Honda Element Complaints
1,283 consumer complaints on file.
- #11141762October 22, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2006 HONDA ELEMENT APPROX 114,000 MILES. VEHICLE LOW BEAMS BOTH STOP WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT VARIOUS SPEEDS INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF CRASH. THIS IS RECURRENT ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL AND OTHER HONDA MODELS INCLUDING PILOT AND FIT. ISSUE RELATES TO BURNING CONTACT IN WIRING HARNESS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING/ DESIGN THAT PUTS DRIVERS AND OTHER MOTORISTS AT RISK OF ACCIDENT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11140005October 12, 2018AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGJHT CAME ON WHEN I STARTED CAR.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11139871October 11, 2018SEAT BELTS
SRS WARNING LIGHT. DEALERSHIPS TRYING TO CHARGE $110 TO DIAGNOSE. SHOULDN'T HONDA PAY FOR THIS SAFETY DEFECT. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS BY TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11129917September 17, 2018AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG SENSOR INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND PROPERLY SECURE THE DRIVER WHILE MAKING SUDDEN STOPS. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (HONDA CARS OF CORONA, 1080 POMONA RD, CORONA, CA). WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 293,800.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11129519September 14, 2018AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE:BODY, SUSPENSION
WE GOT A LETTER IN THE MAIL ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS. AIR BAG LIGHT ALWAYS ON. WE HAVE A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE ENGINE ,THE DRIVER DOOR GETS STUCK, WE HAVE NO A/C , ONE FAN UNDER THE HOOD WORK,SHOCKS MISSING UP TIRES, BATTERY DIE ALL THE TIME, AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR JUST CUTTING OFF AT LIGHTS OR WHEN STOPED BY ITSELF.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11128530September 10, 2018POWER TRAIN
5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION: #1- DIFFICULTY ENGAGING SHIFTER INTO ANY GEAR (NOT IN MOTION). #2- SHIFTER/TRANSMISSION POP OUT OF GEAR TO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING (CITY AND HIGHWAY). #3- DIFFICULTY UP AND DOWN SHIFTING SMOOTHLY. THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT MANUAL SHIFTER ISSUES WITH HONDA ELEMENT. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES LACK OF MOTION OF THE CAR AND TEMPORARY DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11123507August 30, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. AN INVESTIGATOR WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,500. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11118775August 9, 2018STEERING
ALUMINUM STEERING WHEEL 'HUB SUPPORT MOUNTING BRACKET' HAS CRACKED AND IS BROKEN IN TWO PLACES. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER A TIME PERIOD DURING NORMAL USAGE OF MY VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL IS WOBBLEY AND LOOSENED. HONDA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT DISASSEMBLED AND REVIEWED COMPONENTS OF STEERING WHEEL AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I WAS TOLD THAT IF THE REMAINING TWO BRACKET SPOKES CONTINUED TO FATIGUE AND ACTUALLY BROKE, WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE, I WOULD BE HOLDING MY STEERING WHEEL IN MY HANDS AND WOULD NOT HAVE ANY STEERING CONTROL OF MY CAR. THIS IS UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS. THE DEALERS SERVICEMEN TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT DRIVE THIS CAR IF IT WAS THEIR'S. I WAS GIVEN A COST ESTIMATE FOR THE PART OF $800 PLUS THE COST OF LABOR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE DUE TO IMPROPER ENGINEERING/DESIGN AND MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS PROPOSED IN THE FABRICATION OF THIS PART. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A CONSUMER SAFETY HAZARD THAT MUST BE REVIEWED BY NHTSA BEFORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11115899August 6, 2018AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE DEALER (AUTONATION HONDA LEWISVILLE, 601 WATERS RIDGE DR., LEWISVILLE, TX 75057, (972) 763-5524) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11113892July 26, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DEFECTIVE DASH GAUGE CONTROLS KEEP THE CAR FROM STARTING. IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT AND HONDA KNOWS IT ALSO
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11112877July 21, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR HAS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR A TRAILER WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE HAD THE HARNESS INSPECTED BY MY DEALER FOUR TIMES, AND THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT A FACTORY-INSTALLED HARNESS, DESPITE IT BEING IN YOUR DATABASE. THE HARNESS WAS ON THE CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT. I CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY IT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE RECALLED WIRING HARNESS. I HAD A TRAILER HITCH ADDED TO MY VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, BUT THE SHOP DID NOT ADD A WIRING HARNESS BECAUSE ONE WAS ALREADY ON THE CAR. HOWEVER, I USE THE HITCH ONLY TO ATTACH A BIKE RACK. I HAVE NEVER HAULED A TRAILER WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND FEEL THERE IS THEREFORE NO SAFETY HAZARD. PLEASE REMOVE MY VEHICLE FROM YOUR RECALL RECORDS. THE RECALLED WIRING HARNESS APPARENTLY WAS NEVER INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11111329July 14, 2018AIR BAGS
DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WITH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WENT OFF, WHICH WE HAD FIXED ON A RECALL NOTICE YEARS BEFORE. HOWEVER THE DRIVER AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF. MY DAUGHTER WENT FORWARD AND IT AFFECTED HER JAW. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT EVEN GO OFF TO PROTECT HER. THE POLICE EVEN COMMENTED ON IT. HER CAR MAY BE UNFIXABLE WE WILL KNOW SOON. WE WANT TO REPORT THIS FOR OTHERS SAFETY.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11111023July 12, 2018EXTERIOR LIGHTING
OWNER WAS DRIVING FOR ROUGHLY 30 MINUTES WHEN SHE STOPPED FOR GAS AND AFTER RESTARTING CAR NEITHER ONE OF HER HEADLIGHTS WERE WORKING. HER HIGH BEAMS CONTINUED TO WORK AND HAD TO BE USED. OWNER WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAD OVER HEATED AND BURNED THE WIRING WITHIN THE SWITCH. HONDA HAS ALREADY ISSUED RECALLS FOR CIVICS AND ACCORDS FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM BUT NOT FOR HONDA ELEMENTS. REPAIR COST $200.00
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11110805July 11, 2018AIR BAGS
THIS IS TO REPORT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID TREE BRANCH. NO DAMAGE TO CAR OTHER THAN THE TORE SIT AND OPENING OF BAG. I HAD DAMAGE TO RIGHT SIDE OF ARM BEING THAT IT HAPPENED ON DRIVER SIDE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN TO OTHER VEHICLES AS WELL. MY CAR IS A BIT OLD, BUT IN GOOD WORKING CONDITIONS WE HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT. HOWEVER, SHOULD I BE WORRY THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN READING SOME OF THE POSTINGS IN WEBSITES AND IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN OFTEN. I WOULD ADVISE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO IT. PLEASE KEEP US INFORMED AND IF EVER THERE IS A RECALL PLEASE INFORM THE PUBLIC.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11104144June 26, 2018AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT WHILE DRIVING. WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER (OCEAN HONDA OF VENTURA, 6450 AUTO CENTER DR, VENTURA, CA 93003, 805-590-2844) AND WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 187,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11099863June 4, 2018POWER TRAIN
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR, THERE IS A GEAR SLIPPAGE ACTION AND SOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION. APPARENTLY, THIS FAILURE IS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 11V395000 / HONDA'S RECALL CAMPAIGN # R89. I HAD THIS RECALL PERFORMED LAST FRIDAY BY AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER. BEFORE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED, THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND WHILE SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR. AFTER THE SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED, THE KNOCKING SOUND DISAPPEARED, BUT THE TRANSMISSION STILL SLIPS BETWEEN 1ST SHIFT TO 2ND SHIFT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION MENTIONED IN THIS RECALL. I EXPECT HONDA TAKE IN CONSIDERATION MY VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT AND HAVE A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM HONDA. NOTE: I HAD NOT RECEIVED BEFORE, A RECALL CAMPAIGN ABOUT THIS FROM HONDA.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11099132June 1, 2018TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT EQUIPPED WITH KUMHO SOLUS KR 21 TIRES, SIZE: P215/70R16 99T (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SHOOK WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TIRE STORE WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE BELT ON THE TIRE WAS WORN. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT ALL THE TIRES NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,042. THE VIN, DOT NUMBER, AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11097542May 23, 2018ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
INTERMITANT SHUDDERING AND LOSS OF POWER UNDER ACCELERATION. TROUBLE CODE P2646
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11096846May 19, 2018AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL: I SOLD THIS VEHICLE (2003 HONDA ELEMENT) IN EARLY 2011. WHEN THE AIRBAGS WERE RECALLED, I BEGAN RECEIVING NOTICES FORM HONDA ABOUT THE RECALL. I HAVE RETURNED THE MAILINGS AND ALSO CALLED THE 800 NUMBER (AT LEAST 4 TIMES IN TOTAL), EACH TIME LETTING THEM KNOW THAT I NO LONGER OWN THE VEHICLE. I CONTINUE TO RECEIVE RECALL NOTICES, DESPITE NOTIFYING THEM THAT I AM NOT THE OWNER. THIS WOULD POINT TO THE FACT THAT THE ACTUAL OWNER OF THE CAR IS NOT RECEIVING NOTICES. IF HONDA IS NOT ACCURATELY UPDATING THEIR DATABASE, OWNERS AT RISK FROM THIS RECALL MAY BE OBLIVIOUS TO IT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11093729May 14, 2018EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE COUNTY ROAD AT 60 MPH AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF. I TURNED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND THEN BACK ON AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE FOR A COUPLE DAYS. THIS HAPPENED 5 OR 6 MORE TIMES AND NOW THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT TURN BACK ON UNLESS I SWITCH TO HIGH BEAMS. HIGH BEAM WORKS FINE, THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE NOT BULB FAILURE. "THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY".
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0