YearToAvoid

2016 Honda Fit Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2016 Honda Fit ranks 10th out of 13 model years with a complaint index of 25 and earns a 'Good' verdict. It had 120 complaints, 1 recall, and no fires, with Electrical System issues making up 47% of complaints.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
25/100
#10 of 13 Fit years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
120
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
1
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
5
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
3
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2017
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
34
32 city / 37 hwy
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0

Top 2016 Honda Fit problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System56 (47%)
  2. Fuel System19 (16%)
  3. Other18 (15%)
  4. Engine15 (13%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (9%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain7 (6%)
  7. Brakes6 (5%)
  8. Structure & Body5 (4%)
  9. Airbags4 (3%)
  10. Seat Belts2 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in a crash despite being part of the Takata recall population.
  • Some drivers report the vehicle unexpectedly moved or accelerated while shifting out of reverse, leading to collisions.
  • Owners describe the accelerator or brake pedal behaving unpredictably, with the car surging forward at high speed instead of stopping.
  • The fuel system has been reported to lose power on the highway, with stalling and lurching tied to low fuel rail pressure readings.
  • Some owners found transmission fluid leaking underneath the vehicle from the transmission pan gasket.
  • A ticking or clicking noise from the clutch pedal area when shifting into first gear has been reported, worsening over time.
2016 Honda Fit complaints: complaints filed per quarter102016 Q12017 Q22018 Q32019 Q42021 Q22022 Q32023 Q42025 Q2
120 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q4 (10).

2016 Honda Fit recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V697000Oct 23, 2015Structure & Body25,367 vehicles

    Structure

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Fit LX-trim vehicles manufactured April 11, 2014, to July 02, 2015 and not equipped with a sunroof. In the affected vehicles, the rear grab handle brackets were not manufactured properly, and as a result, the brackets may puncture the side curtain air bags upon their deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection" and number 226, "Ejection Mitigation".

    Risk: If the side curtain air bags are punctured upon deployment, the outboard seat occupants may be at a higher risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear grab handle bracket, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JV8.

2016 Honda Fit fuel economy and fuel cost

City
32 MPG
Highway
37 MPG
Combined
34 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,900
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2016 compared with other Fit years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Caution581761030.5
2015Avoid75283434
2016Good25120134
2017Best043034
2018Good42117433

All Honda Fit years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Honda Fit reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 Fit ranks 10th out of 13 model years with a complaint index of 25 and a 'Good' verdict relative to other Fit years.
What is the biggest problem area for the 2016 Honda Fit?
Electrical System complaints make up 47% of all reported issues, the largest share of any problem area for this year.
Does the 2016 Honda Fit have any recalls?
NHTSA lists one recall for the 2016 Fit, covering a rear grab handle bracket issue on LX-trim vehicles without a sunroof.
How does the 2016 Fit compare to other Fit model years?
With a complaint index of 25, the 2016 Fit has fewer reported problems than years like 2007 through 2010 and 2015, which carry 'Avoid' verdicts, but more than 2017 and 2020, which rank as 'Best'.
What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Honda Fit?
The EPA rates the 2016 Fit at 34 mpg combined (32 city/37 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,900.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.