378 of the
1,533 complaints filed about the Honda Element
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
25% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
378
Complaints
25%
Share of all complaints
3
Crashes
3
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
I had arrived home on 7/17/2025 and was sitting in my parked vehicle under my carport talking on the phone when I heard a very loud bang. I was disoriented and worried that my safety may be at risk, so I asked the person I was speaking to if they would stay on the line with me until I made it inside. I stepped out of the vehicle and was walking around the back of it when I noticed the rear quarter panel window on the passenger side was completely shattered. There was glass on the outside and inside of my vehicle, and nothing around my vehicle that would have caused it (i.e. rocks, sticks, people outside, etc.). I called the Honda Service Line to report the problem after reading that others had experienced similar, but I was told there was no recall for this issue currently. I reported this to my insurance and they scheduled a repair, but the vehicle has not yet been inspected as of today, 7/18/2025. It is available for inspection upon request. There were no warning lamps, messages, or any other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.
NHTSA complaint #11674450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS COLLAPSED INTO THE DOOR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
NHTSA complaint #10838034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP AND IS BLOCKING VISIBILITY OF THE ROAD AHEAD. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE I SEE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH SIMILAR MODELS OF HONDA. IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL FOR HONDA AS IT MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10608461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE DRIVER SIDE, FRONT WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED IN ON ME WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT ANY OBJECT STRUCK THE WINDOW. IT JUST EXPLODED.
NHTSA complaint #10598033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF BECAME FRACTURED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A COLLISION SPECIALIST FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
NHTSA complaint #10576705 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET, QUITE SLOW (ABOUT 20-25 MPH) AND SMOKE STARTED TO BILLOW OUT OF MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE SWITCHES WHICH CONTROL MY WINDOWS. THE SMOKE GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME (30 SECONDS - 1 MINUTE). I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN MY WINDOWS TO LET THE BLACK SMOKE OUT. I OPENED MY CAR DOOR WHILE I DROVE INTO THE FIRST PARKING LOT I SAW. AS SOON AS I PARKED, I COULD SEE FLAMES UNDER THE WINDOW SWITCHES, WHICH MELTED THE PLASTIC AND CAUSED THE FLAMES TO GET LARGER. I WAS ABLE TO SMOLDER THE FIRE WITH A JACKET WHILE WAITING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. A FIRE CLAIM WAS FILED. MY CAR WAS TOWED, SINCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE IT. I AM NOW AWAITING WORD FROM THE MECHANIC IT WAS TOWED TO. I WORK FOR A HOME HEALTH CARE AGENCY, AND HAVE TO TRANSPORT SMALL OXYGEN TANKS ON OCCASION. I HAD ONE IN MY CAR AT THE TIME AND THIS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY.
NHTSA complaint #10576146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT 40 MPH ON PAVED CITY STREETS, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SUDDENLY FELL INTO THE DOOR CAVITY AND WAS LEFT INOPERABLE. HAD TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR IN COLD WEATHER WITHOUT A SIDE WINDOW. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR OF WINDOW REGULATOR. DEALER HAD VEHICLE FOR 24 HOURS. REPAIR WAS IT APPEARS THIS PREMATURE FAILURE COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME, LEAVING THE CAR VULNERABLE TO WEATHER AND BREAK INS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A CAR OF THIS AGE. REPAIR WAS $244.32.
NHTSA complaint #10504676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE SUN VISOR MOUNT HAS LOOSENED UP OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. TODAY, I PULLED DOWN THE SUN VISOR TO BLOCK THE SUN AND WHEN I ACCELERATED THE ENTIRE THING FELL ON MY FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, TEMPORARILY BLOCKING MY VISION. THE ENTIRE MOUNT AND VISOR CAME OUT OF THE CEILING OF MY CAR AND FELL ON ME.
NHTSA complaint #10482149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WINDSHIELD LEAKED WATER, DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX. WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND WAS CITED BY POLICE OFFICER FOR NOT FIXING, DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX. UPON REPLACEMENT THE REPAIR GUYS JUST LAUGHED AND SAID THAT THAT GLASS WAS SEATED IMPROPERLY AND ASKED WHO HAD REPLACED IT. I RESPONDED THAT IT WAS THE ORIGINAL, THEY TOLD ME NOT TO BUY ANY MORE HONDAS. KEY WOULD NO LONGER WORK IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. REPLACED SOMETHING AT DEALERSHIP FOR $800 AS WELL AS THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW AS IT STOPPED MOVING DUE TO THE MOTOR DYING AT AROUND 60,000 MILES. NOW THE KEYS DON'T WORK IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE NOR DOES THE WINDOW. IN ANOTHER INCIDENT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AFTER FULLY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 5-10 MPH AND DRIFTING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING MODERATE DAMAGE. HONDA HAS NOT RESPONDED TO ANY INQUIRES MADE BY CONSUMER. NOR HAS DEALERSHIP. I STILL OWE 10,000 DOLLARS ON THIS CAR, HAVE SPENT OVER 3000 IN REPAIRS AND AT THIS POINT WANT TO DRIVE IT INTO A TREE AT A HIGH SPEED.
NHTSA complaint #10446217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO FUNCTION WHEN THEY WERE ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE SIMILAR DEFECT PERTAINING TO THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD AND THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS 08V169000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE MALFUNCTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
NHTSA complaint #10444029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011, UPON STARTING THE IGNITION OF MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT, I NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. AFTER HEARING SOME CRACKLING NOISES FROM THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH, IT SOON POPPED INTO A SMALL FIRE WHICH WENT OUT ON IT'S OWN, PROCEEDED BY MORE CONTINUOUS SMOKE.
NHTSA complaint #10425047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2006 HONDA ELEMENT PROBLEMS: I BOUGHT THIS HONDA BECAUSE OF THE REPUTATION FOR A SOLID CAR WITH VERY LITTLE MAINTENANCE ISSUES. THIS CAR HAS HAD MORE MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAN ANY OTHER I'VE EVER OWNED! *TT 1. DRIVER'S SEAT ROCK. THE SEAT HAS ROCKED LEFT TO RIGHT SINCE ABOUT 30,000 MILES. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $300 TO FIX A SAFETY ISSUE THAT HONDA OBVIOUSLY KNOWS ABOUT. 2. AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES THE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING-THAT WAS A $700+ REPAIR FOR A NEW FAN MOTOR . 3. I HAVE GONE THROUGH ABOUT 5 WINDSHIELDS IN 90,000 MILES. GOOD THING I ALWAYS GET ZERO DEDUCTIBLE GLASS COVERAGE! THE LAST WASN'T EVEN DUE TO A CRACK, BUT BECAUSE IT BECAME SO PITTED IT WAS IMPAIRING VISIBILITY. 4. THIS VEHICLE HAS A HUGE BLIND SPOT IN THE DRIVER'S LEFT CORNER. I HAVE HAD COUNTLESS NEAR MISSES-ESPECIALLY PEDESTRIANS IN PARKING LOTS. THE BLIND SPOT IS LARGE ENOUGH TO BLOCK VISION COMPLETELY.
NHTSA complaint #10417208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
NHTSA complaint #10413814 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS MOWING MY LAWN WHEN THE LAWN-MOWER KICKED UP A SMALL (LESS THAN 1.5 CM DIAMETER) PEBBLE AND THREW IT INTO THE REAR WINDOW. THE ENTIRE WINDOW SHATTERED, THE SIDES FELL OUT, THE MIDDLE CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS. YOU COULD SEE A SMALL WHITE AREA(SIZE OF A DIME) WHERE THE IMPACT WAS, IT WAS NOWHERE NEAR WHERE THE GLASS FELL OUT. THEN ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER THE ENTIRE WINDOW FELL OUT. NORMAL GLASS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WITHSTAND, PERHAPS CHIP OR CRACK, BUT NOT BLOW OUT THE ENTIRE WINDOW. THIS WAS DEFECTIVE GLASS. ALSO, THIS IS A 2011 HONDA ELEMENT, NOT A 2010, BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY OPTION ON THE SITE.
NHTSA complaint #10400565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY HONDA ELEMENT HAS HAD TWO WINDSHIELDS REPLACED AND NOW A CRACK AGAIN AT THE BASE MOVING UP. STRESS CRACKS NOT FOREIGN MATERIAL HITTING THE CAR. I SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD A 500 DEDUCTIBLE TO GET ANOTHER WINDSHIELD.....
NHTSA complaint #10392601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2/27/10 PURCHASED NEW HONDA ELEMENT, DELIVERED WITH WINDSHIELD CHIPS, DEALER SUBCONTRACTED. NEW WINDSHIELD INSTALL & GAVE GUARANTEE OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. TOOK DELIVERY 3/8/10, NOTED EXCESSIVE DASH/WINDSHIELD RATTLE. CALLED DEALER NEXT DAY-WAS ASKED TO 'MONITOR THROUGH SUMMER MOS. AS RATTLE WOULD 'SETTLE'. IT ONLY GOT WORSE. CONTACTED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES OVER SUMMER & WAS ASSURED IF PROBLEM PERSISTED THEY WOULD 'STAND BEHIND IT UNTIL IT WAS DONE RIGHT'. RETURNED. TO DEALER FOR 'REPAIR' 3 TIMES 11/15/10, 12/7/10, 12/29/10 (CAR WAS REPAIRED THREE SEPARATE TIMES DURING THIS VISIT (KEPT AT DEALERSHIP 12/29-1/10/11). BROKEN WINDSHIELD CLIPS FOUND/REPLACED ON 11/15/10 & 12/29/10 VISIT, RE-PADDED DASH ON 12/7/10 VISIT. RATTLE STILL PERSISTENT. CONTACTED HONDA CORP. CUSTOMER SERVICE & WAS TOLD ALL ELEMENTS HAVE DASH/WINDSHIELD RATTLES IN COLD WEATHER...HONDA CONSIDERS THIS 'NORMAL'...DEALERSHIP NOW STATING THEY HAVE 'DONE ALL THEY CAN'. CAR HAD LESS THAN 3500 MI. AT LAST SERVICE DATE. PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN CORRECTED AND DEALER STATES THEY ARE UNSURE IF PROBLEM IS IN THE DASH, WINDSHIELD OR BOTH AREAS. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE STATES ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE IS TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND 'KEEP TRYING' TO SEE IF ANOTHER DEALER IS WILLING TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10381105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.