Honda Element Complaints
1,283 consumer complaints on file.
- #10182179February 10, 2007SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKES ON 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. WHEN HAVING MY CAR SERVICED RECENTLY THEY SAID MY BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE ONE OF THE PADS HAD STUCK AND WORN DOWN TO THE POINT OF SLIGHTLY DAMAGING THE ROTOR. THE BRAKES WERE ADJUSTED ON A PREVIOUS SERVICE CALL BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. THIS SERVICE PROBABLY OCCURRED AROUND 20,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP EVEN ADMITTED THAT FOR SOME REASON THE ONE STUCK AFTER THAT SERVICE HAD BEEN DONE. I FEEL THAT HONDA SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THIS REPAIR AS OBVIOUSLY EITHER THE TECHNICIAN DIDN'T ADJUST THE BRAKES PROPERLY OR THE EQUIPMENT FAILED TO PERFORM PROPERLY. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10182081February 9, 2007SEATS
OWN A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. AT 13K MILES BOTH THE FRONT SEATS SIDE SEAMS HAVE TORN. WE ARE NOT HARD ON THIS CAR AND ARE SHOCKED HOW SOON THE SEATS HAVE WORN OUT. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO HONDA AND THEY DID CHANGE THE SEATS, BUT DENY THERE IS A PROBLEM OVERALL WITH THE SEATS. AT WWW.ELEMENTOWNERSCLUB.COM THERE ARE PAGE AFTER PAGE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SEATS TEARING WITH LOW MILES. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10182086February 9, 2007TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2006 HONDA ELEMENT WITH 4458 FAILURE MILEAGE AT 20 MPH,\ THE VEHICLE FELT UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND EXAMINED THE TIRE, AND FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE WAS COMPLETELY DEFLATED. THE CONTACT TRIED TO PUT THE AIR BACK INTO THE TIRE, AND THE AIR CONTINUED TO COME OUT OF THE TIRE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT SHE PURCHASE A NEW TIRE. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10181485February 3, 2007VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
A CRACK OCCURRED IN THE WINDSHIELD OF MY NEWLY PURCHASED HONDA ELEMENT, IN THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE. THERE IS A SMALL "PIT" THOUGH I DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING IMPACTED THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER READING MANY OTHERS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE ONLINE, I DECIDED TO FILE COMPLAINT. MOST PEOPLE ARE BEING TOLD THEIR CRACKS ARE DUE TO AN IMPACT AND THUS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE WINDSHIELD HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10181315February 1, 2007AIR BAGS
CAR CRASH, THE PERSON I HIT RAN A STOP SIGN GOING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. 2007 HONDA ELEMENT AIR BAGS WENT OFF, AND LOST PERMANENT HEARING LOSS IN BOTH EARS, L EAR 50% AND R EAR 70%. *JB
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 2
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10179360January 22, 2007VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT AN IMPACT BY FLYING OBJECT. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10178844January 16, 2007ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
THE HORN ON MY 2004 HONDA ELEMENT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ANYMORE, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY HONDA ELEMENT OWNER HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN IN THERE CAR AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM, IT SEEMS THAT THE HORN STOPS WORKING AFTER 36, 000 MILES. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10178399January 11, 2007LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 1,473 MILES. THE CONTACT REALIZED THAT WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE REAR SEAT, THE REAR DOORS CAN NOT BE OPENED. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE REAR SEAT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE WIND BLEW THE DOORS SHUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A WAY FOR HIM TO UNLATCH THE DOORS. ON PAST MODELS THERE WAS A LATCH ON THE FRONT SEATS WHICH WOULD RELEASE THE SEAT SO THE DOORS COULD BE UNLOCKED. NOW ON THE CURRENT VEHICLE THE LATCH IS NOT AVAILABLE, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF THE REAR SEATS IT TO CLIMB OVER THE SEATS OR OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE VIN AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. UPDATED. *JB UPDATED 05/10/07. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10178265January 9, 2007VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER CORE IS DEFECTIVE. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED @ $1100. DID NOT NOTICE TROUBLE UNTIL WEATHER TURNED COLD SO IT PROBABLY STARTED WELL BEFORE MY 36000/36 MONTHS WARRANTY RAN OUT,PLUS WE HAD A MILD WINTER IN MD IN 2006/07. VEHICLE HAD 39,377 WHEN TAKEN INTO DEALER. MOSTLY, I CANNOT BELIEVE THE HEATER CORE WOULD WEAR OUT SO SOON. IT WAS MOST LIKELY DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY. I ALWAYS NOTICED VERY LITTLE HEAT FROM THE FLOOR VENTS WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BUT THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A DESIGN ISSUE, NOT A MECHANICAL ISSUE. THE SERVICE MANAGER @ ANOTHER DEALER WAS SHOCKED IT NEED REPLACEMENT SO SOON. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10178529January 8, 2007AIR BAGS
2005 HONDA ELEMENT'S AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. *CC THE CONSUMER WAS EXITING A PARKING LOT AND PARTIALLY DROVE OVER A CURB WITH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. AS THE TIRE ROLLED OFF THE CURB THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TOT HE CLOSEST HONDA DEALER. AFTER RUNNING THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SALES DEALER WHO CLAIMED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WHET OVER THE CURD, THE VEHICLE SCRAPED THE BRACKET FOR THE STEP RAIL, WHICH ACTIVATED THE SENSOR AND THE AIR BAG,. THE DEALER DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10176172December 14, 2006ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE BATTERY WAS RECHARGED, AND AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10175861December 11, 2006FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2006 HONDA ELEMENT HAD A GAS LEAK ONLY AFTER BEING FIVE MONTHS OLD. HONDA SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THIS OCCUR BEFORE HOWEVER THIS IS THE SECOND BRAND NEW HONDA THAT I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH. I HAD TO BREATH IN GAS FUMES FOR TWO MONTHS WHILE HONDA TRIED TO FIGURE WHERE THE GAS WAS COMING FROM. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10175737December 10, 2006SEATS
MY 2003 HONDA ELEMENT EX DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHENEVER I STOP OR START MOVING FORWARD. IT TURNS OUT MANY OTHER HONDA ELEMENT OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. I FOUND MORE THAN 30 OWNERS ON WWW.ELEMENTOWNERSCLUB.COM, COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WHEN MY VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP, MY DRIVER SEAT ROCKS FORWARD BY ABOUT 0.5 INCH. WHEN I ACCELERATE, THE SEAT ROCKS BACKWARDS BY ANOTHER 0.5 INCH. MY DEALER TELLS ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10175453December 7, 2006SEATS
THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN OUR '04 HONDA ELEMENT EX IS ACTUALLY ROCKING BACK AND FORTH AND SIDEWAYS! IT FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO COME RIGHT OFF THE TRACK. THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY IF INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE IT MIGHT JUST SHEAR RIGHT OFF. THIS BEGAN WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR AND HAS PROGRESSED. WE HAVE HEARD MANY OTHERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, SO WE KNOW IT'S NOT ISOLATED. ALL THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE TOLD US IT WOULD COST US TO HAVE IT FIXED, SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL. THIS IS CRAZY! *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10174770November 30, 2006VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED. NOTHING HIT IT, THE WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED. IT NOW HAS TWO SIGNIFICANT CRACKS FROM THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD ACROSS. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10174685November 29, 2006VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WE BOUGHT OUR 2003 HONDA ELEMENT 7/03 NEW AND SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD CRACKS FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD IN 2003. RECENTLY 8/06 WE HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER REPLACEMENT AND HAD TO TAKE IT BACK FOR LEAKS AND THE REPAIR SHOP TRIED TO FIX IN 10/06. WINDSHIELD WAS STILL LEAKING SO THE SAME REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD 11/06 AGAIN AND NOW THERE ARE MORE LEAKAGE. I DON'T SEE HOW HONDA CAN JUSTIFY THIS WITH ANOTHER WINDSHIELD WHEN THE REAL PROBLEM EXISTS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE 2003-2004 MODELS. THE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT THAT IS GOING ON ONLY STATES THE REPAIR AND REIMBURSEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD(S) NOT THE DEFECT ITSELF. SO WE HAVE A VEHICLE THAT LEAKS, NOT WORTH THE AMOUNT WE STILL OWE ON IT AND CANNOT SEE AN END TO THIS WINDSHIELD PROBLEM WITHOUT FIXING THE ORIGINAL DEFECT PROBLEM. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10174417November 27, 2006EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
POOR RADIO PERFORMANCE ON AM STATIONS ONLY WHEN CAR IS MOVING. NOT STATIC. SOUNDS LIKE LOOSE WIRE TO ANTENNA. DEALER SAYS NO INFORMATION ON FAILURE. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10173893November 20, 2006AIR BAGS
IN MY 2003 ELEMENT I HIT A 500 POUND COW IN THE ROAD AT BETWEEN 50-60 MPH FROM THE CENTER OF MY CAR TO THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE FRONT FENDER WHERE THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS LOCATED WAS DESTROYED, AS WAS THE HOOD AND BUMPER. THE POLICE WERE ALL SURPRISED THE AIRBAGS HADN'T DEPLOYED. I CONTACTED HONDA, THE INSURANCE COMPANY, AND THE BODY SHOP TO INFORM THEM OF THE FACT THAT THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY IN SUCH AN ACCIDENT, AND NO ONE SEEMED OVERLY CONCERNED OTHER THAN THE POLICE AND MYSELF. *JB
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10172773November 6, 2006STRUCTURE:BODY
VEHICLE SUSTAINED MULTIPLE DENTS THROUGHOUT THE ROOF AND HOOD FROM "SIMPLE" ACORNS FALLING FROM A TREE. DAMAGE IS UNACCEPTABLE AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD BY HONDA MOTOR CORP. THAT I "SHOULDN'T" PARK UNDER TREES THAT DAMAGE MY CAR. THE CAR PARKED NEXT TO MINE SUSTAINED "NO" DAMAGE. NO OTHER CARS SEEM TO SUSTAIN THIS KIND OF DAMAGE. ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE STRUCTURAL "INTOLERANCE" ON THIS VEHICLE. MY SEVEN PREVIOUS CARS NEVER SUSTAINED "ANY" DAMAGE FROM ACORNS. I WOULD NEVER HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, HAD I KNOWN IT HAD SUCH THIN METAL ON ITS EXTERIOR. I WAS LEFT HIGH & DRY BY HONDA CASE MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS BY HONDA OF DANBURY SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HOW THEY WERE UNWILLING TO HELP ME WITH MY SITUATION. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10172550November 3, 2006SEAT BELTS:FRONT
SEATBELT CATCHES UNDER SEAT-RECLINE LEVER
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0