I know many manufacturers run much of the cabling for electronics devices, especially accessories like CD changers, etc, even if the car doesn't have them. Any idea if the non-NAV/VSA Fit's might have the necessary wiring in place for VSA but without the electronics?

I know this would be a long shot, but if the actuators for ABS and brake force distributution are the same ones that VSA uses for yaw control, might the VSA computer and switch be the only pieces missing? It would be very cool, although maybe highly unlikely, if you could get the VSA computer and switch from someplace like College Hills and do a user install. That is the kinda of thing that the user forum brain trusts are able to cobble together sometime.

 

The infrastructure for VSA might exist in all 09s but I doubt that it exists in 07-08s. I might be wrong too. It might be a good idea to ask the Asian European fit/jazz owners. If VSA was available then the parts might be available as well. I suspect it would be like converting a MT to an AT. It's possible as some sort of statement but cost/benefit would be too high. I'd like VSA too but I love my 08, it's got 8K miles and that ends the discussion.

 

Yeah... '09. I should have mentioned that but since this is the 2nd generation fit forum...

If we could get some '09 owners or test drivers to take/post some under dash pictures (I'm guessing behind the glove box?) of non-NAV and NAV '09's, we might start to see what black-box differences there are between the two.

Ideally, someone at a dealer with access to the tech manuals and parts databases could probably see what makes up the VSA system and which of those pieces are not present or different from the non-VSA cars.

 

also to add to this which is very intereseting if the wires are there
already. we can also wait like 6 months and you'll be able to get the stuff from junk yards alot cheaper.

 

I don't know if it is true, but my dealer said that my '07 (GD1) with CVT can NOT be equipped with VSA. VSA is standard in the MT version here in my country, and I know it not standard in all countries.

 

I am no mechanic, but from what I have read in Wikipedia and other sources, VSA involves more than just a computer. It involves a number a sensors that senses steering direction, car rotation and lateral acceleration which would not be in a plain ABS system, as well as a hydraulic modulator (similar but not exactly the same as the one in ABS) to achieve the desired effect. Unless these components are already built into the non-VSC Fits, I don't see it's possible to do any after market retrofit, at least not within reasonable cost.

Whether these extra components are built-into the non-VSA Fits depends on costs to the manufacturers, and manufacturers especially Honda are very efficient at reducing costs. I don't see why Honda would include anything that's not used in stock configurations, unless it's actually cheaper for them to produce that way.

See here for the article (under "components and Design"):
Electronic stability control - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Good points... forgot about the steering angle sensor. That likely wouldn't be in the non-VSA models if I had to guess. Wiring harnesses I could see being there but maybe not the electronic components.

Time passes...

but... I just read about Electronic Brake Force Distribution at Wikipedia...

Electronic brakeforce distribution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

which as I recall the '09 Fit has. Sounds like this system might include the steering angle sensors and, unlike ABS, with the system "overbraked", maybe the ability to increase hydraulic pressure from norm, no just decrease it?

Hmm... possible maybe.

 

4 months later; has anyone been digging more into this? Any info to share?

 

When the Helm Fit Service Manual is released in 03/09, it will answer questions just like these. Be patient.

 

Now that the Helms are shipping, thought I'd bump for input. I need to order mine so I can have a look.

 

Subscribing...

Just took a look at the part diagrams on Majestic Honda's website. Between the non-nav and nav models, the main under-dash and under-hood harnesses have different part numbers. Just guessing that means it's not a plug and play upgrade, unless you want to replace various harnesses.

Also the VSA modulator is $875 through Majestic.

 

Unless a person is hell-bent on doing this and money is no object, then adding vsa to a non-vsa car is not practical.

The cost of disconnecting and removing the old harnesses, routing and connecting the new harnesses, and adding the vsa components will be way over the $1,850 cost to get nav/vsa from the factory.

Also, swapping the harnesses is intrusive to the point that you may be better off removing the entire dash.

I think the moral here is get the vsa/nav when you buy, or trade/sell and then get your vsa car.