HONDA FIT 2008 FRONT END JOLTS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND AT HIGH SPEEDS.....

Front end of this Honda Fit feels like something's just jolting back and forth. It is only extremely noticeable when coming to a stop and it just wants to shake like it's jerking. It happens in drive and/or neutral when coming to a stop. I tried both! The tire shop check the alignment and said that they yanked on all the suspension parts and felt nothing lose!?! Why the hell is this thing still jolting even at high speed I can still feel a little jolt?

I've checked all the bushings, I just put brand new tires on with an alignment.. I don't see that the rotors are warped anywhere or any hot spots..

Note: This isn't an engine shaking feeling. Just Front wheels. Feels like a broken A arm I had on a car back in highschool.

 

Check all 3 motor mounts?

 

I'd have to recheck. I took a long look this weekend in the garage looking over the whole car. I didn't notice anything cracking or broken. I looked for a good while too.

Can that recall for the drive shaft make shaking symptoms?

 

if the driveshaft is going I'd assume potential shudders not exclusive to braking. I dont know if that rubber insulator can be moved, but maybe squirt some penetrating fluid/wd40 at it to see if you can shift it over.

What work was done to your car recently?
can you describe the jolting more clearly? it's pretty likely we'll be going over the same stuff that was already checked unless some kinda event occured.

 

I've only had the car for 3 months. The only recent work has been me trying to fix all the problems! Lol+Valve adjustment - exhaust valves were almost completely closed tight.
+I just got new tires and the alignment.

None of this fix the problem.

The jolting is just like shaking back and forth when I stop. It just really feels like it's coming from a bushing, moving back and forth is what it feels like.

My only presumption is to go get the tires rebalanced.
What a mechanic said that my shocks are too old... That's 90,000 miles on a car.. the car don't even weigh anything, I don't know how the shocks could be that bad.

 

I would take it to another shop a brake & alignment shop
Sounds like someone loosened a camber bolt. I had this happen to me once, lets just say this is a DIRTY mechanics trick to promote unnecessary work and its VERY Dangerous.

 

My suspension went at ~40k, and others have stated that theirs went early too. They werent completely blown, an overachieving align tech noticed despite no visible leak. He was right, and I know he was cuz I tested n swapped 'em myself. But blown struts shouldn't cause vibration when braking by themselves. The front end dives, and that can highlight flaws in alignment.

You did a visual inspection, so I'd now recommend getting a straight edge/framing square from home depot or wherever and checking the rotors in the front for warping. rear are drums, so likely shouldn't be any issue there.. Check and see if your brake pads have those little spreading pins on them to keep em apart. Sometimes they get thrown out when brakes are changed, and if the new pads dont come with new clips, none get installed. If those are missing, your rotors are likely warped. If there's no warp, I'd head to a different alignment shop thats got good yelp reviews and report the fault, ask for an inspection.

I'm with the other gent. If the fault isn't brakes, align tech/mech should have caught it. unless the car's been in an accident your fault is in one of three systems: steering, suspension, or braking.

 

If u are inclined and have tools...

Id just jack up the front end, take the wheel off, and start hitting all the bolts with a socket wrench and make sure they are tight. Theres not a lot of stuff up front, really. The struts are held in with 2 horizontal bolts and 1 nut on top (just pop off service doors on wiper cowel and stick ur socket or wrench in to check).

Brakes are 4 bolts.

U have the steering endling and lower ball joint to check for play or torn boots. They might have the cotter pin installed, but id pull it out and make sure the nuts are actually tight. Someone working on it might have forgot to finish torquing them down and put the pin back in.almost forgot about the 2 swaybar endlink connections.

Check the axle bolt and make sure it doesn't look like its backing off. (I just posted a pic in my thread of a freshly replaced 1 for reference)

The lower control arm has 4 bolts, 3 in back going vertical and 1 in front going horizontal.

Finally, (or firstly) if u dont want to be bothered with all the above, Check if your car is eligible for the axle recall via vin online, and get it done that way u have that out of the way, plus u tell them ur issue and ask them to take a look.

Keep us posted!

 

No letter, but my Vin number claims my vehicle is on the list for the recall.. and that drive axle looks like it came out of the lake! Rusty.

 

https://owners.honda.com/service-maintenance/recalls
if that's what you think it is, swap it or get it swapped. I can't imagine an axel failure to be a fun experience.

 

If ur on the list just make an appt n take it in.

The inconvenience of having it done now is nothing compared to if it literally snaps while ur driving..who knows where or time if day.

I almost didnt get mine done because i plan to swap my motor next year, but i envisioned my axle breaking between now and then, at the most inconvenient time. ..tow truck rides, extra damage, possibly causing an accident, trying to deal with reimbursements, etc. Plus ur getting Honda brand expensive ass axles for free.

 

Not sure what you did to your suspension or where you drive but mine is perfectly fine at 143K miles.

 

I'd just gotten it at 35k in 2015. I didn't notice because it was the rear shocks, fault was minor, and I hadn't yet paid attention to/learned about such things 😂
​​​​​​Other folks have had OE shocks n struts go out prematurely. Just a bad batch I guess. My spark plugs also loosen. Still love my GE

 

109k on my original struts and springs, still feels tight.

 

I've replaced front and rear Struts and shocks respectively. Twice for the shocks, over the last 70k. I've come to the conclusion the suspension on the cars is just trash.

To be fair, I weigh 250 and drive like I'm the only one on the road though...

 

They may have yanked on things but a 2000 lb car coming to a stop is a lot more force than a guy pulling on something. Something may be a bit loose but not findable by pulling something sideways.

 

There were a couple times I gave a lift to a friend who weighed upwards of 400lbs. The car was super sad and lopped over to the front right.. and the brakes were cooking when trying to stop. But the shocks/struts havent given up since.. there is a mild thump that may be them when engaging reverse (a tell-tale sign of failure or insufficient fastening,) but drivability seems otherwise unhindered.

If I had the change, I'd get bilsteins. Its my understanding that they're the geniuses behind Mercedes.

​​​​​​In what way are your struts failing (small bumps, gear changes, big bumps, what have yuh)?

 

Check your lug nuts

 

The suspension is fine. It's the skills level of those working on the car is trash.

 

Check the lower engine mount. The one that looks like a dogbone