Looks like the Honda Fit isn’t exactly living up to its healthy-sounding name. The automaker has announced a worldwide recall for around 700,000 of the cars — nearly 100,000 just in the U.S. — over possible engine-stalling problems.

Honda says the Fit, also known as the Freed and City elsewhere around the world, has a spring in its engine that can crack and wreak havoc, doing anything from making a noise to causing the engine to stall out without being able to restart.

From Detroit News:

Honda said it got its first complaint of engine noise in July 2008 from Japan and got the first claim of an engine stall in North America in August 2008.

In January 2009, Honda said it determined the problem wasn’t serious enough to demand a recall…

In November 2009, Honda changed the specifications of the spring to prevent future problems.

But in June 2010, Honda noticed an uptick in problems of vehicles at least a year old, which prompted Honda to reopen its investigation.

Honda will inspect and replace, if necessary, motion spring assemblies in affected vehicles. U.S owners can expect to start receiving recall notices after March 7.

Honda recalling 700,000 vehicles for engine problems [Detroit News]

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