NHTSA Complaint #11365880 — 2011 HONDA FIT

DRIVER'S SIDE AXLE BROKE RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF PROPULSION. PASSENGER SIDE AXLE SHOWING SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. BOTH AXLES HAD TO BE REPLACED TO RESUME SAFE AND NORMAL FUNCTION. ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING, HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE AND JUST DRIVEN CAR CROSS-COUNTRY (WV->WA) 2 WEEKS PRIOR WITHOUT INCIDENT. CAR IS 2011 HONDA FIT WITH ~70K MILES ON IT, REGULARLY MAINTAINED AT DEALER AND UP UNTIL THE INCIDENT I WAS COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE INCLUDED THE CARD FROM THE SPD WITH THE INCIDENT NUMBER, THE RECEIPT FROM HONDA OF SEATTLE FOR THE WORK, THE RECEIPT FOR MY PAYMENT, AND A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE OLD AXLES SHOWING THE BREAK. I HAVE RETAINED THEM IN CASE THEY WOULD BE RELEVANT FOR INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO TURN THEM OVER. INCIDENT OCCURRED EASTBOUND AT 1ST AVE S AND YESLER IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE WHILE RESUMING FORWARD MOTION FROM SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT. I FOUND AN EXPERIENCE FROM ANOTHER FIT OWNER ALMOST IDENTICAL TO MINE: HTTPS://WWW.FITFREAK.NET/FORUMS/1ST-GENERATION-GD-01-08/98605-AXLE-PROBLEMS.HTML#POST1406103 I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS A I HAVE ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER IN MICHIGAN WITH A HONDA FIT OF SIMILAR VINTAGE AND I HAVE ADVISED THEM TO HAVE THEIR AXLES INSPECTED. I AM SHAKEN TO THINK OF THE AXLE BREAKING WHILE DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS, OR TRYING TO MERGE ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY. I CONSIDER MYSELF EXTREMELY FORTUNATE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH, MUCH WORSE. NOT ONLY COULD THIS HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY EVENT BUT THE REPAIR SUGGESTED BY HONDA WAS ~3K WHICH IS PROBABLY OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGET FOR MOST HONDA FIT OWNERS.