Hey John,
I don't know if you happened to read my post back in July, but anyway, give this a try. Try re-gapping your plugs to .035" (instead of at factory specs). I closed the gap on my plugs over 3 months ago, and the stutter has not returned. FYI, I haven't noticed a drop in gas mileage, and the performance has not suffered. I have over 83,000 miles on the original OEM plugs (and coil packs). When you have the time, give it a try. It won't cost you anything but 30 minutes of your time. BTW, my Fit is an '07 GD3 5AT if that makes any difference.

 

I posted the same problem in another post regarding OBDII code P0303, 3rd cylinder misfire. So far I changed the plugs with new OEM ones (I think they're iridium plugs - costs about $6 each), but CEL (MID) came back on with same code. I switched the coils from cylinder 2 and 3 to see if code spits out a different code. So far, CEL hasn't returned. I'll post a follow up later.

 

We now have had a case of 'stuttering' honda. It was the coil. Switching coil ran the code from the former cylinder 0303 to the switched one 0304) after erasing. Before erasing got both 0303 and 0304 due to memorized 'defects'.. Replacing the coil and spark plugs while we were at it doused the OBD signals. All fine.
Based on the posts here it might be a good idea to purchase an OBD reader for $60 or so from Advance Auto or Amazon to keep up with this.

 

Today I was merging from one highway to another, as I accelerated to merge the car stuttered horribly and the engine light flashed three or four times. I was figuring out how I was going to make it to the shoulder when it calmed down and the light went off. I continued to get a few small stutters, but nothing huge. On the way home as I was accelerating to get on the highway I got another major stutter and the check engine light is now on all the time, even after restarting the engine. Back to the dealership I guess.

John

 

If I was you I'd follow Mahout's advice and get a code reader..... I have owned one for years and it has saved me a lot of time, money and worry that I can do with out.... I have always been able to find the cause and reason the CEL comes on and then the solution to turn it off and keep it from occurring again.... It would be great if there was a code reader to diagnose and solution malfunctions of a lot of people that I have had to deal with in real life situations.

 

BTW just how much is a coil cost? Multiply that times 4... and replacing all of the plugs under 105K...
My 200 Accord has all original plugs, coils etc... no problem
I have all of the gaskets, plugs, timing belt, water pump etc and the first tune up (you know by the book: 105K) is still going to cost me > $550.00 Ouch!

 

I have a code reader and it does not read any out-code. Therefore am I to assume - you know that good old ass u me joke - that everything is all right? Diagnostics at the dealer may cost me... $150.00 and how much is the cost of plugs and/or coils?? Just thinking.
My stutter has come back but not as bad before I changed the battery.
I was told that this problem is just with the first generation of Fit 2006 thru 2008... is this true?

 

I have a 2009 Fit M/T with 2K miles. My car is making an intermittent "tuh, tuh". It might be one, two, three or however many or none at all. It is concerning but I only hear the sound, I can feel nothing changing about the engine. I believe the sound happens only underway, I have not noticed it at a stop.
Also, the first tank of fuel checked at thirty-three miles per gallon and the MPG gauge said greater than thirty-eight. Why the discrepancy?
The dealer blames it on a solenoid in the evaporative emmissions cannister, since the sound is emmanating from the rear of the car.
Any ideas, anyone?

 

The stutter in mine (and I'm assuming others) is not a tuh tuh that you can just hear, its a stutter like someone is hitting a kill switch for a very short period of time. Very definitely can be felt.

John

 

Follow up with the cylinder 2 and 3 coil switch, but still get the same misfire code on 3rd cylinder.

Luckily I have another '09 Fit with over 100k miles without stutter issues, so I was able to swap all 4 coils between the 2 cars. As posted earlier, I also replaced all 4 plugs with brand new ones, but still get OBD code P0303 after 3 weeks. I have erased the code many times, but the CEL still toggles on and off intermittently - more on than off. There was no stuttering problem the 1st 50k miles on this car with no CEL.

Basically, I have ruled out the coil and spark plug to be the problem, because I still get code P0303, 3rd cylinder misfire, after the plugs and coils were changed out. My problem must be either in the electrical wiring before the plug or ECU malfunction. I'm going to try to clean the contacts on the 3rd cylinder coil connector with rubbing alcohol and see if the CEL goes away. I'll post a follow up.

 

How are the coil packs grounded (I haven't looked at mine nor have I seen wiring diagrams)? Obviously the hot side goes to the plug but there should be a grounded side as well. There could be corrosion on the electrical connections which limit current flow to the pack.

 

The shop had my car for three days now. They had previously replaced 2 out of four of the coil packs, which seemed to solve the stutter for two weeks or so. After spending a lot of time diagnosing and consulting with Honda, they did two things with my car this time:

- replace the other two coil packs (so now I have four new coil packs)
- high pressure clean out of the fuel delivery system

They suggested that dirty fuel might be causing the problem. While I can understand why they might be saying that, I buy gas from a couple of different stations, and I fill my Odyssey from the same sources with no issues.

They did a 130 mile(!) test drive and said there were no issues. Despite the fact that my car is well past the warranty (74K miles), Honda continues to authorize this work being done for free.

I'll update further after I get some miles on myself.
John

 

Hi Jisch..

I was one of the very first ones to experience this a while back ( more than 1 year ago now and at the time I was around 40 000 miles).

We had always speculated that it was the coil packs and I have followed the thread for a while now.
Please keep us posted on your driving after replacing all 4 coil packs.

I have not replaced my coil packs yet ( I am around 55 000 miles now)..
I have driven trough many miles with the "stutter" and oddly enough it is not getting worse per se nor is it causing a CEL on my Fit. Usually during the winter it is a bit more pronounced and happens more often, but in general i still get great gas mileage and only experience the stutter in city driving, anyway please keep us posted on your experience.
I want to make sure the problem is 100% traced to the bad coil packs before I buy 4 of them (my honda dealer did not approve any work as my warranty is expired) and I will have to pay out of pocket..
Thanks
db_et_ac

 

Hi guys,

I've been through a lot of the same issues you have experienced in this thread, and I figured I'd add my own experiences to the mix.

Just for clarification I change my oil when the service minder tells me to, and have changed air filters regularly every 20k miles. I drive a 2007 GD3 sport 5mt.

Here's a timeline:
@50k: Started to notice a slightly rough idle on cold starts.

@75K: noticed a weird hesitation at exactly 2500 rpm under heavy acceleration. (the same "stutter" others have described) changed plugs (iridium) with no noticeable difference.

@90K: car stalls on cold mornings at first couple of stop signs when I press in the clutch. no problem restarting. Still have the 2500rpm stutter. Start using fuel injection cleaner every other tank, no major change.

@100K car starts to stutter badly under light acceleration at between 2000 and 3500 rpm. CEL shows P0302 P0304 and P0300.Take it in to honda for service (had to save up some $), they cant figure it out and do an idle relearn, makes it run a little better but not much. Still starts right up every time. Rough idle gets a little worse after a week. CEL comes back P0300 (Random misfire on all cylinders)

@105K Stutter is so bad car is undriveable. Finally have enough $ to get OEM coil packs. Replace all packs, stutter is GONE. Rough idle is still there, but a little better. No CEL. Still stalls when cold.

@125K CEL P0302 shows up repeatedly after erasing code. Rough idle is bad when cold, a little rough when warm. Tried a double dose of FI cleaner and the problem got WORSE. Replaced plugs and cleaned throttle body, makes accel smoother but does not totally solve rough idle or cold stalling.

So that brings me to today. I am now waiting for my car to be serviced at a local shop, they are doing a pressurized Fuel Injection and intake cleanout. If that doesn't solve the rough idle I may need to start looking under the valve cover.

It makes sense that the fuel injectors may be unevenly gummed up. If one is particularly bad it forces the ECM to adjust the fuel air mix for the worst performing injector so I would figure it would force a rough idle. So my double dose of cleaner would make the difference greater and make the problem worse.

I'll report my results when I get back from the shop in a little while.

 

OK so I just got back from the shop. The mechanic said there is still fuel system cleaner/booster in the tank so I'll have to wait a tank or two to get a real assessment of whether the pressurized flush was effective in solving my rough idle. Fuel economy should improve at least.

The idle seems a little more stable. The car was still warm when I got it back. I took it for a drive up and down, on and off the highway and the CEL blinked but did not stay steady. The car seemed peppier and didn't bog down when I pushed it. The CEL blinked once when I was passing in 5th gear just as I started the pass, and again when I engine braked slowing for a low-speed left turn. I checked it with my scanner and it said there was a pending 0302 code, which was the same one I've had recently. So whatever the problem is/was, it's in #2.

I have to go to my night job, so the car will be sufficiently cold when I get out. I'll find out then whether it cold stalls. The cynic in me says it will.

UPDATE:

It stalled, sure enough. I took the car back to the shop and they suggested 2 more possible problems: either there was a defective/badly clogged Fuel Injector or there was a valve issue. So I had them do the diag and they said FI was fine, but cylinder 2 was losing compression. They suggested a valve adjustment, and if that failed to fix it I was looking a valve job. Had them do the adjustment and MY CAR RUNS LIKE NEW!!!!! Only cost me a paycheck. The loss of compression was due to an exhaust valve on Cyl. 2 never closing. That's how far out of whack it was. And to think I'd been dealing with this problem for over 50k miles.

My mileage is back to 31+ city and it runs as smooth as glass, no hesitation and no stalling.

 

I had this problem with all my cars nissan and my fit ever since alcohol got thrown into the gas mix. Alcohol mixes with water and coagulates into crisco consistency and may clog the injector or injectors for split seconds and cause slight stalls. The fix is water removing gas additive every three months or so.

 

Ethanol mixes readily with water in all proportions. If you get a deposit of some kind its a contaminant in your gas. Most times its from dirty fuel storage taks and the ones we encountered were more like dirt than Crisco.
Theoretically your fuel filter is supposed to remove it but then we have found injectors with 'crud' in the orifice.
Unfortunately, many states insist on ethanol laced fuel because the environmentalists say so (wait til you get your bill for carbon footprint ecess) and have to hope their fuel gaskets and seals aren't harmed so using a non-alcoho; injector cleaner is a very good monthly practice.
It may be that practice offers some protection against clogged imjectors. At least here we have never had bad injectors with any vehicle we use that on. In more than 25 years and hundreds of cars.

 

Isopropyl alcohol works great for removing water from gas and is dirt cheap compared to the fancy cleaners. Just don't overdo it, it will dissolve the rubber in your fuel lines.

 

there's no such thing as not overdoing it. Isopropyl alcohol will deteriorate your fuel system gash=kets and seal, period, no matter how short or concentration.

Take it from this old chemist; clean injectots with non-alcohol injector cleaners. Easily obtained at WallyWorld for 2 bucks or less. Just read the ingredients for 'contains ni alcohol' or similar.

 

BS - once a year won't make a difference for the normal life of cars.