TECHLINE SUMMARY ARTICLE - IF YOU RUN ACROSS A SPARK PLUG THATS LOOSE OR HAS BLOWN OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD BEFORE REACHING THE FIRST SERVICE INTERVAL (GENERALLY AT 105K), CHANCES ARE IT WASNT TORQUED ENOUGH WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS CAN BE AS MINOR AS REINSTALLING THE SPARK PLUG TO COMPLETE CYLINDER HEAD REPLACEMENT DUE TO SPARK PLUG THREAD HOLE DAMAGE.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Honda Fit engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2012 Honda Fit have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the engine, typically surfacing around 79,000 miles at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Fit | 14 |
| 2009 Fit | 14 |
| 2010 Fit | 7 |
| 2011 Fit | 8 |
| 2012 Fit (this page) | 11 |
| 2013 Fit | 10 |
| 2015 Fit | 25 |
| 2016 Fit | 4 |
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine 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.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant failure across these 11 complaints is spark plug ejection from the cylinder head, mainly affecting cylinders 1 and 2. Owners describe driving at highway speeds when a loud pop or explosion occurs, the spark plug blows out, and the engine loses power suddenly. The ejection strips threads in the cylinder head, breaks the spark plug electrode, melts or burns ignition coils, and leaves black soot buildup on the remaining plugs and coils. Several owners report this happened twice on their vehicle.
Timing ranges from 12,000 miles to 130,000 miles, with most incidents between 44,000 and 90,000 miles. One owner states the spark plug threads wore loose due to manufacturing defect in initial installation, as a Honda dealership was the only party to touch the engine. Another owner explicitly notes this is "a known problem being talked about by many people on Honda Fit forums."
Separately, one owner reports the engine hesitates and fails to respond to the accelerator when starting from a standstill with the steering wheel fully turned, creating intersection safety hazards. Another describes intermittent loss of throttle response after idling at traffic lights.
Several owners encountered engine misfire conditions that trigger speed-limiting limp mode during highway driving. Honda has issued technical service bulletins addressing spark plug issues, yet Honda dealers deny warranty coverage and blame owner or mechanic negligence, even on vehicles within extended powertrain warranty periods.
Same Honda Fit engine reports on nearby years: 2009 · 2013 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Spark plug ejection / threads stripped in cylinder head
Spark plugs, most commonly cylinders 1 and 2, blow out of the cylinder head under driving conditions, stripping threads completely or partially. Owners report the spark plug electrode breaks off, debris falls into the cylinder, and ignition coils are burned or melted. In multiple cases this occurred twice on the same vehicle.
When: 12K to 130K miles; one incident at 51K miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud popping or explosion-like noise while driving; Immediate loss of engine power; Engine misfire affecting cylinders 1 and 2; Coil packs burned or blackened with soot; Black carbon/soot buildup on spark plugs and coil packs; Rough idle
Repairs/costs cited: Cylinder head replacement, head gasket replacement, coil pack replacement, spark plugs, and helicoil or thread repair of cylinder head. One owner cited total repair cost around $4,000; another was quoted for cylinder head, coils, spark plugs, and head gaskets.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda dealers initially denied warranty coverage and blamed owner/mechanic error. Owner in #1 found TSBs issued by Honda addressing similar issues but Honda denied goodwill coverage outside warranty period. Owner #2 has 100,000 mile powertrain warranty but Honda is denying warranty claim. No recall or campaign exists for this issue per NHTSA, though owners mention Honda Fit forums discussing this as a known problem and Honda has issued TSBs.
Engine acceleration hesitation / stumble when steering and starting
Engine does not respond normally to accelerator input when vehicle starts from a standstill with steering wheel turned fully right or left. This appears to be a separate drivability issue from the spark plug ejection problem.
When: Early in vehicle ownership; owner #4 reported 7 instances in first 1,300 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No throttle response when accelerator is applied during left or right turns from standstill; Engine eventually responds if accelerator is pressed to the floor; No malfunction when steering straight; Vehicle momentarily stopped in intersection during occurrence
Engine misfire with power limiting mode activation
Engine misfires trigger limp-mode or speed limiting function during highway driving, restricting vehicle speed for safety. Owner documented three separate misfire events over the vehicle's life.
When: 52K miles, 69K miles, 130K miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine misfire during driving; Vehicle enters speed limiting or limp mode; Speed reduced dramatically during highway operation; In the 130K mile instance, spark plug ejected and melted into coil pack
Repairs/costs cited: At 130K miles, ejection event required costly repair including cylinder head thread stripping
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had engine trouble with your 2012 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 engine problem on the 2012 Honda Fit?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 44,000 and 90,000 miles, with the median around 79,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 44,000; a quarter make it past 90,000. 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 $3,100 for engine 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 engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine 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/2012/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.