Honda Element Complaints (2005)

159 consumer complaints on file.

#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
#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
#10323708April 4, 2010
AIR BAGS
I WAS THE DRIVER OF A HONDA ELEMENT THAT WAS REAR ENDED WHILE I WAS STATIONARY WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO MY DRIVEWAY. THE IMPACT FROM THE OTHER CAR HAD BROKEN THE DRIVERS SEAT AND REPOSITIONED MY HEAD JUST A FEW INCHES FROM THE FLOOR AND BY THEN THE SPARE TIRE SECURING MECHANISM HAD BROKEN AND THE SPARE TIRE FLEW FORWARD HITTING ME IN THE HEAD AND EVENTUALLY COMING TO A REST IN THE PASSENGERS SEAT. WITH THE BACK IMPACT FROM THE OTHER CAR AND THEN THE FRONT IMPACT HITTING THE TREES ALONG SIDE OF THE ROAD DID NOT RELEASE THE AIRBAGS WHEN THE OTHER CAR THAT HIT THE ELEMENT HAD ITS AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10322430March 27, 2010
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
I WAS LEAVING WORK, DRIVING ABOUT 10 MILES AN HOUR AND WITHOUT WARNING THERE WAS A HUGE BOOM IN MY EAR, POWDER WAS IN THE AIR, THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE WAS NUMB (LATER, RED FROM HEATED AIR), MY LEFT SIDE WAS SHOVED FORWARD AND MY LEFT EAR WAS RINGING. MY SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG WENT OFF AS I WAS TAKING A LEFT TURN! I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN HIT BY A CAR...EXCEPT THERE WAS NO OTHER CARS AROUND. I PULLED OVER AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED UNTIL I OPENED MY DOOR, STEPPED OUT AND SAW THE AIRBAG HANGING OUT OF THE SEAT. SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME! I AM GLAD I WASN'T ON THE FREEWAY AT A FASTER SPEED, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CRASHED! VERY SORE NOW THOUGH. LEFT SIDE IS SORE, NECK IS VERY SORE! I DROVE TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP AFTERWARD AND SPOKE TO THE MANAGER (NEFF) OF THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT. THEY HAD A TECHNICIAN (TIM) HOOK UP SOME DATA MACHINE TO MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT 4WD - EX. I WAS ADVISED TO COME BACK ON MONDAY AND DROP THE CAR OFF SO THEY COULD CONTACT HONDA CORPORATE HQ AND GET A DIRECTION TO PROCEED. THE TECHNICIAN (TIM), AND MANAGER (NEFF) ADVISED ME THAT UNTIL IT WAS REPAIRED, MY OTHER AIRBAGS WOULD NOT WORK. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN SOMETHING HAPPEN LIKE THIS. AFTER A GOOGLE SEARCH OF 'HONDA ELEMENT AIRBAG DEFECTS' IT APPEARS THAT IT IS A PRETTY PREVALENT PROBLEM. I HAVE TEMPORARILY PARKED THE CAR AT MY HOUSE UNTIL MONDAY'S MAINTENANCE APPOINTMENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10321649March 23, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
I BOUGHT THE 2005 HONDA ELEMENT IN OCTOBER 2006, AS A NEW 4 WHEEL DRIVE, STANDARD TRANSMISSION. AFTER USING IT FOR A SHORT PERIOD I NOTICED THE BRAKES WERE LIKE PUTTY. THEY PRESSED NEARLY TO THE FLOOR, AND NOT TOO EFFECTIVE. THE DEALER FIXED THE BRAKES FOR FREE, THEY TOLD ME AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER CUSTOMER HAD THEIR HONDA ELEMENT THERE FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. AFTER ABOUT 2 WEEKS, THE BRAKES WERE LIKE PUTTY AGAIN. I DROVE IT TILL THE BRAKES SQUEALED. ( I LEARNED TO DRIVE WITH LITTLE USE OF BRAKES, SHIFTING DOWN AND SLOWING DOWN AT STOPS AND TURNS. ) I HAD MY LOCAL MECHANIC FIX THE BRAKES THE SECOND TIME. AGAIN THE BRAKES WORKED ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE THEY WERE LIKE PUTTY AGAIN. I WAS AT THE HONDA DEALER LAST MONTH FOR 60000 MILE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE. THEY TOLD ME THE BRAKES WERE BAD. I TOLD THEM I KNOW THEY ARE BAD, THEY ARE ALWAYS BAD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320424March 17, 2010
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT BRAKE PEDAL FEELS SOFT. THEY HAVE FELT THIS WAY FOR THE LAST YEAR. PLEASE HAVE HONDA INCLUDE 2005 ELEMENTS IN THEIR RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319741March 16, 2010
STEERING:COLUMN
LTR FWD FM RE 2005 HONDA ELEMENT STEERING COLUMN DEFECT, REPLY TO BIRMINGHAM, AL OFC. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS LOST STEERING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WHEN THE STEERING FAILED THE LAST TIME, THE CONSUMER ENDED UP FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND NONE OF THEM COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10320180March 16, 2010
STEERING, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
STEERING AND/OR VSA SYSTEM I BOUGHT A NEW HONDA ELEMENT FEBRUARY 12TH, 2005. BETWEEN THEN AND NEAR THE END OF 2006, I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING ON AT LEAST 8 OCCASIONS. THE CAR WOULD CONTINUE IN THE DIRECTION THAT IT WAS HEADED. THERE WAS NO STEERING AT ALL. THE OCCURRENCES ONLY LASTED FOR SECONDS BUT FELT LIKE MINUTES. THIS OCCURRED MOST OFTEN IN THE EARLY MORNINGS (6-7AM) AND BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING HOME. THERE WAS ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING DURING THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME. IN SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, IT WAS HARD TO CONTROL AND FELT AS THOUGH THE REAL TIME FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WOULD KICK-IN. THIS HAPPENED MOSTLY BEHIND SEMI-TRUCKS. AFTER THE LAST OCCURRENCE OVER THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL HEADED ME IN THE DIRECTION OF THE MEDIAN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC, I BECAME SO FEARFUL OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE THAT I PARKED IT IN MY GARAGE. AFTER TAKING IN THE ELEMENT ON 8 OCCASIONS AND NOT HAVING BEEN SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF ROEBUCK HONDA, I BEGAN TO EXPLORE SOLUTIONS WITH OTHER LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIPS AND WITH AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY. THE DEALERSHIPS' SERVICE CENTERS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE STEERING FAILURE. I HAVE BEEN TO DEALERSHIPS' OVER 11 TIMES WITH THIS PROBLEM WITH NO SOLUTION. AMERICAN HONDA WOULD NOT TAKE ACTIONS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE FOUND OTHER REPORTS ON STEERING ISSUES WITH THE ELEMENT. FRIENDS AND RELATIVES HAVE SUGGESTED THAT I TRADE THE CAR IN, BUT I CANNOT IN CLEAR CONSCIENCE DO THIS. I COULD NOT LIVE WITH MYSELF KNOWING I HAD PUT AN UNSAFE VEHICLE IN SOMEONE ELSE'S HANDS. HOWEVER, I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10319030March 11, 2010
AIR BAGS
THE CAR SLIPPED ON ICE AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT HEAD ON AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10301784January 21, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I HAVE A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD IT DIES ON A REGULAR BASIS. I CAN START THE CAR AND LET IT WARM UP BUT IT IS VERY ROUGH AND STILL HAS A TENDENCY TO DIE WHEN COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG BUT I HAVE LOOKED AT MANY HONDA ELEMENT OWNER FORUMS AND IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON AND DANGEROUS ISSUE WITH THE ELEMENT. ONCE THE ENGINE DIES, THERE IS STILL BATTERY POWER, BUT LIMITED STEERING CONTROL. IT HAPPENS NEARLY EVERY MORNING 2-3 TIMES AND I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA WHERE IT DOESN'T GET NEARLY AS COLD AS OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WITH THESE CARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300473January 20, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
ACCIDENT INVOLVING A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. A FRONT END CRASH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND WE HIT THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVERS SIDE CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. OUR HONDA ELEMENT SUSTAINED FRONT END DAMAGE APPROXIMATE SPEED 30MPH. THE AIRBAG ON THE ELEMENT DID NOT DEPLOY. HAVE YOU HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON ELEMENT AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING? WE ONLY SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291339November 7, 2009
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT ON A SMOOTH GRAVEL ROAD AROUND 25MPH WHEN THE DRIVERS-SIDE AIRBAG IN THE CHAIR DEPLOYED BRUISING THE BACK OF MY LEFT ARM. IT DEPLOYED FULLY AND TORE MY SEAT. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I FEEL THIS COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD IF I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED AND COULD EASILY CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HONDA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN FIXING IT, AS I STAND NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE MY AIRBAG, AIRBAG ECU, AND HAVE MY SEAT REPAIRED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286203October 3, 2009
VISIBILITY
3-5-08, IN MORNING, WHEN I GOT INTO MY ELEMENT, I NOTICED TWO LONG CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD, STARTING AT THE LOWER RIGHT- AND LEFT-HAND CORNERS, TRAVELING UPWARDS AT AN ANGLE, TOWARD THE CENTER, APPROX 15 INCHES LONG, EACH. I CALLED THE HONDA DEALER, AND THEY SAID I SHOULD CHECK MY WARRANTY. I DID. WINDSHIELD DAMAGE NOT COVERED. I CALLED HONDA MOTOR COMPANY. THEY TRIED TO TELL ME IT WAS NOT A DESIGN DEFECT (AS I BELIEVED). AFTER TELLING THEM I KNEW OF MANY REPORTS TO THE NHTSA, THEY FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD, AS "...A ONE-TIME GOODWILL GESTURE." (I BIT MY TONGUE, AS I KNEW THAT THE PHONE REP KNEW IT WAS, IN FACT, A DESIGN FLAW.) *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286077October 2, 2009
SEATS
OWNER OF A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. THE DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH, GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND NOW ROCKING LEFT AND ROCK. THIS PRESENTS A DANGER WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND BRAKE DURING DRIVING. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS WORSENING I FEEL THAT AT SOME POINT MY SEAT WILL DEFINITELY COME UNMOUNTED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HONDA'S LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATE OFFICE REFUSE TO FIX THIS ISSUE FOR FREE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A MULTITUDE OF INJURIES - EVEN WHIPLASH FROM JERKING OF THE VEHICLE. A SERVICE BULLETINS WAS ISSUED YET HONDA CLAIMS THEY DO NOT SEE THIS AS AN ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS AND COMPLAINTS. THIS IS A CONSTANT ISSUE FOR ME WHEN DRIVING ESPECIALLY DURING STOP AND START AND TURNING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10280778August 17, 2009
SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS DURING ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. THIS IS POSSIBLY A SAFETY ISSUE IN AN ACCIDENT IF THE SEAT FIXTURES WERE TO BREAK. ALSO THE SEAT BELT CONFIGURATION MAKES EGRESS IMPOSSIBLE FROM THE REAR SEATS ONLY. THERE IS NO INTERIOR HANDLE FOR A REAR SEAT PASSENGER TO OPEN THE DOOR IN AN EMERGENCY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279358August 4, 2009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIRBAG SELF CHECK LIGHT NEVER LIT IN THE TIME THAT WE HAD CAR. DRIVER ONLY- WITH SEATBELT. CAR HIT POLE WITH L FRONT CAUSING APPROXIMATELY $10K DAMAGE TO CAR. RIGHT AIRBAG DEPLOYED, LEFT DID NOT. SENSORS AND CONTROL MODULE REPLACED BY BODY SHOP DURING DAMAGE REPAIR. CONCERNED THAT IF THERE IS ANOTHER MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT, SAME THING WILL HAPPEN. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278531July 28, 2009
SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS WHEN ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. HONDA HAS ISSUED TSB BUT REFUSES TO COVER COST OF FIX IF VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. MY CAR IS A 2005 BUT THE TSB COVERS ALL VEHICLES FROM 2003-2006. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277001July 16, 2009
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WHILE DRIVING ON I95 NORTHBOUND AT APPROX. 60 MILES PER HOUR, MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT SIDE-DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY; IT FELT LIKE A BOMB WENT OFF. MY 12 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THE BACK CAR SEAT WAS COMPLETELY TRAUMATIZED BY THE SEVERITY OF THE EVENT. MY EARS WERE RINGING AND MY LEFT REAR SHOULDER WAS HIT BY THE BAG. NOTHING HIT MY CAR TO CAUSE THE DEPLOYMENT. AFTER REGAINING MY COMPOSURE I CONTACTED HONDA USA WHO TOLD ME TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THEY DO NOT COVER AN EVENT SUCH AS THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO APPARENT COLLISION. HONDA USA THEN SAID TO TAKE IT TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE ELEMENT AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS OR REASON AS TO WHY THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. HONDA USA ASSIGNED ME A CASE #, BUT HAS YET TO CONTACT ME. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP ALSO REFUSED TO RELEASE MY CAR BECAUSE THEY NOW DEEM THE CAR "UNSAFE TO DRIVE". I CAN GET THE CAR IF I SIGN A WAIVER STATING THAT I WILL NOT SUE THE HONDA DEALERSHIP IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. MY ATTORNEY HAS BEEN CONTACTED. ALSO, MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER DEPLOYED AIRBAGS. THE SITUATION STILL REMAINS UNRESOLVED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10276490July 13, 2009
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG, IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBACK, DEPLOYED ACCIDENTALLY IN MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WE WERE DRIVING VERY SLOWLY ON A GRAVEL ROAD. WE THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN SHOT AT, WITH THE LOUD BANG AND MY PASSENGER'S SWEARING AND GRABBING HIS ARM. I AM GOING TO CLICK BELOW TO SAY THERE WAS AN INJURY, BUT IT WAS ONLY BRUISING TO THE UPPER ARM. IT WAS PAINFUL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10276416July 11, 2009
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
ON 3/31/09, I ROLLED MY HONDA ELEMENT FOUR TIMES (ACCORDING TO FHP REPORT) ON I-95, TO AVOID A CONSTRUCTION LADDER. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. AMONG OTHER INJURIES, I SUFFERED TWO FULL-WIDTH ROTATOR CUFF TEARS TO MY LEFT SHOULDER. THIS WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG ONLY PARTIALLY DEPLOYING. I HAVE DOCUMENTED WITH SEVERAL PICTURES OR THE BAG STILL FOLDED INSIDE THE SEAT FABRIC PANEL. THE PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED FULLY, AND YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN DEPLOYMENT SIZE DIFFERENCE OF DRIVERS SIDE VS. PASSENGERS SIDE. HONDA WAS NOTIFIED, AND DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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