2008 Honda FIT Air Bags Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Apr 2, 2026 · 57 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2008 Honda FIT, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 80,425 miles. The words owners use most often: “takata air bags” (30% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Takata air bags: mentioned in 17 of 57 complaints (30%)
  • Total loss: mentioned in 5 of 57 complaints (9%)
  • Passenger seat: mentioned in 5 of 57 complaints (9%)

At what mileage do air bags problems happen?

Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles1 · 5%
10k–25k miles4 · 19%
25k–50k miles1 · 5%
50k–75k miles4 · 19%
75k–100k miles2 · 10%
100k–150k miles5 · 24%
150k+ miles4 · 19%

How serious are the reports?

Of 57 complaints, 16 mention a crash, 13 an injury.

Honda FIT air bags complaints by model year

Peak: 2009, with 104 complaints
2007: 662007662008: 572008572009: 10420091042010: 842010842011: 642011642012: 412012412013: 922013922015: 152015152016: 4201642018: 3201832019: 3201932020: 320203

n = 536 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearAir Bags complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2020 FIT38%—
2019 FIT32%19,900
2018 FIT33%—
2016 FIT43%75,000
2015 FIT155%58,523
2013 FIT9252%18,100
2012 FIT4136%51,500
2011 FIT6457%63,500
2010 FIT8446%42,023
2009 FIT10436%70,000
2008 FIT5726%80,425
2007 FIT6618%53,516

When owners reported it

Peak: 2016, with 29 complaints
2008: 1200812009: 3200932010: 1201012011: 3201132013: 1201312014: 3201432015: 2201522016: 292016292017: 8201782018: 3201832019: 1201912020: 220202

n = 57 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (4)

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleJun 27, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V501000 · 1,657,752 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleJan 10, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V029000 · 308,884 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KD9 and KE0.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleMay 23, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V344000 · 1,790,894 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3.

Air bags:frontalDec 3, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V549000 · 34,300 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: In the event of a crash, a deploying front passenger air bag or front passenger's side air bag will increase the risk of injury to small or out-of-position occupants.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the wire harness. The recall began on december 12, 2007. Owners may contact honda at 800-999-1009.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

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.

Received Dec 21, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 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?

Received Sep 3, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11353014

Due to this airbag defectiveness my car got damaged and affected badly

Received Nov 7, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11278789
Honda FIT
2013-2017 Honda Fit Hybrid F Package. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: TTTNIS, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2008 Honda FITs have air bags problems?

No. NHTSA has 57 owner complaints about air bags for the 2008 Honda FIT (26% of the 217 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2008 Honda FIT air bags?

Yes: 4 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do air bags problems start?

The median reported mileage is 80,425 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2008 Honda FIT?

The most frequent phrase is “takata air bags”, in 17 of 57 complaints, followed by “total loss” (5).

See all 2008 Honda FIT problems or air bags problems across all FIT years.