Geek Oracle: Automotive Division

Poststructural Pub
1

Ok, I’m having trouble with my car.

2008 Honda Fit.

Here’s the tragic story.

3 weeks ago, for reasons that have not been fully explained to me, I ran over a big chunk of cinder block that had fallen off a truck in front of me. This created an unpleasant noise and sensation which I can only compare to a subcompact running over a big chunk of cinder block.

I pulled over and noted the car was hemorrhaging motor oil. Not good. I had it towed to the local Honda dealer. They replaced the ruptured oil pan and, while the oil pan was off the car, inspected the underside and pronounced the vehicle otherwise free of injury.

Now, when the accident occurred, I drove about 2 blocks before I pulled over. During that brief time, I thought the steering seemed odd to me. At the slow speed, center position, the wheel seemed a bit stiff to me. But, for obvious reasons–I didn’t drive it enough after I dumped my motor oil to really get a feel for the steering.

So, I picked up the vehicle from the dealer and in the course of driving it home I thought the steering felt weird. It’s not easy to explain. There doesn’t appear to be an alignment problem–it doesn’t pull to either side. The steering problems are intermittent, but I think taking a deteriorating course. Not surprisingly, it’s not really notable at higher speeds. At lower speeds, I notice that extra bit of resistance when I just nudge the wheel from center position in the course of driving down the road. When I make 90 degree turns, it feels like there are fluctuations in the amount of power supplied to the power steering system. It’s still perfectly drivable, but it just feels wrong.

I took it back to the dealer. They called me and said that the problem was the Power Steering Control Unit and they replaced it, under warranty. Cool. When I picked it up they said they had test-driven it a few times and all was well. Just before I drove away, they told me that the steering problem was completely unrelated to the cinder block incident. I expressed skepticism and thought to myself that if the diagnosis and repair were predicated on this Coincidence Theory, I’d probably be back.

Driving away, I THOUGHT I still detected some problems, but it was clearly improved. The next day I was pretty certain the steering still didn’t feel right. Then I drove it 900 miles on the Interstate and by the time I returned home I am certain that the problem still exists.

I called the dealer and it’s apparent they are out of ideas. The guy tells me it’s not a hydraulic system and, in fact, one can’t even check the power steering fluid levels in this vehicle. He says it’s an electrical system.

I know nothing about how power steering works. And, of course, I guess there could be something else going on that would account for the weird wheel-feel, other than power steering, but I can’t imagine what.

Tell me what is wrong with my Honda Fit.

2

You could still have an alignment problem even though the car doesn’t pull to one side.

The obvious idea that occurs to me is that your control-bar has jumped your steering rack.
So it would be a mechanical problem - and not an obvious one either. It’s a while since I was involved in this kind of thing, but I think it’s one of those problems they have to remove and replace the engine, just to get at the bits.

There is also the possibility that your front axle is bent. It’s unlikely, but just possible. Slightly more likely is your sub-frame is bent. This would put your front axle out of true with your back axle.

These are things that your regular showroom technical staff do not deal with. Find a real old-style workshop.

Edited to say: If it IS your subframe, the car is a write-off. That yoke is too expensive to repair.

3

Yeah I’m going to call my insurance company. I had made a claim and then cancelled it when it looked like the repair bill wasn’t going to be much higher than my deductible.

4

Thanks. What has me puzzled is the intermittent nature of the problem. If there’s a pattern – like the problem emerges under conditions x and y, it’s escaping me.

5

I think it’s almost certainly one of the things IB mentioned. My first thought was a control arm.

In any case, anyone who tells you it’s an electrical problem shouldn’t be working on cars. It’s a mechanical problem. I’ve had problems that were caused by shafts just a thousandth (25 microns) or so out of true.

Maybe your next car should be an H2. Concrete block, schmoncrete block.

6

I called my insurance company and reactivated the claim. I’m pretty resigned to a disabling injury of said Fit. My temptation is to take it back to the dealer, have them “fix” it again, and then drive it around to the sales area and trade it in.

7

That would be my suggestion.

Sorry that happened. I love my Fit.

8

Chas - I thought the electrical reference was regarding the fact that the Honda Fit, like my Nissan Versa, has electric power steering not hydraulic.

That said, I do agree with you and IB that the cause of Dale’s problem is a mechanical one and not a problem with the electric power steering (although I could see how the symptoms could have been perceived to be something related to the electric power steering).

Eric

9

I knew someone who drove over a bed pillow that had fallen off a truck in front of her, with much the same results.

10

That would be an ecumenical matter.

Mukade

11

Early this week, I was concerned that my Fit problem was deteriorating because the steering feel problem was getting less subtle. Then I get in the car Thursday to drive home from work and I thought to myself, “hmm, not so bad. I’m even sure if I can feel it now.” On Friday, I drove a good bit, and noted virtually no problem. Yesterday and today, the car seems back to normal.

What the hell? Mechanical systems don’t spontaneously improve, do they? Electrical systems, I guess, COULD, if there’s a short or something. I’m just perplexed. I know what you’re thinking and I respect this idea because I’ve had it myself: Via perceptual habituation, I’ve just gotten used to it. All I can say is, not so. The difference is too fast and too clear-cut. At this juncture, if I took it to a mechanic, they’d test drive it and think I’m nuts, which seems increasingly likely. So, I think I have no choice but to drive it and see what happens.

Or trade it in.

Dale

12

If this unfortunate affair has finally revealed the truth about you, Dale, I’d say it was well worth the bother. :laughing:

13

especially from this side :smiley: YMMV

14

What? You’re saying there was some question about it?

15

Dale, your Fit is telling you that you need to trade it in on a Honda Element. Cars are funny that way sometimes.

16

Is the Element the one that looks like it’s made out of Legos?

17

Dale, it sounds as if the dealership has fixed the problem as good as can reasonably be expected. As has already been mentioned by others, there may have been structural damage to the chassis of the vehicle that the dealership is not qualified to repair. However, since the car seems to be working OK now, I would continue to drive it while at the same time keeping my eyes and ears open for a reoccurance of the problem that you described. I think that it is possible for physical stresses in the chassis due to the incident with the concrete block to equalize with time as you drive the car. If the problem does reoccur in the near future, I would think about trading in the car, as others have suggested.

As an aside, my father had an allignment rack, and he also straightened vehicle frames. I remember being under cars, attaching chains and hydraulic jacks, to get the frames back in allignment. But that was in the day that cars had frames. On modern cars with unitized bodies it is difficult to put Humpty back together again, even with all the Kings horses and all the King’s men.

18

Yes, it is. I got one about a year and a half ago. I love it.

19

Dale - I suffered through the new Transformers movie for my 10 year old son the other day. We both should have bought Chevy Aveos instead of the Fit and Versa. I didn’t realize the Aveos were transformers. They’re sure tough, and seem to self repair. Which leads me to the following theory (I’ve been thinking hard about this)…

Perhaps your Fit is a Transformer, too, albeit one without a movie tie-in. Perhaps it is healing itself a bit each day. Try talking to it, make it feel comfortable, and perhaps it will transform for you one day. Do not be surprised if it’s a hip, street talking car, though, as all small Transformers appear to be that way.

If, and this is probably unlikely, it does NOT transform for you, try to sell it based upon the fact that it likely is a transformer…just because you couldn’t coax it out of it’s shell doesn’t mean someone else couldn’t.

Eric