Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Driver's Airbag Inflator for 2007-11 CR-V and Other Listed Years and Models.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Honda Fit airbags problems
severe 102 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
102
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
12crashes
13injuries
What stands out
Of the 11 model years of Honda Fit we track for airbags problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 102.
Airbags accounts for 36% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 12 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags 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 - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - American Honda is conducting an inspection of certain vehicles that have previously had the passenger's airbag inflator replaced as part of the Takata Passsenger's Airbag Inflator recall. If you completed the repair described by this service bulletin on or before May 10, 2019, make sure to use the Warranty Claim Information provided below.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - American Honda is conducting an inspection of certain vehicles that have previously had the passenger's airbag inflator replaced as part of the Takata Passsenger's Airbag Inflator recall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The Takata airbag inflator recalls (NHTSA 16V061000 driver-side, 16V346000 passenger-side) are the dominant complaint theme. Owners received recall notices starting March 2016 and were instructed not to drive or avoid front-seat passengers pending repair. The critical problem: replacement inflators were unavailable for months or longer. Dealers consistently reported parts on order with 4–6 week minimum lead times, many never materializing. Owners faced months of back-and-forth calls with dealers and Honda corporate, often receiving no callbacks, no estimated repair dates, and conflicting information about loaner vehicle eligibility.
Honda's marketing promised loaner vehicles and even gift cards to incentivize recall participation, but owners reported dealers refusing loaners outright, conditioning them on completion of both driver and passenger repairs simultaneously (unrealistic given parts availability), or imposing barriers like Enterprise deposit requirements and income verification. Some owners couldn't use vehicles due to business or seasonal relocation needs, and a nonprofit car-sharing service lost thousands in revenue with no compensation offered.
Three crash incidents reported airbag non-deployment in impacts that should have triggered them, resulting in serious occupant injuries. Two owners also reported chemical burns from airbag deployment chemicals, with no pre-deployment warnings provided.
One owner reported an airbag warning light with non-functioning airbags detected by the dealer, quoted at $105 diagnostic cost.
Same Honda Fit airbags reports on nearby years: 2007 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Takata airbag inflator defect — driver and passenger sides
Takata-supplied airbag inflators on the driver and passenger sides identified as defective and subject to recalls NHTSA 16V061000 (driver) and 16V346000 (passenger). The defect posed risk of unintended deployment or failure to deploy; owners were advised not to drive or to restrict passenger seating pending repair. Bulk of complaints center on parts unavailability and repair delays spanning months to over a year from initial recall notice.
When: Recall notices issued March–July 2016; repair attempts from March 2016 through late 2016 and into 2017
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle subject to recall notices for driver-side and passenger-side airbag inflators; Owners instructed not to drive or restrict passenger seating; No active failure symptoms reported in majority of cases; defect identified via recall notice
Codes mentioned: NHTSA 16V061000, NHTSA 16V346000
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement inflators required. Parts were chronically unavailable; dealers reported 4–6 week lead times minimum when parts were obtainable at all. Many cases show no parts availability confirmed even months after initial contact.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda issued recall notices and promised loaner vehicles in marketing materials and press releases, but loaners were often withheld, made contingent on both driver and passenger repairs, or offered with unrealistic conditions (Enterprise deposit requirements, income verification, conflicting daily-rate approvals). Honda corporate case escalations frequently resulted in no callback or follow-up.
Airbag non-deployment in crashes
In at least three documented crashes, airbags failed to deploy despite impact forces that should have triggered them. One case involved a rear-end collision at 55 mph with vehicle destruction and occupant injuries; another a 15 mph front driver-side impact with serious occupant injuries; a third a 20 mph rear-end with passenger-side deployment only, no driver-side. These represent potential safety gaps in the airbag system beyond the Takata inflator recall.
When: Mileage 9,000–90,800 at time of crash; timing of crashes not always specified
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy in moderate- to high-impact crashes; Occupants sustained injuries (neck, chest, head, face, shoulder, hip, knee fractures and injuries); In one case, driver's seat collapsed abnormally during impact
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles were destroyed or not repaired. One case involved Honda inspection dispatch (Priority 1 status) after a driver's-side airbag was replaced in March 2017 but failed to deploy in a subsequent crash.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: In one case, Honda dispatched an inspector to verify correct reinstallation of a driver-side airbag module that had failed to deploy post-repair. No other manufacturer response documented.
Airbag deployment burns
Owners reported chemical burns from airbag deployment. One owner sustained blistering and peeling burns on the left wrist and right hand, including scars, from the chemical contents of a deployed driver-side airbag. Another reported facial and shoulder burns to a passenger when multiple airbags deployed in a front-passenger-side crash. No manufacturer warnings were provided about burn risk from airbag chemicals.
When: At time of crashes (impact speeds not always stated; one at 55 mph rear-end, one at unspecified speed with front-passenger impact)
Symptoms owners cite: Chemical burns with blistering and peeling of skin upon airbag deployment; Scars on wrist and hand; Facial burns (nose, eye, lip area) and shoulder burns on passenger
Repairs/costs cited: No repair; first-aid personnel were unaware the chemical residue would continue to burn skin on contact.
Airbag warning light illumination without known cause
Owner reported airbag warning light coming on approximately one month before service visit with no crash or known trigger. Dealer identified that airbags were not functioning and quoted a minimum $105 diagnostic fee.
When: At unspecified mileage; light came on about one month before dealer contact
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated; Airbags not functioning per dealer assessment; No accident or known cause
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer quoted $105 minimum diagnostic charge to determine root cause.
Synthesized from 102 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Honda fit. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Honda fit. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 16v061000 (air bags) and 16v346000 (air bags) however the parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced an issue. VIN tool…
Takata recall: I contacted berkeley Honda to get this recall fixed. A sales person contacted me to try to sell me a new car but the service department never returned the call. I called them back and they supposedly ordered the part but never advised me if the part was available. Further calls not returned. Contacted oakland Honda who said they had the parts but refused to make an appointment…
I was in a car accident in june of this year involving multiple cars on a highway at 65 MPH where I was hit several times, and none of the airbags deployed. My car was totaled
2009 Honda fit. Consumer writes in regards to problems to complete/schedule recall notice repairs. *smd
2011 Honda fit. Consumer writes in regards to replacement parts not available to repair driver front airbag inflator recall notice. *smd
Had airbags trouble with your 2009 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 airbags problem on the 2009 Honda Fit?
It's a meaningful issue. 102 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 18 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 55,000 and 81,000 miles, with the median around 75,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 55,000; a quarter make it past 81,000. 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 $1,100 for airbags 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 airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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/2009/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.