Hi all,
I recently got a new 2016 FIT LX CVT and have a few questions about things that have since popped up. Thanks in advance!

1) The black strip that runs side-to-side up top of the front window came with a slight tear (~7.5mm). What's the purpose of this black strip? I'd imagine that the tear will only get larger when I try to clean the car, and wanted to make sure that it wouldn't result in any unnecessary damage, e.g. leaks, if the tear got too large. Are there any simple fixes I can do apart from just using some glue?

2) On the first day of driving, the 'check tire pressure' light came on, and when I measured the tire pressure, they were all normal at 35 psi (recommended pressure is 33 psi). I think that the most likely cause is a broken sensor, but have yet to bring it in for diagnostics. If it is a broken sensor, is this a common problem to see in a brand new car?

3) A question about transmission: When driving the 2016 FIT LX CVT in Econ or Regular mode, the rpms are often at 2,000rpm, and would suddenly jump up to 3,000rpm for a brief second before suddenly jumping back down to 2,000rpm--all of this occurs regularly even without significant accel/deceleration. I drive my cars very conservatively.. My previous car (a 2nd generation FIT), for example, would very rarely--if ever--reach 3,000 rpm, so I'm used to seeing a much lower rpm. Do the 3rd generation FITs just live at a higher rpm range? Is the sudden "jerking" in rpms something to be expected because of the CVT? The check engine light has not come on.

Given some of the tears, scratches, and early pressure problems that have come up, I wanted to make sure that the behavior with the rpms is within normal limits for a 2016 FIT, and that it isn't a lemon transmission system that'll rear its head down the road. Thanks in advance for people's advice and expertise.

 

i dont know bout 1 and 3, but my wife's GK threw the tpms code today. i told her to reset it and see if it comes on again, just go to the tire store just in case as i couldnt get to the car sooner.

psi checked out, just an error. these abs sensor based tpms systems are notorious for false alarms. just check tire visibly if you dont have a tire gauge, reset tpms (just a button lower left side) and see if it comes on again. if not, chances are it was just a false alarm.

 

The TPMS issue has been discussed several times. For most of us who see the indicator light, it happens shortly after we take ownership, we just reset the TPMS button and don't see it again.

 

As has been discussed elsewhere, the GK Fit does not actually have pressure sensors in the tires. Instead, it uses the data from the ABS sensors to measure and compare rotational speeds of the four tires and uses that data to detect a soft tire (soft tire=smaller "rolling" diameter=faster rotational speed).

The good thing about this is there are no expensive sensors inside the wheels to fail. Also, if you wish to buy winter wheels/tires, or change wheels for whatever reason, there's no need to buy additional sensors and visit the dealer to have the system programmed to read the new sensors. The TPMS system uses sensors which are already present, making the system simpler and reducing cost.

The down side is it seems to be easier to fool the system, resulting in more false "positives". That's why they give you a "reset" button, so you can fix this yourself.

 

Well said Uncle Gary, you might as well just put your message on "speed dial" as this question will just keep coming up as more and more new Fits hit the streets.

 

Thanks everyone, will reset the tire pressure system as you all have suggested . Would anyone be able to comment on what rpm's their FIT is usually at when driving in the city (not accelerating)? And is anyone knowledgeable about the purpose of that rubber strip that runs above the front window (and whether a tear there would be detrimental in the long run)?

 

I just checked my ScanGauge and my maximum rpm for my commute this morning (a combination of freeway and city streets) was 2016rpm. I don't have a breakdown of what it was on the different segments but I believe the tach registers between 1500-2000 in all normal driving. I'll try to pay attention to what it's at on city streets. It hovers around 2000 during normal freeway driving though.

As far as the black strip, if you're talking about the rubber strip on the exterior of the car, that's a piece of weatherstripping, I would have that replaced.

 

I do seem to feel a sense of deja vu here. Like I've explained this before.

 

Thanks--those are numbers that I would expect and am used to seeing since I don't drive very aggressively at all. Will ask the dealership about that and see if they think something else is going on (unless there's something I can do beforehand?)... Will ask for the weatherstrip to be replaced as well--thanks

 

You have - maybe the forum needs to "sticky" the tire pressure sensor topic, as it comes up a lot. Of course I've also observed a lack of RTFM here more so than on other forums for past cars I've owned. Not sure if it's modern society, or driving an entry level car that seems to be a root cause.