While stopped at a traffic light in town (luckily - and not on a turnpike or highway) my car suddenly came to a jarring halt when i accelerated when the light turned green. two strangers helped me push the car across traffic to a parking lot and i had to call aaa for a tow to a local auto repair. the axle had snapped because of the rubber vibration diminisher which traps water and debris then this accumulation rusts the axle and compromises its integrity. very dangerous because i had just come off of a 4 lane highway and could have caused a pileup if i had suddenly stopped on that highway. i checked the internet and discovered that this seems to be a problem with lots of honda fit models.
Stopped at intersection. started to proceed by taking foot off brake & pressing on gas & there was a loud thud & no forward motion. placed in park, then back in drive. in drive engine revs, and there is a high pitched noise, but no forward motion. had to call tow truck. mechanic replaced the driver side axel shaft assembly, as axel was broken. mechanic stated that rust had formed under a plastic fitting midway on the shaft, and this was the second one he replaced that week.
Stopped at intersection. lifted foot off brake, started to go and car stopped. it made a clank. the engine clicking but not engaging in drive. a bystander pushed my car (in neutral) off the road. had car towed and fixed where i learned it was front left axle
Honda fit 2011 on 7/18/19 i was driving west on golf road in niles, il. as i made a left turn at the light, the fit made a noise which sounded like i had driven over a metal barrel. the car lost power and drifted into a strip mall parking lot. someone helped me push it out of the way of incoming traffic. after having it towed, my mechanic discovered that the driver-side driveshaft had corroded, especially under the rubber damper, and had completely broken through. also, the passenger-side driveshaft had corroded in the same place, and was beginning to wear through. (i sent two photos of the two driveshafts to nhtsa.webmaster @dot.gov today.) i am a 75 year old careful driver, no accidents, no moving violations on my record. the car had just 44,615 miles on it and has been well maintained regularly since i bought it. i spoke to the service director at my honda dealership, who said "in my opinion, the axle should never break." if this defect is appearing in other honda fits, the car should be recalled. cost to me: $396.78 for two new driveshafts, and $295 for labor.. and, by the way, i could have been hit by oncoming traffic, and i could have been killed.
While driving the car started making humming noise, it got louder the faster it went, took it to garden state honda in passaic nu and they said it was the wheel bearings on both sides, when i asked if it was under warranty they told me no and it will cost $800 and it would take a week because they would have too order the parts. i was moving to florida and when i got there i called delray beach honda and they told me that the bearings are covered under the drive train warranty, so i took the car in and they replaced the bearings and also replaced a bad driver side axle. the bearings and axle replacement at 35,00 miles in my opinion is unacceptable considering i drive follow the maintenance strictly and i am very easy on the car.