HONDA: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. WARRANTY EXTENSION DUE TO ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WITH CODE DTC 32-09 OR 61-04. MODEL 2007-08 FIT.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2007 Honda Fit steering problems
severe 86 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
86
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
2crashes
4injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 86 steering complaints filed for the 2007 Honda Fit, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 9 model years of Honda Fit we track for steering problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 86.
Owners have filed 86 steering complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service bulletin - American Honda is extending the warranty on the EPS (electric power steering) to 10 years from the original date of purchase or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. This warranty covers vehicles where the steering feels heavier than normal, or is hard to turn, particularly when the vehicle is not moving, and the EPS indicator comes on with DTC 61-04 (open/short in the EPS motor harness [steering diagnosis]) or DTC 32-09 (current sensor [initial diagnosis]) stored.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗HONDA: THE STEERING FEELS HEAVY AND THERE IS A STORED TROUBLE CODE. THERE IS A MALFUNCTION OF THE POWER STEERING. UPDATE 03/03/15
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2007 Honda Fit has a persistent Electronic Power Steering (EPS) control module failure affecting a wide range of mileages and model years. Owners report the EPS warning light appearing suddenly, either at startup or while driving, followed by loss of power steering assist. The steering wheel becomes extremely stiff and nearly impossible to turn without significant force. Power steering typically returns only after restarting the engine, a temporary fix that works until the fault recurs.
Cold weather and cold starts trigger the failure most frequently, though it occurs in all seasons. Some owners experience it one or twice a year; others report multiple failures per month or week. The critical safety issue is that failures happen while driving at speeds ranging from city driving (15–45 mph) to highway speeds (65 mph). One owner's vehicle rolled over after the steering locked on a mountainous curve, causing severe injuries. Multiple owners report nearly colliding with oncoming traffic when power steering vanished mid-turn.
Honda issued Technical Service Bulletin 09-043 (July 2009) recommending EPS module replacement at a cost of $700–$960 plus labor, but refuses to issue a recall. The manufacturer does not cover repairs outside the 3-year warranty. Independent mechanics often cannot diagnose the fault because trouble codes clear after restart, leaving owners initially told their vehicle is safe when a real defect exists. Owners cite forum posts from thousands of affected Fit owners, yet Honda maintains this is not a widespread safety defect.
Same Honda Fit steering reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2009 · 2010
Failure modes owners describe
Electronic Power Steering (EPS) Unit Failure—Intermittent Loss of Assistance
The EPS control module fails intermittently, causing sudden loss of power steering assistance. The steering wheel becomes extremely difficult or impossible to turn. Owners report the EPS warning light illuminates on the dashboard when the failure occurs. Power steering typically returns only after restarting the engine.
When: Failures occur at startup (especially cold start), during driving, and after the vehicle has been parked overnight. Many owners report higher frequency in cold weather or below 45°F ambient temperature. Some failures happen within the first 5–10 minutes of morning driving.
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering warning light illuminates on dashboard; Steering wheel becomes extremely stiff and difficult or impossible to turn; Total loss of power steering assist without warning; Steering wheel may lock in position; Steering wheel feels heavy; excessive force required to turn; In some cases, steering wheel jerks or pulls hard to one side before losing assist entirely
Codes mentioned: EPS control unit internal failure (dealer diagnosis), Code 61-04, TSB 09-043 reference (Honda Technical Service Bulletin)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers diagnose the failure as defective EPS control module requiring replacement. Part number cited: 39980-SLN-A21. Repair cost: $700–$958 (part only; labor additional, ranging $5+ hours). Some owners report the replacement did not permanently resolve the issue. One owner reported a second failure requiring replacement of 'the motor connected to the power steering' approximately one year after the first repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda Technical Service Bulletin 09-043 (July 2009) addresses the symptom 'steering feels heavier than normal' and recommends EPS control unit replacement. Owner's manual recommends restarting the engine if the EPS light comes on. Honda does not classify this as a safety recall; repairs are not covered under the standard 3-year/36,000-mile warranty for out-of-warranty vehicles. One owner cited a warranty extension, though details are not specified.
EPS Relay Clicking/Buzzing Sound at Cold Start
When the ambient temperature drops below approximately 45°F, the EPS module relay emits a strange clicking or buzzing sound immediately after engine start. The power steering warning light remains illuminated and steering is very stiff.
When: Cold ambient temperatures, typically below 45°F. Occurs during or shortly after engine startup.
Symptoms owners cite: Strange clicking or buzzing sound from EPS module relay; Power steering warning light remains illuminated; Steering wheel very stiff and difficult to move; Loss of power steering assist in cold conditions
Codes mentioned: TSB 09-043 reference
Repairs/costs cited: Honda Service Bulletin recommends EPS module replacement at cost $700+. One owner reported needing to cycle the ignition off and on a dozen times before power steering returned.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda Technical Service Bulletin 09-043 recommends replacement of the EPS module.
EPS Failure During Active Driving—Near-Miss and Accident Incidents
The EPS system fails completely while the vehicle is in motion at highway or city speeds, leaving the driver with no power assist to steer. Multiple owners report near-miss collisions and one catastrophic crash.
When: Failures reported while driving at various speeds: 15 mph, 30 mph, 35 mph, 40 mph, 45 mph, 65 mph, and on mountainous winding roads.
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden total loss of power steering while driving; Power steering warning light illuminates during driving; Steering wheel becomes extremely difficult to turn mid-turn; Steering wheel locks or jerks unexpectedly; Vehicle pulls hard to one side or becomes uncontrollable; Vehicle veers into opposing traffic lane
Codes mentioned: EPS control unit internal failure, TSB 09-043 reference
Repairs/costs cited: One catastrophic incident (narrative #27) resulted in the vehicle rolling over and being declared destroyed; both occupants sustained severe injuries. Multiple owners report near-miss incidents with oncoming traffic. Most owners regained steering control by restarting the engine at a stop or by exerting significant physical force on the steering wheel.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued. Honda Service Bulletin 09-043 provides guidance but does not mandate a recall. Manufacturers have declined to provide assistance outside of warranty. One dealer reportedly reset the control module without permanent repair.
Difficulty Diagnosing EPS Failure at Independent Shops
When the EPS fault occurs intermittently, diagnostic equipment at independent shops (including Honda-certified independents) often fails to retrieve fault codes or reproduce the failure. The diagnostic scanner clears the fault after restart, leaving mechanics unable to identify the root cause.
When: Intermittent failures that resolve on engine restart. Diagnostic attempts made after the fault has cleared.
Symptoms owners cite: EPS warning light appears intermittently; Loss of power steering intermittently; Diagnostic trouble codes clear after engine restart
Codes mentioned: No codes retrieved on independent shop diagnostics, Codes clear after restart making diagnosis difficult
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanics cannot diagnose the failure if they cannot reproduce it. One owner reported being told 'nothing is wrong' by an independent shop, then diagnosed with EPS control unit internal failure at the dealer. This created a safety gap where owners might be told their vehicle is safe to drive when a defect exists.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda dealers use a specific TSB (09-043) to guide diagnosis. The complexity of intermittent EPS faults makes remote diagnosis or out-of-warranty diagnosis difficult and expensive for owners.
Synthesized from 86 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
Accelerated out of an intersection, from a stop at a stop sign, car lost power, steering...coasted across intersection to a stop. Called for a tow. While waiting, attempted to start car-it started. Drove home and had it towed to dealer, examined for several days, could not find a problem to fix. Same problem just occurred while car was in motion driving at approximately 30 miles per hour. Car…
A few times over the past several months, the steering light up on the column but we were able to turn the car off and back on again with the issue resolved. However, this time we were driving across the country and the light turned on and never turned off again. Power steering was completely gone. It was difficult to turn the wheel and drive the car at all. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2007 Honda fit. The contact stated that in cold weather when turning the vehicle on, the electrical power steering warning light would illuminate on the instrumental panel. While driving at various speeds, the power steering would fail when making a turn causing it to be difficult to manuever. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who informed the contact that there was a…
Tl* - the contact stated that the vehicle accelerates by itself. When he turns the steering wheel either left or right the vehicle proceeds at approximately 2-5 MPH. The contact states all he has to do is turn the steering wheel slightly and the vehicle moves forward. He took the car into the dealer to have it looked at and they could not find any problems. He said they compared the vehicle…
The electric power steering on my Honda fit failed to function. Fortunately, the event happened in my garage, but it was almost impossible to steer the wheels. So, I had to find other transportation to make my thanksgiving dinner. This could have been a disaster had the failure occurred on the road.
Power steering failed to engage when starting from a cold start and attempting to drive out of a parking lot. Indicator panel light came on. Turned car off, then started again and power steering engaged without incident. This same scenario occurred a few more times over the following months, however, much more frequent these last 2 months, nov./dec. 2013. Has not happened while traveling on the…
On multiple occasions electric power steering assist would fail on start up, particularly after some overnight rain. Without the steering assist this car becomes difficult and dangerous to handle. Restarting the engine has corrected this intermittent problem so far, but it poses a considerable danger, especially if the steering assist were to cut out during high speed driving. *tr
The Electronic Power steering stopped working
2007 Honda fit lost power steering without warning ! While driving!!! I have 80,000km on it ! Lucky to be alive! Very lucky! Lets take this seriously! *tr
Power steering failed while driving. Restarting the engine restored the power steering. *tr
Had steering trouble with your 2007 Honda Fit?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2007 Honda Fit?
It's a meaningful issue. 86 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 73 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 39,800 and 80,000 miles, with the median around 55,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 39,800; a quarter make it past 80,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Honda/Fit.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.