Problems · by component

2008 Honda Fit air bags problems

57 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Honda Fit cite air bags, 26% of all 217 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 4 recalls on this component.

Complaints
57
26% of all complaints
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND VEERED INTO LIGHT POST. THE POST WAS IMPACTED AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS SMOKE AND GUN POWDER SMELL. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE AIRBAG OBVIOUSLY FIRED, BUT DID NOT DEPLOY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2020Suspension, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11384459
“MY AIR BAGS LIGHT CAME ON. TESTING SHOWED AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED. IT TURNED MY AIRBAGS OFF. UNSAFE TO DRIVE. 2007 & 2009 HAS AN AIR BAG RECALL. WHAT ABOUT 2008?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2020Air bagsODI 11353014
“TAKATA RECALL MY AIRBAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN MY 2008 HONDA FIT, PER THE WEIR CANYON HONDA DEALER. THE LIGHT WENT ON ON MY DASHBOARD WHEN I WAS DRIVING. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR WITH THIS DEFECT, AND I CAN'T AFFORD $1325 TO REPLACE IT. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFECT LIKE THE PREVIOUS RECALL ON THE AIRBAG.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 26, 2018Air bagsODI 11113848
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA FIT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (VALLEY MALL, 300 AUTO MALL DRIVE, HENDERSON, NV) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS ALSO CONTACTED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,282.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2018Air bagsODI 11104234
“2008 HONDA FIT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATOR SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPLETING THE RECALL DUE TO PARTS BEING UNAVAILABLE. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 5, 2018Air bagsODI 10985228
“TAKATA RECALL : MY 2008 HONDA FIT WAS TRAVELING AT 15 MPH AND WENT INTO A POLICE K-9 UNIT 'ELVIS'. THE AIR BAG VIRULENTLY EXPLODED ON MY JAW AND CAUSED MY TEETH TO BIT MY TONGUE. THE POLICEMAN MISTOOK THE INJURY FOR A SEIZURE AND I LOST MY LICENSE INDEFINITELY. I WAS TAKE TO THE HOSPITAL AGAINST MY WILL AND GIVEN 10,000 DOLLARS IN SERVICES I DIDN'T WANT OR NEED DUE TO THE AIR BAG. HONDA AND TAKATA AND NHTSA NEED TO COME CLEAN AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 11, 2017Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10984833

Showing 6 of 57 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

4 recalls on this component

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jun 27, 2019NHTSA 19V501000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2011 Honda Element vehicles, 2005-2012 Acura RL vehicles, 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2005-2008 Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2009 Acura RL and Honda Element vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles, 2005-2008 Honda Pilot vehicles and 2006-2009 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Honda is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2008 Acura RL, Honda Element and Honda Pilot vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2006-2008 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 10, 2017NHTSA 17V029000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2008 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2008 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2008 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Honda is recalling model year 2002-2004 Odyssey and model year 2003-2004 Acura MDX, Honda Element, and Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported May 24, 2016NHTSA 16V344000

Air bags: frontal

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA , WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE WIRE HARNESS FOR THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) AND THE OCCUPANT POSITION DETECTION SYSTEM (OPDS) IS ROUTED UNDERNEATH THE CARPET ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOORBOARD. IN AREAS WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED, SALT FROM THE SNOW ON THE DRIVER'S SHOES WILL MELT AND MAY PENETRATE THE CARPET AND LEAK INTO THE WIRE HARNESS. IF THE HARNESS IS EXPOSED TO SALT BRINE, CORROSION MAY OCCUR AND THE WIRE MAY BREAK CAUSING THE SRS INDICATOR LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. A FAILURE OF THE ODS AND OPDS MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A CHILD SEAT OR AN OUT-OF-POSITION PASSENGER AND DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER'S FRONTAL AND SIDE AIR BAGS WILL NOT BE SUPPRESSED.

Air bagsReported Dec 3, 2007NHTSA 07V549000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 12, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2008 Fit problem areas