91 of the 1,533 complaints filed about the Honda Element are about the braking system — 6% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2008.
91
Complaints
6%
Share of all complaints
7
Crashes
0
Fires
SERVICE BRAKES
No incident, Soft Brake Pedal all the time
NHTSA complaint #11454926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
WE JUST BOUGHT A USED 2008 HONDA ELEMENT AND WE THOUGHT THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR BECAUSE OF LOW BRAKE FLUID THAT THE HONDA SERVICE OF BATON ROUGE APPARENTLY DID NOT FILL, BUT IT STILL WAS NOT WORKING. WE BROUGHT IT IN AND OUR MECHANIC PULLED UP A SAFETY RECALL FOR AIR IN THE VSA MODULATOR, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE BRAKES ARE DOING. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE RECALL HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN 2016, SO THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO, EXCEPT GO IN AND CHARGE US TO DO THE SAME PROCESS AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #11394486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
A FAILED MODULATOR. SERVICE ADVISORY A52 MUSHY BRAKES.
NHTSA complaint #11351078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES KEEP GRINDING AND SQUEALING. HAVE REPAIRED BRAKES AND MECHANISM ASSOCIATED WITH IT A TOTAL FOR FOUR TIMES. REAR PASSENGER BRAKE KEEPS GOING OUT. GRINDING AWAY PART OF THE ROTAR AND BRAKE KEEPS STICKING TO DISC.
NHTSA complaint #11315414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE PEDAL TOO SOFT. CHANGED FLUID, STILL THE SAME.
NHTSA complaint #11309330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO FLOOR. HAVE NEW ROTORS & PADS AND JUST HAD THE SYSTEM FLUSHED AND BLED. NO CHANGE IN OPERATION. STILL SPONGY AND TRAVEL ALMOST TO FLOOR. SYMPTOMS HAVE EXISTED FOR YEARS.
NHTSA complaint #11299636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT RELEASE OR MOVE. SOMETIMES, THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE ABS SENSOR NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #11244260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
THE BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY SOFT AND THE BRAKES WEAR UNEVENLY AND CLAPPERS LOCK UP EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF PADS ROTERS, CLAPPERS, HOSES,AND BLEEDING BRAKE SYSTEM
NHTSA complaint #11242404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDS REPLACEMENT CONSTANTLY. CALIPERS GET STUCK CAUSING BRAKES AND ROTORS TO GET STUCK AND FREEZE UP. ALSO BRAKES ARE ON WHEN DRIVING
NHTSA complaint #11196958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS JUST DRIVING MY 2007 HONDA ELEMENT TO WORK IN THE NORTH END OF SEATTLE, AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY VEHICLE STARTED JERKING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSA AND STEERING LIGHT CAME ON THE "TRIANGLE WITH A LIGHTNING BOLT IN IT" IT STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. WHEN I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS IT WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO JERK AND THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD IDLE UP AND DOWN. IT WAS VERY INTENSE. I WOULD LIFT OFF THE GAS PATEL AND TRY TO LET IT SMOOTHIN OUT. IT DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW A RECALL ON THE 2007 AND 2008 HONDA ELEMENT, OVER 68,000 OF THEM. I WENT TO HONDA OF SEATTLE AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WASN'T A RECALL, I THEN TOLD HIM TO LOOK ONLINE AND HE TRIED TO TELL ME THAT MY CAR WASN'T COVERED. HE STARTED TO QUOTE SOME NUMBERS OF WHAT THE DIAGNOSTIC WOULD COST AND THEN THEY WOULD GO FROM THERE. I THEN TOLD THEM TO RETURN MY VEHICLE AND BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC. THE TOTAL COST TO FIX WHAT HONDA WOULDN'T EVEN THOUGH IT IS A RECALL IS $450.00. THIS IS UNFAIR AND HONDA NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT!
NHTSA complaint #11151002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE THE VEHICLE MOVING SLOWLY, SUDDENLY THE ABS, VSA (VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST) AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND STAYED ON. A HONDA DEALERSHIP LATER DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A FAULTY VSA MODULATOR, AN EXPENSIVE PART WHICH CONTROLS THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS. THE FAULT OUR VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PREVENTS ALL THESE SYSTEMS FROM FUNCTIONING. I CONTACTED OTHER HONDA ELEMENT OWNERS AND FOUND SEVERAL WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH 2007 AND 2008 ELEMENTS - ALL THREE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE AND THEN DEALER DIAGNOSIS TURNED UP A FAULTY VSA MODULATOR. IN SEVERAL CASES, THESE PEOPLE CONTACTED HONDA OF AMERICA AND HONDA OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE VSA MODULATOR REPLACEMENT (EVEN OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY), PRESUMABLY DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE OF HAVING THIS CRITICAL PART FAIL THAT DISABLES THE ABS AND VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEMS. I CONTACTED HONDA OF AMERICA AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PART ON MY VEHICLE. BEFORE THIS INCIDENT, I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY ISSUES WITH THE VSA MODULATOR AND HAD VERY RARELY BEEN IN A LOW-TRACTION ENVIRONMENT WHERE EITHER THE VSA OR ABS SYSTEMS WOULD ENGAGE. INTERESTINGLY, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT A HONDA DEALERSHIP PERFORMED A VSA MODULATOR-RELATED RECALL TO REMOVE AIR THAT COULD ACCUMULATE IN THE MODULATOR (RECALL #10V098000); THE DEALERSHIP INSISTED THAT WORK AND THIS FAILURE WERE UNRELATED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR BRAKING AND VEHICLE STABILITY ON A SEALED PART WITH OTHER OPEN RECALLS AGAINST IT. THIS PART SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, AND YET IT IS FAILING SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL MECHANISM OF FAILURE. HONDA SHOULD REPLACE FAULTY VSA MODULATORS AT NO CHARGE.
NHTSA complaint #11054018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I HAVE A 2010 HONDA ELEMENT SC AND IT HAS A VERY SPONGE LIKE BREAK PEDDLE. (HAPPENS STOPED OR DRIVING)IT WILL GO TO THE FLOOR IF IT IS PRESSED HARD ENOUGH. THE BREAK FLUID HAS BEEN REPLACED ALONG WITH ALL BREAK PADS AND THE PROBLEM STILL ACCURS. ALL WORK WAS DONE BY DEALERSHIP
NHTSA complaint #11025420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE MAKING LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE. THE DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE FAILURE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
NHTSA complaint #10968787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
HONDA ELEMENT 2008 BEGAN EXPERIENCING SOFT PEDAL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, 2 LIGHTS CAME ON VSA AND ABS! . I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THAT PARTICULAR DAY AND WHEN I TUNED OFF ENGINE AND TURNED IT BACK ON LIGHTS DISAPPEARED FOR A SMAL AMOUNT OF TIME. BRAKES FELT AS THOUGH I WOULD BE UNABLE TO STOP BECAUSE OF SUCH PLAY IN THEM. I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY FOR APPROX 15 MILES AND ALSO CITY DRIVING FOR ABOUT 10 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10956913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT, COULD BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR DESPITE BLEEDING OF THE BRAKE LINES. REPLACING THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM WHETHER DRIVING OR STATIONARY. BLEEDING THE ABS MODULATOR WOULD TEMPORARILY IMPROVE BRAKING, BUT TURNING THE IGNITION ON AND OFF 6 TIMES WOULD INTRODUCE AIR INTO THE ABS MODULATOR. REPLACING THE ABS MODULATOR SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10838797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES VERY SPONGY, GOING ALMOST DOWN TO FLOOR, CAUSING A DANGEROUS INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE ON THE HIGHWAY MY MECHANIC BLED THE SYSTEM SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THEN CHANGED THE MASTER CYLINDER. STILL SPONGY, THEN THE MECHANIC CHECKED FOR HONDA SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. HE FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT ADDRESSES A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON 2007-2008 ELEMENTS (HTTPS://WWW.SKIDMORE.EDU/~PDWYER/E/FILES/CAMPAIGN_AND_RECALL_BULLETINS/A10-017.PDF). THERE IS ALSO A NHTSA RECALL REGARDING THIS PROBLEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V098000 ). I THINK THE PROBLEM WITH MY 2010 HONDA ELEMENT MAY BE SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE 2007-2008 YEAR MODELS AND REQUIRE A SIMILAR RECALL AND FIX. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BECAUSE THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER ABILITY PUT MYSELF AND FAMILY IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #10838658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
RECENTLY BECAME SECOND OWNER OF VEHICLE. NOTICED IT HAD A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. RECALL PERFORMED BY FIRST OWNERS DEALER, BUT, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
NHTSA complaint #10807900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VSA MODULE CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,400. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ; UPDATED 04/23/18*JB
NHTSA complaint #10783356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE PEDAL IS SOFT AND GOES TO THE FLOOR WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. WHEN THE ENGINE IS OFF THE PEDAL IS HARD AND DOES NOT GO TO THE FLOOR.
NHTSA complaint #10780461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
MY CARS BRAKE PEDAL HAD BEEN SOFT FOR SOME TIME. YET NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES OR WITH THE VSA. I STARTED MY CAR ON SATURDAY MORNING (6/13/2015) AND THE VSA, ABS AND TRIANGLE EXCLAMATION LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED ON THE 30TH OF APRIL 2010 AND NO CHANGE WAS MADE TO THE VSA SINCE NO PROBLEM WAS REPORTED. I AM DISABLED AND DO NOT USE THE VEHICLE THAT OFTEN. IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND IN EXCELLENT RUNNING ORDER. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC AND HE TESTED THE CAR QUICKLY AND TOLD ME TO TAKE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIR. IT IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT SERVICE BULLETIN 10-017 WAS REPORTING. I CALLED HONDA OF AMERICA ON THE 17TH OF JUNE 2015 TO SPEAK WITH THEM AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I HAVE A CASE NUMBER FROM THEM... .UPDATED 07/22/15
NHTSA complaint #10725950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.