Honda Element Complaints

1,283 consumer complaints on file.

#10336921June 18, 2010
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN DEPRESSION OF ACCELERATOR, WITH A RAPID RPM TO 7000. SECOND OCCURRENCE, MULTIPLE EPISODIC OCCURRENCE, DEFEATING THE POSSIBILITY OF DRIVER ERROR. RAPID SHIFT TO NEUTRAL SETTING HELPED TO REDUCE THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. IT MAY BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM AKIN TO TOYOTA. THE ACCELERATOR PROBLEM MAY AN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING PROBLEM. THE CAR IN QUESTION IS A HONDA ELEMENT 2004. THE CAR SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND EXAMINED IN ORDER TO ISOLATE AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS INDEED A SYSTEMIC PRODUCT DEFECT. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO HONDA. THEIR BRUSQUE AND CURSORY ANSWER DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM REPORTED EARLIER. I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THIS AUTOMOBILE'S SAFETY. AS A CUSTOMER OF SEVERAL HONDA CARS SINCE 1980, THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD BE ANALYZED AND SOLVED SO NEXT GENERATIONS OF HONDA OWNER DOES NOT EXPERIENCE SUCH A DISTRESSING AND HAZARDOUS CONDITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10336339June 14, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2004 HONDA ELEMENT. REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WEARING AWAY REPEATEDLY. PADS REPLACED/ROTORS RESURFACED TWICE BETWEEN 48,000 AND 65,000. AT 65,000, PADS 95% WORN AWAY AGAIN AND ROTORS DAMAGED. REAR PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN 15K MILES. DEALER CONFIRMS THAT PADS WERE PROPERLY INSTALLED, CLAIMS TO NOT KNOW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. WEB SEARCHES ON WWW.ELEMENTOWNERSCLUB.COM FINDS MANY INSTANCES OF THE SAME PROBLEM, WITH MANY OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE ROTORS RUSTING PREMATURELY AND OFTEN, THE CALIPERS STICKING, AND HONDA REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. IN SOME CASES, PROBLEMS BEGIN UNDER THE 10K MARK, AND UPWARDS FROM THERE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10334427June 3, 2010
POWER TRAIN
HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR THIS FORUM, JUST BOUGHT MY DAUGHTER AN 05 HONDA ELEMENT FOR HER GRADUATION, WITH A LITTLE OVER 100K MILES. SHE LOVES IT, AND THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING A STRAIGHT DEAL FROM THE SELLERS, BUT NOT THE CASE. WHEN WE DROVE THE CAR, UNFORTUNATLY, AFTER BUYING, WE NOTICED A RUMBLING NOISE IN THE CAR, SO DROVE TO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT THE SOURCE. WE NAILED IT TO THE REAR END BY ONE DRIVING AND ONE WALKING OUTSIDE THE CAR. TOOK TO MY MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY AND WAS IMMEDIATLY DIAGNOSED WITH THE 4WD REAR DIFFERENTIAL BEING THE SOURCE. HE CALLED HIS TRANSMISSION CONTACT WHO IMMEDIATLY CONFIRMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON FOR THE HONDA 4WD AND THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BECAUSE HIS BUSINESS HAS FIXED MANY OF THESE 'UNSAFE' GEAR BOXES THAT TRANSER POWER TO THE REAR WHEELS. BEING A CONCERNED FATHER, I'M NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR THE RIGHT THING TO BE DONE BY HONDA, BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER AND ANY CARS ON THE ROAD AROUND HER, NEED TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED BY MYSELF AND THE OTHER 431 POSTS I BRIEFLY SCANNED THROUGH REGARDING THIS DEFECT WITH THE HONDA CR-V AND THE ELEMENT. THANK YOU *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10333981June 1, 2010
SEATS
2005 HONDA ELEMENT. FRONT SEAT LOOSE. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT A PART WAS HOLDING THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT THAT IS WELDED HAS SOME PROBLEM WHERE IT CAME LOOSE. THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT LITERALLY ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. WHEN DISCUSSED WITH DEALERSHIP, THEY DID SAY "IT IS NOT WEAR AND TEAR" AND THAT IT WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10334156June 1, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
NEEDLE ON GAS GAUGE POPPED OUT AND IS NOW RESTING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PLASTIC ENCLOSURE - AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE NEEDLE ON THE GAS GAUGE POPPED OUT - THE TACHOMETER CEASED WORKING AND THE NEEDLE NOW POINTS AT WHAT WOULD BE SIX O'CLOCK - THE SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER A BRUTAL COLD SPELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10332630May 28, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
HONDA'S RECALL SERVICE FOR SOFT BRAKES WAS NOT PERFORMED PROPERLY BY THE HONDA DEALER. STEPS 13 AND 14 ON SERVICE BULLETIN, PERTAINING TO INSTALLATION OF THE CAPS WHERE THE AIR INTRUSION IS BELIEVED TO COME FROM CALLS FOR A CONTINUOUS BEAD OF WHITE SILICONE TO BE SPREAD AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF REPLACEMENT CAPS USING A SPECIAL TOOL. THE WHITE SILICONE SHOULD BE VISIBLE AROUND BOTH CAPS ON THE MODULATOR. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND TECH THEY PUT JUST ENOUGH SILICONE TO AFFIX THE CAP AND DIDN'T SEE A NEED FOR ANY MORE. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THE OTHER STEPS IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN WERE PERFORMED BUT AM NOT CONFIDENT TO WHAT EXTENT. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEFT LOW SO IT WAS EVIDENT AT LEAST SOME BLEEDING OF THE BRAKES WAS PERFORMED. THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WAS REMOVED TO ACCESS THE MODULATOR AND HAD ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF FLUID LEFT IN THE RESERVOIR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. I HAVE MADE A REQUEST TO HONDA AMERICA TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10332040May 24, 2010
EQUIPMENT
I PURCHASED A USED HONDA CERTIFIED 2008 HONDA ELEMENT FROM HONDA DEALERSHIP IN DECEMBER 2009. ATTEMPTED TO USE AIR CONDITIONER FOR THE FIRST TIME MAY 2010. AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT WORK. I TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT A ROCK DAMAGED CONDENSER. TO MY AMAZEMENT, THE CONDENSER IS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR, AND OEM GRILL IS TOTALLY NON EFFECTIVE IN OFFERING PROTECTION. THE COST OF REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $750.00. I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT NUMEROUS OWNERS HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW. IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT I WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR ONLY TO HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10331874May 23, 2010
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
I HAVE A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT AND THE KEYS ARE NOT WORKING IN THE DOORS CORRECTLY. THEY WORK SOMETIMES AND NOW THE IGNITION WILL NOT WORK WITH THE KEYS. I HAVE BEEN READING FOR TWO HOURS ON COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AND WONDERING WHY THERE ARE NOT ANY RECALLS ON THIS MATTER. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET THIS RESOLVED. MY ELEMENT WILL NOT CRANK NOW BECAUSE OF THIS. I AM STUCK. WHAT DO I DO NOW? I DO NOT HAVE ANY WARRANTY EITHER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10331758May 22, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
SOFT BRAKE PEDAL ON 2009 HONDA ELEMENT LX AWD. BRAKE PEDAL MAY GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR SO THAT FOOT HITS GAS PEDAL WHEN BRAKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10330795May 17, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. SHE STATED AFTER PARKING HER VEHICLE WHEN SHE GETS OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND REACH FOR THE DOOR SHE GETS SHOCKED. SHE STATED THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,297. VWB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329915May 11, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT 62 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE WHEN IT DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 60,300.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10328686May 3, 2010
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ON FRONT LEFT WINDOW HAD TO BE REPLACED 11/2009. POWER WINDOW FAILED TO GO UP, DIAGNOSED AS BROKEN WINDOW REGULATOR CABLE. 5/2010 FRONT RIGHT WINDOW FAILED TO LIFT. SEEMS TO BE SAME PROBLEM WITH POWER WINDOW MECHANISM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328320May 1, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2008 HONDA ELEMENT HAS HAD VERY SOFT BRAKE PEDAL FROM DAY ONE. DEALER REPLACED VSA MODULATOR PER TSB WITH NO CHANGE IN PEDAL FEEL. DEALER DID A RECALL PLACING CAPS ON PLUGS IN ABS UNIT AND BLED BRAKES WITH NO CHANGE IN PEDAL FEEL. PEDAL WILL STILL GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE PRESSURE APPLIED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328009April 29, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
BRAKES WERE SOFT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR,MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND ENDED UP HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. HAVE CONTACTED HONDA AND THEY ARE RECALLING MY MODEL OF CAR BUT NOT MINE FOR THE SAME REASON. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328128April 29, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD FALL INTO THE FLOORBOARD INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER MADE UNKNOWN REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE TO NO AVAIL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,900.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10327612April 26, 2010
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
STRESS CRACK APPEARED ON WINDSHIELD DIRECTLY OPPOSITE REAR VIEW MIRROR. CRACK BEGINS ABOVE AREA OF WINDSHIELD EXPOSED TO OUTSIDE AIR, EXTENDS STRAIGHT DOWN FOR SEVERAL INCHES, THEN VEERS LEFT SEVERAL INCHES AND STOPS. NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE IS NO IMPACT POINT ALONG THE CRACK. IPHONE CAMERA PICTURE WAS TAKEN BY SERVICE MANAGER, COPY SUBMITTED TO HONDA FOR REVIEW. HONDA DECLINED RESPONSIBILITY. NO PAPERWORK GENERATED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10326815April 21, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT TRIED TO STOP ABRUPTLY TO AVOID HITTING A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM; HOWEVER, HE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE SCENE. THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THEY FAILED TO ENGAGE AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DAMAGED BODY WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL 10V098000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR). POLICE REPORTS WERE FILED FOR EACH CRASH THAT OCCURRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT REPORT ANY INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320898April 20, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2003 HONDA ELEMENT WITH BRAKES PROBLEMS. CONSUMER REQUESTS ISSUE TO BE FIXED , COST OF REPAIR AND COST OF REPLACEMENT. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO ABNORMAL BRAKE WEAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10325670April 14, 2010
VISIBILITY
I OWN A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT I HAVE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD 4 TIMES DUE TO THE WINDSHIELD GETTING HIT BY A STONE OR PEBBLE IT CRACKS SO EASILY. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES IN MY 35 YEARS OF DRIVING BUT HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT THIS HAPPENS TO SO FREQUENTLY. I REPORTED IT TO THE TWO DIFFERENT GLASS REPLACEMENT COMPANIES I USED CHECKING TO SEE IF THE GLASS WAS DEFECTIVE. OF COURSE THEY USE COMPANY OEM REQUIRED GLASS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10325557April 13, 2010
VISIBILITY
I NOTICED A HORIZONTAL CRACK IN MY HONDA ELEMENTS WINDSHIELD, ABOUT 7 INCHES IN LENGTH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, ABOUT HALFWAY UP STARTING AT THE RIGHT SIDE PILLAR. I TOOK IT TO THE GLASS PLACE AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT STOP IT FROM SPREADING. I THEN NOTICED THAT ANOTHER CRACK WAS STARTING ON THE LEFT SIDE HALF WAY UP. THE CRACKS HAVE MET IN THE MIDDLE ALMOST TOUCHING. IT HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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