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We have a 2011 Fit (automatic) with ~72k miles on it. Two nights ago, after the car had been sitting for ~2 hours, I drove it ~1 mile for a few minute errand. After I was done there, the car started normally, drove to the parking lot exit normally, and idled normally when stopped on the relatively steep parking lot exit...But as I pulled out into the lane of traffic and started accelerating, the engine promptly quit and sent the car unexpectedly lurching towards a stop! Thank God no cars were coming. The momentum refired the engine, and my foot in the gas caused it to lurch forward. Then the engine would promptly attempt to die again, restarting the cycle. So I rode the bronco into the next parking lot.

Once parked, it would restart normally, idle normally for ~5 seconds, then die. No shaking. No coughing. No sputtering. No magic smoke being released. Virtually no drama at all as it died. Not even a single warning light turned on! The shut down was almost as if the key had been turned off, but the dash was as if the computer thought the engine was still running because none of the lighting in the dash turned off either. This was repeated a few more times. Finally as I started it I gave it some gas, and revved it up 2k-3k rpm and held it for a little bit, then eased it back down. At the slightest sign of the rpm dipping, I'd rev it back up and try again. After a couple tries, I got it back down to idle totally normally again. Waiting for my wife to come tail me home, I drove around the parking lot a bit without issue. And then after than, the rest of the way home without issue. I was 'unable to replicate the problem' last night when I took it down have it checked for codes. Of course, unfortunately but not unexpectedly, no codes were thrown.

I drive this car 50 miles per day, and have no interest in being the jackwad that didn't take care of his car well enough and breaks down in the middle of the highway during rush hour. I also have no interest in having this happen at an inopportune time as I pull into traffic with my daughter in the back seat, only to get rear ended. So unless somebody can help me determine more precisely what would cause this, the 'parts bingo' approach might be too slow and subtle here. As much as I don't like it, I'm thinking about just going with the 'parts shotgun' approach instead...And no, not taking the parts out behind the barn and putting them out of their misery.

It has gone through more than half this tank of gas without issue, but I'm going to toss in some Iso-Heet and fill it up from another gas station, just in case. Known stalling issues with Fits in this mileage range apparently tend to be valve adjustments and coil pack related. Of course, these typically happen totally cold while triggering check engine lights and misfire codes too...But without pinpointing a more direct cause, it's probably still worth a try. I figure I might as well do the spark plugs while I'm in there too. Beyond that, I don't know. Maybe do an 'idle relearn'? Clean the MAF? Replace the ignition switch? Crank/cam senseor(s)? I know I'm grasping at straws here, but that's all I have so far.

I've got a rental car for a week, and a relatively free weekend approaching. I'd like to have any additional diagnostics done and parts in hand before then. Obviously, local shops have said they can't do much if the problem can't be replicated, and they haven't come across this before to know where to start. The Fit forum is still waiting for moderator/admin approval for my similar plea for help there, but searches have not yielded much beyond the valve adjustments and coil packs.

Beyond needing a safe and reliable means of transportation, there are no words for how much I hate the idea of never actually identifying the cause of a problem. Therefore be never knowing how/if it was ever resolved...Or if/when it will happen again!

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

Unfortunately there is no way to know what went wrong, and the parts list of things that *could* cause that issue is very long. It's probably not a coil, as the car should still run with one hole dead (and having two coils fail at once is unlikely). It is possible that the teeny 1.5L would stall with one hole dead though. Though I'd also expect it to run rough when you were idling it when it was dying in the parking lot.

Things to try:
-clean throttle body
-check the fuel trims with scanner
-check valve clearance (seems to be a Fit issue, I've not personally done one)

My Dad has a Fit that stumbles once and a while when cold. It's never done it for me to figure out though.

Good luck, and let me know if you solve it.

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Build log: viewtopic.php?t=9291

First run the codes to see what the computer has noticed.

My guess is fuel related, but that seems like too few of miles to be experiencing fuel related issues.

Tom

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Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.

My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG16m2e4O6I

That's the thing...It hasn't.

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

Sounds like a bad fuel pump,this is found under the back seat ..floor area,easy diy job.

Sounds like a fuel issue. Maybe the pump or filter, or even water in the gas. I'd hook up a fuel pressure gauge so I could see it while driving and see if I could get it to repeat the problems.
Kristian

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V6 in a book frame build. Now registered.
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=7587
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=18172

I googled "intermittent stalling no codes honda fit" and got a lot of hits. That fitfeak forum should be helpful.

The ignition switch is a possibility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX9EF0eOrVs

I have had success diagnosing car troubles by driving with a code scanner plugged in. Recently, I found a bad crank position sensor that way; the error code kept showing as 'pending', never confirmed. Not that the CPS is your issue.

Found a pretty good article about intermittent engine problems: http://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/us80312.htm

Good luck, and keep resisting the urge to be a parts-plugger. There's no shame in going to the dealer if you've done as much as you reasonably can. They do have a lot of experience with your car and very good test equipment.

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Dreaming the dream since 2003. Haynes chassis, Miata uprights, everything else from 1987 NA RX7 donor.

Had a similar problem but years ago with a Mercury Capri. Culprit was dirty fuel. Had some water in the tank. No computer to throw codes so it was all guesswork.

However that was compounded by the temps hovering just below zero and the water was freezing in the line. KC to Topeka on the Kansas Turnpike. New Years Eve. Didn't do it at city speeds hardly ever.

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Larry in Seattle

Not a fuel problem. A fuel problem would not make hard (light switch on and off) drive-ability issues.

Definitely electrical.

Take the time to do a complete wiggle test.

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Honey anyone?

As of right now, I'm leaning away from the fuel issues. The tank is under the front seats, with the fuel pump/filter being under the center console and installed from the top side. It just doesn't seem to be a problem area either. So I think trying to get in there is going to be a last resort. Might still try hooking up a fuel pressure gauge though, just in case.

So far the other two forums I've posted this on, including fitfreak, have been a total bust. Not only is this the only place I've gotten good advice, it's the only place I've gotten any advice.

Driving with a scanner plugged in looking is an interesting idea that may be worth trying afterwords...But I think I'm going to start with looking more closely at the ignition switch tonight. Even though I'm not sure how applicable that is to Honda's less than 5 years old, that video showed pretty much how the car stalled. The things that doesn't correlate there though, is that there was no jiggling of the key in the parking lot, and the duration of running before stalling in the parking lot just seemed too perfectly consistent to be something finicky like that.

I did do a basic wiggle test in the dark parking lot, but I'll also be doing a more comprehensive one tonight, in addition to jiggling the ignition switch and fresh gas with iso-heet in the tank.

Not that I'm confident that that they'll do anything about this particular problem, but since this is what the 'fitfreak' gurus seem to recommend for just about any and every engine stall/hesitation/stutter type of problem, there is no harm in doing some known standard maintenance issues a little earlier than called out either. If nothing else, it can rule that out. So I have a full set of coils/plugs on their way to swap out along with doing a valve adjustment this weekend. If I get really ambitious, I might even try to do the overdue trans fluid change too.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and advice so far, everybody! It has given me some additional places to look, and is greatly appreciated!!...And I'll gladly take any more than you come up with.

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

Hi Justin,

Try this stuff http://crcindustries.com/ei/product_det ... x?id=02130 or something like it on your ignition switch. I've had great success with it cleaning bad contacts on just about everything electrical/electronic. I used to get a similar product at Radio Shack years ago but the CRC product works as well and is easier to get. Spray it into every orifice/opening on the switch including the keyhole and cycle the key back and forth several times. If a dirty contact is the problem that should solve the problem. It's also good stuff to use on your fuse and relay panel...squirt all the contact points and make sure that they're clean and all circuits are working correctly.

Bill

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Bill H
Winnipeg, MB, Canada

I have had two vehicles quit suddenly, one repeatedly, with a worn ignition switch, courtesy of monster key rings - I know better now and we have a separate rings for our cars after discovering what ignition switches cost.

I had a bad crank position sensor in my Dakota. It just stopped suddenly when doing 110kph or so. After depressing the clutch and rolling to a stop on the shoulder I sat there grumbling for a minute or so and then applied the computer engineer's solution. I tried it and it restarted. But that one gave a code and I had the sensor replaced.

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Warren
Isuzu Pickup/SR20DE, +401 COLD frame
Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601

My son just had a similar problem with his Miata this past weekend. Turned out to be the coil pak.

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mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

In a similar vein, my microwave oven started turning on when you open the door. That's not supposed to happen, dumb computer. Maybe we're sharing a quantum tangled faulty electron

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