NHTSA Complaint #10247753 — 2009 HONDA FIT

2009 HONDA FIT WINDSHIELD RESTRICTS DRIVER'S VIEW. THE FIRST TIME I DROVE MY NEW BASE MODEL 2009 HONDA FIT IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC I DISCOVERED THAT I COULD NOT SEE ENOUGH THROUGH ITS TOO HIGH, TOO NARROW (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) WINDSHIELD TO ACCURATELY POSITION THE FIT BEHIND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE DASHBOARD IN THE 2009 FIT SLOPES UPWARD, NOT DOWNWARD, TO MEET THE WINDSHIELD, AND IT MEETS THE WINDSHIELD AT A POINT ONE TO TWO INCHES HIGHER THAN IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. THE RESULT IS THAT THE UPPER EDGE OF THE DASHBOARD BLOCKS THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE CAR. TO SEE THIS, DO THIS SIMPLE TEST. DRAW A "STARTING" LINE ACROSS A TWO LANE DRIVEWAY. PARK A 2009 FIT BASE MODEL AND ANY OTHER MODEL OF CAR SIDE BY SIDE SO THAT THEIR FRONT BUMPERS ARE AT THE "STARTING LINE". SIT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF THE FIT AND LOOK THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD TO FIND THE FIRST PART OF THE ROAD YOU CAN SEE. MARK IT MENTALLY OR HAVE A FRIEND CHALK IT FOR YOU. NOW SIT IN THE OTHER CAR'S DRIVER'S SEAT AND MARK THE FIRST PART OF THE ROAD YOU CAN SEE. FOR ME THE FIRST PIECE OF VISIBLE ROAD IS 15 TO 20 FEET IN FRONT OF THE FIT AND 5 TO 10 FEET IN FRONT OF A 2008 COROLLA. THAT LOSS OF 10 FEET OF VISIBLE ROAD DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF CAR BECOMES CRITICAL WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED IN CLOSELY SPACED TRAFFIC. IT'S ALSO A THREAT WHEN DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE SMALL CHILDREN OR THEIR PETS OCCASIONALLY DART INTO THE STREET. I SURVIVED A TERRIFYING DRIVE THROUGH RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC BY LEAVING A LOT OF EXTRA SPACE BETWEEN THE FIT AND THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. I RETURNED THE 2009 FIT TO THE DEALER WHO SOLD IT TO ME. NOW I AM DRIVING A 2008 COROLLA. THE COROLLA WINDSHIELD AND SIDE WINDOWS PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT 180 DEGREE VIEW OF THE ROAD, BOTH CLOSE TO THE CAR AND FARTHER AWAY. *TR