Sign inCreate free garage
Research · Small Station Wagons

2012 Honda FitRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 11 safety recalls and 113 owner complaints for the 2012 Honda Fit. Most complaints involve air bags (41) and steering (16). The EPA rates it 29–31 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
29–31mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
4of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
11campaigns
Latest Dec 2020
Owner complaints
113
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,050est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

11 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Power train: driveshaft

Remedy pending

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Acura ILX, 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, and 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles with a manual transmission and 2009-2013 Honda Fit vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The drive shafts' protective coating may not have been applied properly during manufacturing, making it more susceptible to damage from road salt, or other contaminants, and potentially cause it to break.

Power trainReported Dec 10, 2020NHTSA 20V770000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver 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 19V500000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot 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 19V502000
See all 11 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 30, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

113 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jan 2012 – Mar 2026
  1. Air bags41
  2. Steering16
  3. Power train14
  4. Engine12
  5. Electrical system9
  6. Vehicle speed control8
  7. Suspension3
  8. Seat belts3
  9. Fuel system, gasoline2

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

By model year

Complaints for each Fit model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2007370
2008217
2009287
2010184
2011113
2012113
2013176
2015284
2016122
201743
2018117
2019138
202037
Crashes reported
6
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
3
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

41 reports2 crashes
“2012 HONDA FIT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIRBAG INFLATOR SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED, BUT NOTICES WERE STILL BEING SENT OUT. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2019Air bagsODI 11220071

Steering

16 reports3 crashes
“The electronic steering power assist failed several times in the past two weeks. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The safety of occupants was put at risk because of the difficulty of steering safely in traffic. The car has not yet been taken to my dealer for evaluation. The vehicle or component has not yet been inspected. No warning lamps or other symptoms of the problem appeared prior to the failure.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 4, 2024SteeringODI 11592516

Power train

14 reports
“The contact owns a 2012 Honda Fit. The contact stated that while making a turn from a complete stop at the exit of a gas station, the vehicle became immovable, and there was an abnormally high-pitched grinding sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to AAA Auto Body Shop, where the contact was informed that the passenger's side CV axle was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. AAA informed the contact that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V770000 (Power Train), and the VIN was included in the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the driver's side CV axle had failed due to corrosion test and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired free of charge. The manufacturer was contacted but denied the reimbursement claim for the passenger’s side CV axle repair, despite receiving the repair bill. The failure mileage was 88,052.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2026Power trainODI 11723931
All 2012 Fit problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Station Wagons
Engines
1.5L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 5-spd · Automatic (S5) · Manual 5-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 30, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Fit
Auto 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
283531$2,050287
Fit
Auto (S5), 4 cyl, 1.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
273330$2,150296
Fit
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
273329$2,200306
  • Fit
    Auto 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L
    28 city · 35 hwy · $2,050/yr
    31
    mpg comb.
  • Fit
    Auto (S5), 4 cyl, 1.5 L
    27 city · 33 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • Fit
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L
    27 city · 33 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 30, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
Overall rating
4/ 5
4 of 5
Honda Fit 5 HB FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
4 of 5
Side pole
2 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
12.4%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 30, 2026Vehicle 6093
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2012 Fit questions

How many recalls does the 2012 Honda Fit have?

11 safety recalls as of Oct 30, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2012 Honda Fit problems?

Owners filed 113 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (41), steering (16), power train (14). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2012 Honda Fit get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Honda Fit at 29–31 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

How safe is the 2012 Honda Fit?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2012 Honda Fit 4 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 30, 2026