Consider moving to LED bulbs. Incandescent bulbs will run down batteries. LED's... will take MUCH MUCH longer to kill a battery. Also, They make a thing like this which prevents dead batteries. no matter which door is left ajar, you don't have anything to worry about. (there are cheaper ones out there than prioritystart).

~SB

 

That's another good idea. Replace the dome and cargo lights with LED's. I'll have to look into that.

Something else I've discovered... So, most most cars these days have a double latching mechanism on the doors / hatch. If you close the door slowly, the first latch will catch (door is not fully closed) and then the second latch engages and the door is fully closed.

The Fit's interior lights are on with the first latch engagement (the door is not fully closed). I checked two other makes of vehicles and they are not this way - the interior lights turn off with the first latch engagement. Something to keep in mind when closing the Fit's doors / hatch.

 

having the light stay on when only the "first" latch catches seems like a good way to remind the driver that a door is open.

What this topic is boiling down to... you didn't close the hatch all the way. That's not a car problem, that's a driver/passenger problem. If I don't close my hatch all the way the first time, I'd like to know, so that I CAN close it properly... wouldn't you want to know?

Or are you okay with driving a car with only 2 or 3 out of every 4 nuts on a tire bolted on properly?

If a car has a "dual latch" system... I want BOTH to catch.

I'd be more sympathetic if your complaint was that it was just hard to close the hatch because its awkward or whatever (in fact such a thread already exists). But to complain that a light stayed on, thereby draining the battery, because you didn't close the hatch all the way?

If your girlfriend can't close the hatch for whatever reason... you know what you can do? No, not just get a new girlfriend... you can just tell her that she can come in and ask you to check if the hatch is closed before you guys turn in for the night. The best time would when whoever gets home after the other.

 

I suggest LEDs too. That should also be a completely preventative move.

I'm local, and a really nice guy. I hope I didn't offend you with my post. I am always willing to be as helpful as I can, so maybe I can offer something of more value, but it may come of as a little condescending and stupid. Have you owned hatchbacks before? I've only owned two cars with trunks, and when closing them, my hand is always on the trunk as a press it down. I suppose one could get used to that way of doing things, but the hand has little leverage at such awkward position when closing a hatch. You should slam the sucker down towards the latch every time when closing it without you hand on it. I naturally do this because with the way a hatch closes, your fingers are much closer to the opening, so I always wanted to get them out of the way. It's possible to sort of push on it closed, like a trunk, but my tactic, which as I mentioned in an earlier post, has never failed. It isn't going to hurt the car, and will save you from being stranded. Maybe Honda is at fault to some degree for not having protective systems in place for this type of thing, but honestly, I was not aware of something like that being in most modern vehicles, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least. Just hasn't been relevant to any of my ownership experiences thus far, although I've certainly drained a battery from leaving an interior light on.

Best of luck in the future.

 

Not my experience at all. I left my fogs on by mistake last year when I went into the movies and by the time I came out- battery dead. Since that incident, the battery has been fine through that winter and so far, this one. Not a given you'll have trouble by default, ime.

Dan

 

No offense taken. You do have a good point. Normally, we'd close the hatch the same way we'd close one of the doors - which is to kind of "throw" is closed. Now we'll "push" it closed, all the way until it shuts.

Other people drive the car as well and that's what I'm worried about.

I think the LED's will be a good safeguard.

Happy New Year.

 

Put the battery on a trickle charger, 2 amp or even 1 amp if possible, then just take it inside and let it charge for a couple days. That's what you should do if you happen to run the battery dead, it brings fresh life back into it.

 

Yep. I used 2 amp as that's the lowest my charger goes. Took about 8 hours to fully charge.

Temps were about 32 degrees F this morning and it cranked over just like new.

Thanks and Happy New Year.

 

Yep, I've got the Honda Fit Sport with the OEM alarm. So if I press twice and it doesn't "honk" I know something is ajar...

I'm not going to pile on the OP....Honda could upgrade..and include a safety rundown feature..

I love The Fit...and Honda did an excellent job IMO of creating a good compromise between economical and utillitarian and fun and comfortable to drive...

But like any automobile it's not perfect.

I have yet to have a problem, but with as small as The Fit's battery is? Rundown protection circuitry would be nice.

Honda went cheap in some strange almost unnecessary area's with The Fit.

The carpeting is a joke. The lack of a locking gas cover with a release is unnecessarily spartan.

But with all 3 of these criticisms, I find them all very overcomeable, with the simple purchase of things like floor mats, and perhaps just adjusting behavior when using the hatch...

 

I agree. The Fit is a fun car. It's not perfect, but no car is.

Unfortunately, I found out the hard way about the hatch and the lack of a battery rundown feature. My last truck had this and it was nice. You could turn the ignition off and the radio, lights, etc. would continue to work for about another 15 minutes and then turn off automatically or when the door was opened. I really liked that feature.

Anyways, the battery is charged again and the Fit is Go!

 

You have a GE right? The gas cap door doesn't lock when you lock your doors? I would be surprised that Honda would have passed on that as well with the North American bound GEs. And the release is just that, push on the door and it opens up when doors are unlocked.

Good to hear your battery is fully charged once again OP.

 

Your Fit does?

Then again, I've never checked the gas cap covered without the doors being unlocked. hum.

 

Goobers please check yours when your doors are locked. I would be quite surprised to hear otherwise from what is stock here. I really couldn't imagine Honda passing on this small thing. I know the GDs worldwide had the door that always opened, but could have sworn GEs gas door everywhere locked when the doors locked.

 

I was almost caught by that same problem. Luckily, the first couple of times, I needed to lock the car ( not in my garage ), and it wouldn't lock. It took me a bit to realize the hatch wasn't closed fully.

I wouldn't say they need a run-down protection, but instead a more positive reinforcement that the hatch is fully closed.

I now just give it more force than necessary, and haven't had the problem since. It does take some getting used to though, and my wife messes it up sometimes when she uses my FIT.

 

Could there be something off with the latch? I can see not closing it hard enough on occasion but having it happen multiple times in just a few months seems suspicious.

 

Nope, no lock on gas cap lid- I have a 2010 Fit Sport (US model) and just pushed on the door- and it opened. Car is locked.

 

Wow, that is very surprising to hear. Oh well, I knew I liked the Japanese model better for looks alone, but little things like this just add up. Granted they cost more by at least $1500 if the ¥/$ was equal, but damn they nitpicked the hell out of the North American model.

 

I don't really care if the gas cap door locks, but I have ALWAYS thought it completely sucks there isn't an inside latch. It's the strangest omission I've ever come across. Would it have cost THAT much to add one?! There are plenty of full service stations out there and I use one. And every time I have to tell the guy to push on the door. Insane.

Dan

 

Given the complexities of running a wire through the driver's door to the gas cap door, yes, I imagine it would add a few dollars, and everything they can do to save money that doesn't cost sales matters a lot over hundreds of thousands of cars.

 

Nope...doesn't lock..always open...

I live in a state that doesn't allow self serve gas....so the only option, which would be a locking gas cap...is not a good option, because then you end up having to give your keys to an attendant every time you get gas...then you hope they unlock it correctly...

I would of liked a locking cover with an in the cabin release...IMO Honda should upgrade this on future models....

It's a Honda Fail...but not one that is bad enough to spoil my Fit experience...