We just bought a new 2010 (no previous owners, last year's new) automatic fit sport at the end of February. I went into the grocery store and my husband said he only left the radio on for five minutes (I can't be sure if it was that short) and when we tried to start it it wouldn't turn over. The lights would come on, radio and inside lights but wouldn't turn. We got a jump and all was well.

Fast forward a few weeks, husband turned the engine off but was fumbling with a stack of cd's so didn't turn the key all the way off for all of 30 seconds. I reached over and turned the car the rest of the way off and pulled out the keys. When we came back out of the store, again the battery was dead. We hadn't left anything on (overhead light, headlights, etc) and all I could figure is that that short time of just the battery running could have drained it enough to need another jump.

I'm pretty upset because it's a brand new car. Are fits known to have weakling batteries or something?

 

Contrary to others' reported problems, my battery is great. I had to do a slow charge right after I got the car but never a problem since. And it turns over without a problem--even when it has been sitting a week or more in the cold winter months.

 

Do you know the history of the vehicle?

Did it sit in the dealers lot for a long time prior to the sale?

If so, then the vehicle electonics would be draining the battery as
it sat for that period... and it would not be getting recharged.

In any case, it is all covered by warranty. Take it back to the dealer,
explain the problem and make them take care of it.

 

Yes there was a batch of not so good batteries for the 2010 fits. That said, just sitting in the dealer lot is not good for any car. Take it to the dealer and say you've had the jump it twice in the past week. They'll test and almost certainly replace the battery.

 

Most likely your alternator is dead. Or your battery is dead which won't allow it to recharge.

 

^ Based on the described symptoms and elapsed time between issues, I doubt it's the alternator. It sounds more like a loose connection somewhere, maybe a bad battery, or a parasitic drain.

If it were alternator-related, it'd be giving them problems while driving as well. Modern ECU's and fuel injection systems tend to want at least 11.5V while driving before they cut out for circuit protection- if the alternator were DEAD, you wouldn't have that for long just running off of the battery. If the alternator was only JUST charging sometimes (slipping belt, going bad, etc.), you'd still see the battery light coming on while driving. I think they would have noticed that, and posted it.

It's likely a loose connection, given the erratic nature of the issue. Or a bad battery. Without testing, I can't be sure. Either way, as was said above, take it back in- it should absolutely be covered under warranty- Mark W.

 

Good post! + reps for you.

 

Almost certainly not an alternator or connection problem.

Let me impart two points of knowledge:

1) Car batteries (really any lead-acid type battery) need to be maintained (charged on a regular basis), because they naturally lose charge while sitting unused. Charging of course happens when someone drives the car.

2) The electronics in your car use a very small amount of power even when the car is off. It's usually not enough to matter, but over the course of several months, it adds up.

So your car sat for many months on a lot. The battery was slowly losing charge naturally, and the electronics were also slowly draining it. You can read up on the chemistry behind it elsewhere, but suffice it to say that when a lead-acid battery is discharged even 40 or 50% and left that way for an extended time, it does permanent damage to the battery.

Your car needs a new battery. I purchased a 2009 Fit brand new that had been on the lot for an entire year. I expected the battery to die, and a couple of months later, it did. The dealer happily replaced it for free, because it's covered under the warranty.

 

Car purchased certified used in November 2010. Brought car to Honda dealership on 6/24/11 for service due to car dying twice that day. Upon arrival car died and had to be jumped to service. Alternator was replaced as well as the battery that day.
Then in august car died on the road while driving twice and was taken in for services at Honda dealership and immobilizer was stated to be the problem then replaced on 8/24/11.
Arrive at Honda dealership 9/6/11 for tire service and car battery issues stated but technician resolved by adjusting battery connections.
On 9/7/11 Car dies on Bruckner Blvd in the Bronx, NY while coming off the FDR and hazard lights would not come on. NYC DOT workers had to manually put car in neutral so it could be moved to side of road. Car was towed to Bronx Honda and battery replaced again. Dealership stated car issues should be resolved but heard stranger rattling sounds from car while backing out the same day it was picked up.
Filed report on NHTSA website as everyone should about this issue with the FIT so Honda can forced to remedy the issue. I contacted American Honda about the issue but of course they are dragging their feet.

 

Not sure if lemon laws apply to certified used cars in this way, but if it does, that's exactly what you should be looking at invoking if it happens again.

 

Thanks. definitely plan to do so.

 

I had the exact problem, took it to the dealer, they replaced the battery and haven't had the problem again. Dealer said there was a batch of bad batteries.


Flea

 

Lots of good information here. A battery that is rundown should be recharged by a charger, alternators will maintain a battery charge but they aren't designed to recharge dead batteries. There is a risk of damaging the alternator or the battery when trying to recharge a dead battery with the alternator.

Most newer cars have their battery regulated through the vehicle computer. They are allowed to charge just enough to stay ahead of the electrical load, this is done to help increase fuel mileage. Very little charge is added back into the battery.

The quoted paragraph is from this link.

Alternator & Charging System Checks (Alternator Testing)

"Use a battery charger to recharge the battery. Alternators are designed to main battery charge, not to recharge a dead battery. If the battery is run-down or dead, therefore, it should be recharged with a battery charger before the vehicle is driven, or before a replacement alternator is installed. This will minimize the stress on the charging system and reduce the risk of overheating and failure."

Clifton

 

I wish I had known about the battery history before I bought my 2019 Honda Fit last fall. In the last 6 months my brand new, with only has 1700 miles on it, has had a dead battery 3 times. The dealer says it’s my fault because I don’t drive it daily. Lol.