This is my first post.

I bought a 2008 Fit LX (AT) on 2/17/08. It currently has around 1600km.

I'm finding that I'm experiencing a lot of jerk (feeling of being thrown forward)when the auto shifts, especially from first to second, and less noticeably, but still prevalent from 2nd to third. It seems like it is getting worse as I put more KM on the car, but it could just be my paranoia.

Another indicator of a problem - the last 1/2 tank (mostly all city driving) I only got 17.5 MPG. I did happen to smell a gas smell when I left an unfamiliar parking lot - with no signs of a leak I assumed it may have been someone siphoning my gas, but then thinking the fuel tank is under the front seats, siphoning would be quite the chore.

Had a good highway run last night and it looks like the mileage is back in a good range (300km for just over 1/2 the tank), so it seems that the rough AT shifts could be affecting the mileage in the city more, my logic is that more rough shifts happen in the city.

Any thoughts or similar experiences? Should I take it into the dealer to have a look, or are these jerky shifts something normal? I don't remember them from the test drive on a different fit.

 

something sounds messed up.... i would bring it in to the dealer and ahve it looked at... keep us posted! and welcome to Fitfreak!, hope you get this sorted out soon!

 

Doesn't sound normal unless your really pushing it. My FIT is very smooth shifting. Given how much software controls engines and transmissions, it is possible these days that an engine issue (related to the fuel smell) could impact the shift points. Did you notice a big change in the engine speed at the shift point, is the tranny shifting at higher RPMs than normal? If the transmission shifted based on perceived available engine power rather than just RPM, a poor performing engine could cause the jerky feeling.

In a simpler world (and more likely), the fuel smell could be an indication that the fuel pressure is low (the gas is going someplace besides the engine) which would cause the engine to be under powered which could make gear shifts feel jerky and cause the MPG problem.

 

Definitely not pushing it, I've been trying to drive very conservatively -probably to the dismay of anyone who has been behind me at a traffic light when it goes green. I don't think the transmission is shifting any higher than normal (I can't tell you off the top of my head but probably just over 2,000rpm). The gas smell has only happened once, so far. I'll definitely take it into the dealership to have a look.

 

Booked it in for an appointment tomorrow after noon. Will update as more information becomes available.

 

Good move. Im going to agree with everyone and say thats not normal.

Tyler

 

i drove a '96 monte carlo for a while before i got my fit, so the fit took some getting used to coming from that. it was extremely smooth.

it does feel like it pulls a bit when i accelerate from a stop, but i'm easy enough on the gas that it doesn't usually make a difference to me. i have an '07 auto.

 

Makes me feel good that people are saying this sounds not normal. I really hope the dealership doesn't say that it is normal.

 

Welcome .I also say take to dealer,but I've had something like that with my (Auto.)Fit.When my Fit was new,I had some rough shifting as I too was driving slow to break my car in.I think it's the way the ECU is new and learning your driving style and how aggresive Honda has set up the shifting of their Auto's(I,ve had 5 Honda's and test drove almost everyother make from them and have never noticed such an aggressive shift pattern from any other)which I think they did to make it quicker(by lowering the gearing for off the line)because of it's low horsepower.People that lower gearing in their Mercede's also report rougher shift's.Finally it could be the weather.Here in Florida this winter when it got to(52f)my Fit's tran's. would bang everytime I threw it in reverse,and it seemed to shift rough like you seem to be having on your car.And that's in Fl.,I couldn't imagine what it would do in Canada during the winter. Keep us posted.

 

Our 2008 Fit just passed 2500Kms and it shifts rough when the tranny is cold as well. First thing in the morning when its -5 deg C around here, its pretty jerky from 1st to 2nd until the tranny warms up. However, during the day (like this past weekend) when it went to 14 above, it shifted much more smoothly. I'm thinking that part of this is still break in wear, and part of it is that the temperature makes the tranny fluid thicker and everything moves more slowly in the tranny until it warms up.

 

Mine jerks from first to second when the engine is cold and I don't take it real easy. But it's fine after a few minutes.

 

I suppose the Jerky transmission could be attributed to the cold weather (it was minus 26 this morning) and that the gas smell and poor gas mileage could be attributed to siphoning, but there's not a lot of harm in me getting it checked out. We'll see what the dealership service folks have to say.

 

Friend, you can't tell what kind of fuel economy you're getting on the second half of the tank. The second half according to the fuel gauge is not actually half of your tank, it's a lot less than half. It's just the way fuel gauges work. You can check the fuel economy of your car only by truly topping off the tank, resetting your trip meter, driving out most of the fuel, and then topping it back off. Then, divide the distance by the amount of fuel it took to refill the tank.
See howstuffworks.com and you'll see why fuel gauges are liars.
Best wishes on the shifting thing. Hopefully it's just new and cold.

 

Thanks, I do know how to calculate fuel economy and that's how I arrived at the 17.5 MPG. It literally was about 1/2 a tank. I was just estimating that I had done pretty decently on my most recent trip since I hadn't got around to filling it up.

 

Dropped it off this morning. The Service advisor seemed to think the issues were of a valid concern.

 

Man, I hope you don't have squirrel damage like I had. They chewed through two wires going to my trans control, and my AT was shifting all kinds of bad ways, randomly. Insurance company paid for a new wiring harness, but oh, how that experience sucked. Hopefully there's nothing wrong with the car, and hopefully it's just a getting-used-to-this-car problem. That, and maybe the cold. Do you start the car and let it warm-up a little after it sits and gets cold? I feel sure you do.
Anyhow, keep us posted, OK?

 

Wow, crazy squirrels. Usually the car does get warmed up a bit, as I am scraping off the windows or brushing off the snow.

If the trans jerking is just because of the cold I'm a little disappointed, and hope it dissipates as the car is worn in a bit. Having regularly driven many other cars in the cold over last 8 years (98 Mercury Sable, 03 Mazda 3, 92 Chev Cavalier, 93 Chev Astro, 89 Mazda B2200, 06 Chev Cobalt Rental) I can't say I've ever experienced a rougher transmission in due to the temp.

 

I got the car one day before you. I have 1000 miles on it. I noticed that little jerk from 1st to 2nd, but it's not too bad on mine. My toyota matrix XRS is even more rough on shifting.

Keep us updated.

 

The car's been looked at. They reprogrammed the the control unit, and took it for a drive, and weren't able to note anything outside of the ordinary. Basically chalked up the issues to the cold weather and the fact that the car is still breaking in.

Thanks for everyone's input.