2006 Honda Element Complaint Log

WHEN: MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON WEDNESDAY, 11/07/2007, 1515HRS WHERE: SOUTHBOUND CO HWY 93 AND EASTBOUND CO HWY 72; JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO; WHAT: MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT: 2006 HONDA ELEMENT WAS STRUCK BY AN SUV. THE ACCIDENT CAUSED THE 2006 HONDA ELEMENT TO ROLLOVER, ONCE, BEFORE RIGHTING ONTO ITS WHEELS. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE ELEMENT AUTOMOBILE. NOTABLY, THE AIRBAGS - FRONT, PASSENGER, AND SIDE - DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SAFETY BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM PROTECTED THE SOLE OCCUPANT FROM LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. WHO: COLORADO STATE PATROL. JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, ARVADA, CO POLICE DEPARTMENT; AND ARVADA FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. THE ATTENDING LAW AND EMERGENCY RESCUE PERSONNEL WERE SURPRISED THAT THE HONDA ELEMENT AIRBAG SYSTEM DID NOT DEPLOY DUE TO THE SEVERITY AND CATASTROPHIC NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT. ISSUE: WAS THE 2006 HONDA ELEMENT AIR BAG SYSTEM DEFECTIVE DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF DEPLOYMENT IN THIS ROLLOVER ACCIDENT? *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 HONDA ELEMENT ON A DIRT ROAD AT 25 MPH WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAG IN THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE AIRBAG DID WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. THE SIDE AIRBAG ON A HONDA ELEMENT DEPLOYS AS THE RESULT OF A SINGLE SENSOR BEING ACTIVATED. THE FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOY WHEN 2 OUT OF 3 SENSORS ARE ACTIVATED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON OTHER HONDA ELEMENTS, NOT AS THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT BUT BECAUSE OF THE SENSOR INDICATING A NEED FOR DEPLOYMENT. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER AND NHTSA. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURY TO HER COLLAR BONE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE ENGINE SIZE AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 08/16/07. *JB

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED 2006 HONDA ELEMENT EX-P IN MARCH OF 2007 FROM HONDA OF FAYETTEVILLE, AR. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO SPRINGFIELD, MO AND PARKED IT IN A GARAGE. THE NEXT MORNING I FOUND A 4 INCH CRACK IN THE TOP MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. IN A DAY OR TWO THE CRACK BECAME SO BAD THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO APPARENT ROCK STRIKE OR OTHER DAMAGE OTHER THAN THE CRACK. AT THE TIME I DID NOT KNOW THAT HONDA HAD SETTLED A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ALLEGING DESIGN DEFECTS WITH 2003 AN 2004 HONDA ELEMENTS. I DID NOT REPORT THE DAMAGE TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE. I HAD THE OEM WINDSHIELD REPLACED WITH A PPG WINDSHIELD AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO OUR HOME IN JUNEAU, ALASKA AND ARRIVED LAST WEEK. THIS AFTERNOON WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED ANOTHER CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD, THIS ONE STARTING AT THE TOP AT THE EXTREME RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE. THIS CRACK IS NOW ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG, AND WILL SOON BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. HONDA DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO REPLACE THIS WINDSHIELD BECAUSE ONLY 2003 AND 2004 HONDA ELEMENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DESIGN OR ENGINEERING FLAW IN ALL ELEMENTS, NOT JUST THE 2003 AN 2004 MODEL YEARS. IN CHECKING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AFFECTING THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ELEMENTS. WHEN I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED IN SPRINGFIELD, MO., I WAS TOLD THAT HONDA ELEMENTS CONSTITUTE A LARGE PORTION OF THEIR WORKLOAD, AND THAT SOME ELEMENT OWNERS HAVE REPLACED THEIR WINDSHIELDS FIVE OR SIX TIMES! HONDA HAS A REAL PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO RECALL AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM COMMON TO ALL ELEMENTS. AK

A LADY RAN A RED LIGHT (WHICH WAS ALREADY RED FOR 12 SECONDS) AND HIT ME FROM THE RIGHT SIDE, WHICH THEN CAUSED MY CAR TO GO AT AN ANGLE STRIKING A POLE HEAD-ON. THE AIRBAGS ALL DEPLOYED AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BUT I DID END UP HAVING SECOND DEGREE BURNS ON MY HANDS AND WRISTS. WHILE THE BAGS WORKED AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO, I THOUGHT IT WISE TO FILE A COMPLAINT FOR THE MERE PURPOSE OF REQUIRING THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO MAKE ITS CUSTOMERS AWARE OF THE TYPES OF BURNS THAT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAN CAUSE. I HAVE FOUND IN TALKING TO MANY PEOPLE ABOUT MY WRECK, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA THAT THEY CAN GET BURNED BY THESE THINGS THAT ARE INSTALLED IN THEIR CARS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANY OF THE INDICATORS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THE SUN WAS SHINING. THE FAILURE PREVENTED HIM FROM KEEPING TRACK OF HIS DRIVING SPEED BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT VISIBLE. THE FAILURE ALMOST CAUSED THE CONTACT TO STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,000. *AK UPDATED 05/23/07. *JB

2006 HONDA ELEMENT PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, NO VISIBLE IMPACT POINTS DAY BEFORE. IN THE MORNING CAR HAD CRACK ON PASSENGER SIDE, ABOUT 2-3 INCHES UP, 3-4 INCHES LONG. DEALER ADVISED HIT BY STONES AT SOME POINT PRIOR, LEAVING NO MARK AT FIRST BUT CAN LATER APPEAR, BUT DID CAUSE CRACK. GLASS TECHNICIAN SAID STRESS CRACK FROM MANUFACTURER. *NM

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

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

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

ON NOVEMBER 12, 2007, I NOTICED A HORIZONTAL CRACK IN MY HONDA ELEMENT'S WINDSHIELD, ABOUT 7 INCHES IN LENGTH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, ABOUT HALFWAY UP STARTING AT THE LEFT SIDE PILLAR. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW AND IT HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT. I DROVE IN TO WORK AND DID NOT NOTICE THE CRACK. I DID NOTICE IT WHEN GOING TO LUNCH THAT SAME DAY. THE CRACK WAS CLEARLY VISIBLE AS IT IS IN MY DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT. IT LITERALLY APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE. *TR

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

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

DRIVER RAN INTO STOPPED CAR IN FRONT OF HIM. SPEED WAS SUFFICIENT TO FLATTEN THE CAR UP TO THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE - LITTLE DAMAGE BEHIND THAT. CAR IS 2006 HONDA ELEMENT. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SAFETY BELT DID NOT LOCK UP QUICKLY - DRIVER STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL, AND CHEST WAS BRUISED BY TOP OF STEERING WHEEL. PASSENGER SEAT MOVED TO THE FULL FORWARD POSITION, ALMOST TOUCHING THE DASHBOARD. NO SIGNIFICANT INJURIES RESULTED, BUT SAFETY SYSTEMS DID NOT WORK AS EXPECTED.

I WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEED ALONG A GRAVEL ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH IN A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT EX WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AND I CAN FIND NO REASON WHY THIS AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY WITHOUT ANY IMPACT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER GETTING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT SUFFERED HEADACHES AND EYE BURNING. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT DID NOT SMELL ANYTHING EXCEPT THE NEW CAR SMELL. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A HOLE IN THE VEHICLE'S DRIVER SIDE DOOR GASKET. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE GASKET. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 2,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE VEHICLE WAS SET TOO FAR INTO THE DASH TO SEE THE GAUGES EFFECTIVELY DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. UPDATED 10/04/06. *JB

JULY 28TH 2006 @ ABOUT 3 PM. I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY @ NORMAL RATE OF SPEED (65 OR SO MPH) WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. I WAS DRIVING IN THE SECOND FROM THE FAST LANE. IT WAS A NORMAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DAY, SUNNY, CLEAR AND HOT. AFTER ABOUT 40 MINUTES OF MY 1 HOUR COMMUTE THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING DEPLOYED WITH A EXTREMELY LOUD AND DISORIENTING BANG! I WAS QUITE STARTLED BY THE DEPLOYMENT BUT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE BAG WENT OFF MY LEFT ARM WAS RESTING ON THE WINDOW LEDGE. I RECEIVED A NASTY WELT ON MY UPPER FOREARM AS A RESULT OF THE BAGS SUDDEN DEPLOYMENT. I THEN PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY TO INSPECT MY VEHICLE. I FOUND NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE ON THE EXTERIOR AND NONE ON THE INTERIOR EXCEPT FOR THE RATHER LARGE RIP IN MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT AND THE NOW DEPLOYED AIRBAG HANGING OFF THE SIDE OF MY SEAT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON SATURDAY LEFT IT FOR THE TECH TO EVALUATE. I WAS CALLED THAT AFTERNOON AND INFORMED THAT I WOULD NEED TO BRING IT BACK AND LEAVE IT DURING THE WEEK SO THEY COULD CONSULT THE CORPORATE ADVISORS/SPECIALIST IN THE MATTER. I RETURNED THE CAR ON TUESDAY AUG 1 2006 FOR THE EVALUATION. I RECEIVED A CALL LATER IN THE DAY INFORMING ME THAT HONDA WOULD NOT BE REPAIRING THE VEHICLE AS I HAD HIT OR RUN OVER SOMETHING CAUSING THE DEPLOYMENT. AS I SAID EARLIER THERE WAS NO IMPACT AND NOTHING WAS RUN OVER PRIOR TO THE DEPLOYMENT. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE MILE 7 ON THE ODOMETER AND HAVE BEEN THE ONLY DRIVER FOR IT'S 18000 MILES. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND AVOID AN ACCIDENT. MAYBE THE NEXT PERSON THIS HAPPENS TO WONT. I DON'T WANT THIS TO GO UNDOCUMENTED FOR FUTURE VICTIMS. ALSO, I DON'T THINK A SENSOR SHOULD BE PLACED ANYWHERE UNDER THE VEHICLE WHERE IT COULD BE STRUCK AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENTAL DEPLOYMENT ANYWAY!*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE CLEARLY DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THE SERVICE DEALER RECOMMENDED TINTING ADDED TO THE FRONT SIDE WINDOWS AND THE TOP FEW INCHES OF THE WINDSHIELD. LED LIGHTS WERE INSTALLED INTO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VISIBILITY WAS STILL POOR AND TOOK ATTENTION FROM THE ROAD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 10/04/06 *JB

2006 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR STATING THAT THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE IS "USUALLY" CAUSED BY ROAD DEBRIS. *NM