Not sure if this helps---don't have problem with 08---mind you we have only experienced -7 to 9 degrees celius so far with the fit. May have to do heated seats some how when it reaches -30 range.

 

The manufacturers seem to have a problem with putting proper guages in their vehicles, but there are certainly after-market ones available from auto supply stores. The trick is to find functional units that can be calibrated and that don't look out of place in the Fit's instrument panel.

 

oh god i remember my sciroccos also. last one i had was a 1988.

 

How does a block heater cause temperature fluctuations?

 

No idea but "txmatt" offered this plausible explanation: "apparently they thought it was somehow related to the coolant/cooling system since they attempted to bleed it and added antifreeze (a/f). I'm guessing the block heater heats the coolant in the block and they likely drained all or part of the coolant when they originally installed it and didn't get the system fully bled when they refilled the coolant/antifreeze."

 

I use ScanGauge II, takes less than five minutes to install, useful and cheap. Google for the best price. I found a guy in Toronto selling them for less than a group buy in the USA and Canada. He owns a garage I believe.

 

Real laugh having a block heater as an option, at least in Canada and the northern/mountain area of the USA.

 

Doing some googling since now my curiosity has been peaked as to how my heating issue was linked to my block heater. Most 'block' heaters consist of small electrical heating elements mounted into a replacement 'frost plug' installed on the engine block. The heating element reaches into the cooling jacket surrounding the cylinders so that it is directly immersed in the coolant full-time, whether the unit is ever plugged in or not. When the block heater is plugged in, the element begins to heat the coolant. Since warm coolant rises, this creates some movement of the coolant to warm the whole block/head.

Found installation instructions here: http://www.jayhondaaccessories.com/Accessory%20Installation/2007/Fit/Engine%20Block%20Heater.pdf

 

So have you tried your heater since?

 

It's been freakishly HOT around here (16 Celcius today compared to 2 on Monday) so I won't know for sure if the heater is working properly until we get back down to normal...

 

You should come on by to Edmonton and visit your brother with your car....it's consistently been sitting around 0ish in the mornings

 

He likes to drive up to Sudbury from Edmonton so I know it's a 3 days drive! No thanks. I'm already at 4000 km after 6 weeks! Yikes. Anyhow, since air currents move from West to East over Canada, we get Edmonton weather in a few days. I actually WANT it to cool down so I can test my heater! It's 16 here right now! Crazy.

Thanks again for your explanation of my heating issue! Bang on...

 

No prob. 16 degrees eh...man I wish we still had that kind of weather here. I don't get my car starter installed until the 15th :X

 

Oh, I AGREE! How can any car manufacturer think that a block heater is optional in places that typically get -20s and -30s in the winter? Ridiculous but this is my second new car purchase and both times, here in Northeastern Ontario, I've had to pay extra for a block heater.

 

Geez, wasn't it just a couple of days ago where you were praying for 16? Be careful what you ask for. You might as well ask for your Blue Dot not to fall off a day after Christmas.

 

Oh oh...is it the OEM one? Took 5 days for my installation, not to freak you out or anything. First one just wouldn't work so they ran (apparently) tons of diagnoses then finally figured out that it was defective! New one took a few days to come in so I went 5 days without my brand new car. Ok, got an '09 Fit LX to drive in the meantime, but still....

Oh and the "auto defrost" function does NOT work in our cars, if you are getting the OEM starter. Would have been nice to activate the starter and have the rear windshield/side mirror defrost go off, but no go...

 

Honda dealers here in Alberta will install a block heater and charge you for it, whether you want it or not. They won't sell a car unless a block heater installed.

 

Really? Well that's just plain wrong (the installing it without asking then charging). It should be included with the purchase price in Canada, just like how we get the low windshield washer fluid warning light "free". Some things we Canadians just can't do without in a car...

 

Nah not going OEM, too expensive...well the dealership actually contracts out to a local company and they install the Compustar Pro, and apparently they do a good job. But I went to another garage in town and they're going to charge me 600 cash for the Compustar Pro (top of the line one), INCLUDING ALARM (the dealership deal of 715 wasn't including the alarm). And they said that it's a 4 hr install so it should be okay


Another thing, all the Honda dealerships install block heaters on all their cars here, and is included in the cost I believe. And it was exactly for that reason: it's cold here, there's no point selling a car without a block heater. Though to be honest I'd rather it be an option 'cause then I could just buy the part and have a friend install it for me, which would cost me <$100 bucks, whereas the installed cost from Honda is nearly 200 bucks....huge rip off.

 

Don't even joke about my blue dot Mister! Are you still at 13 rep? Obviously a tad cursed after the Kinko's mishap. Focus on something else aside from my blue dot ok? You're making me nervous...