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Honda ElementYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 1,284 NHTSA owner complaints across 9 model years, the Honda Element years to avoid are 2003, and the strongest years are 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The Element has 20 safety recalls on record.

Honda Element
Years to avoid'03Use caution: 2004, 2005Best years'07 '08 '09 '10Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints1,284Top: VisibilitySafety recalls202003–2011 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Best & worst years

Honda Element years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Element median. Tap a year for its full report.

'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2011Not rated–/10011 complaints · 10 recalls2010Best81/10030 complaints · 10 recalls2009Best79/10031 complaints · 8 recalls2008Solid56/100113 complaints · 12 recalls2007Solid55/100112 complaints · 10 recalls2006Solid46/100122 complaints · 9 recalls2005Caution41/100159 complaints · 7 recalls2004Caution31/100282 complaints · 9 recalls2003Avoid23/100424 complaints · 10 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Honda Element problems

All model years combined: 1,284 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Visibility3745
Air bags32381
Suspension1177
Electrical system11111
Structure9212
Seats564
Service brakes, hydraulic505
Power train499
Seat belts367
26 other systems27521
20 recalls

Honda Element recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

22%Driver side: inflator module19V-499 · 2003–2011 · Jun 27, 2019 · 3,947 vehicles42%Passenger side: inflator module19V-501 · 2003–2011 · Jun 27, 2019 · 1,657,752 vehicles49%Driver side: inflator module19V-182 · 2003–2011 · Mar 6, 2019 · 1,101,534 vehicles83%Passenger side: inflator module18V-662 · 2010–2011 · Sep 27, 2018 · 57,095 vehicles85%Passenger side: inflator module18V-268 · 2003–2011 · Apr 26, 2018 · 1,335 vehicles79%Passenger side: inflator module18V-041 · 2009–2011 · Jan 9, 2018 · 24,945 vehicles68%Passenger side: inflator module17V-029 · 2005–2011 · Jan 10, 2017 · 308,884 vehicles58%Passenger side: inflator module16V-344 · 2003–2011 · May 23, 2016 · 1,790,894 vehicles65%Passenger side: inflator module15V-370 · 2003 · Jun 15, 2015 · 3,498,481 vehicles68%Driver side: inflator module15V-320 · 2003–2011 · May 28, 2015 · 6,281,043 vehicles70%Air bags14V-700 · 2003–2004 · Nov 4, 201470%Air bags14V-353 · 2003–2004 · Jun 20, 2014 · 133,207 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 20 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

5 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Element

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2003–2011 · still open
    Open
  2. Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA15001 · 2003–2011 · still open
    Led to recall 14V-668
  3. Air Bag Inflator RupturePE14016 · 2003–2011 · closed Mar 2, 2015
    Led to recall 13V-172
  4. Air in brake systemEA09014 · 2007–2008 · closed May 11, 2010
    Led to recall 10V-098
  5. Ignition Shift InterlockEA09001 · 2003–2004 · closed Oct 14, 2010
    Led to recall 10V-364