NHTSA Complaint #10252292 — 2008 HONDA FIT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. THE HONDA FIT SPORT IS DESIGNED SO THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATES TO FULL BRIGHTNESS AS SOON AS THE IGNITION IS TURNED ON--DAY OR NIGHT. IT CANNOT BE TURNED OFF AT ALL. (THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONFIRM THIS.) THE PROBLEM IS THAT I, LIKE, I SUSPECT, MOST DRIVERS, RELY ON A DARK CAR INTERIOR AS A PROMPT TO TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT. THIS WEEK I HAVE DRIVEN HOME FROM WORK THREE OUT OF FIVE NIGHTS WITH NO HEADLIGHTS. (ON ONE OCCASION I WAS PROMPTED BY A KIND APPROACHING DRIVER WHO "BLINKED" ME; ON ANOTHER I ACTUALLY REMEMBERED TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON. THE DEGREE OF ILLUMINATION, INCIDENTALLY, CAN BE CONTROLLED WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THE TOO-BRIGHT DASHBOARD IS A MILD ANNOYANCE DURING THE DAYTIME, BUT THAT IN ITSELF WOULD NOT MERIT A COMPLAINT. THE MAJOR ISSUE IS THIS: I CHOSE THIS CAR LARGELY BECAUSE OF ITS EXCELLENT SAFETY RATING--AND I NOW FEEL VERY UNSAFE WHEN I ARRIVE HOME AND DISCOVER THAT I HAVE JUST DRIVING SIX MILES ON CHICAGO STREETS WITH NO HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY OF 2008 AND HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE DURING THE DAY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.