, no bigie there, but it was also suggested to me that it might be my calipers sticking. is this a common problem?

And just keep driving? Newbie, when strrange noises appearin brakes or engine tend to them right now. A vehicle is not an compuer game.
I vote for new pads but if you;'ve driven long with that squeeling noise be prepared to replace, not refinish, the rotors too..

[robothebobo]

Another small thing i noticed - sometimes (not often) when depressing the brake pedal, i hear/feel a sort of 'small spring being compressed' noise. Not quite a creak, more like a 'ping-ping-ping-ping-ping' sound as i press down the pedal. Braking itself seems normal. I figured it was just a spring in the brake system somewhere, but i wonder if this has anything to do with the slight shaking while braking.

[nightmaregirl]

this is not my first car. i have owned and driven many cars before this, i was just curious if fit's had trouble with their calipers. i took it and had it diagnosed. it is simply the pads, my boyfriend was all set to change them for me, when a friend brought up that on a car this new there might be some updated safety features that might hinder a self change?
does anyone know?