Two problems related to instrument panel have been reported for the 2008 Honda FIT. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2008 Honda FIT based on all problems reported for the 2008 FIT.
I am fortunately not reporting on a failure per se or an accident, I am reporting a potentially deadly flaw in the lighting system of many new vehicles (like for instance my 2008 Honda Fit). The problem is that anytime the car is started the instrument panel is totally lighted up and stays that way not matter what the actual visibility is. As a consequence it is quite easy to forget to turn on the head lights even at night when leaving a brightly lighted place (like a gas station). This has happened to me a few times: I would tank the car, start the engine, see the lighted instrument panel and drive off into a dark street. Of course you realize after a few seconds that you have no headlights but those 2-3 seconds could be fatal, the only indicator that the head lights are on is a small green icon that it is easily not noticed among the lighted panel. The situation is also dangerous at dusk when the lighted panel again gives the impression that the headlights are on. A few days ago I passed a car driven on a nearby interstate by a woman who had not headlights on and was driving in a situation of advanced darkness; as I passed her car I noticed the glow of her lighted instrument panel. Since one's eyes easily adjust to darkness it is very easy not to notice the problem. I hope nobody has been already victimized by this not so intelligent system.
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Fit. The Honda Fit sport is designed so that the instrument panel illuminates to full brightness as soon as the ignition is turned on--day or night. It cannot be turned off at all. (the dealer and manufacturer confirm this. ) the problem is that I, like, I suspect, most drivers, rely on a dark car interior as a prompt to turn on the headlights at night. This week I have driven home from work three out of five nights with no headlights. (on one occasion I was prompted by a kind approaching driver who "blinked" me; on another I actually remembered to turn the lights on. The degree of illumination, incidentally, can be controlled when the headlights are on. The too-bright dashboard is a mild annoyance during the daytime, but that in itself would not merit a complaint. The major issue is this: I chose this car largely because of its excellent safety rating--and I now feel very unsafe when I arrive home and discover that I have just driving six miles on chicago streets with no headlights. The contact purchased the vehicle in January of 2008 and has only been driving the vehicle during the day. The failure mileage was 8,000.