FaultScore

Oldsmobile Achieva vs Honda Element

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Oldsmobile Achieva Honda Element
Complaints on file 625 1,533
Model years covered 1992–2000 2003–2011
Worst model year 1995 2003
Best model year 1998 2010
Crashes reported 48 123
Fires reported 34 15
Injuries reported 31 101
Deaths reported 3 0
Most complained-about part Electrical System Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
Share of complaints involving harm 18.6% 15.6%

Oldsmobile Achieva by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Electrical System 127 20.3%
Engine & Cooling 105 16.8%
Brakes 89 14.2%
Airbags 47 7.5%
Steering 24 3.8%
Acceleration & Cruise Control 22 3.5%

Honda Element by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 322 21.0%
Suspension 115 7.5%
Brakes 91 5.9%
Seats 57 3.7%