2008 HONDA ELEMENT Complaints

REAR BRAKES FAILED 2008 HONDA ELEMENT HEARD WHINING NOISE 5 MONTHS PRIOR IN REAR BRAKES. DEALER CHECKED AND SAID NOTHING FOUND. 5 MONTHS LATER DEALER SAID REAR BRAKES 'GONE' AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. 1/3 OF ONE OF REAR ROTORS WAS MISSING/ERODED AWAY. VEHICLE ONLY HAD 24000 MILES. ROTOR AND PADS REPLACED. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS MULTIPLE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH ELEMENT . SEE: ELEMENTOWNERSCLUB.COM. *TR

WHILE STANDING NEXT TO OUR 2008 HONDA ELEMENT, WHICH WAS PARKED BESIDE OUR HOUSE UNDER THE CARPORT, THE REAR SIDE WINDOW OF THE CAR SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED AND STRUCK BOTH MY WIFE AND I WITH GLASS. WE WERE NOT INJURED BY THE SAFETY GLASS. THE WINDOW SEEMED TO EXPLODE, FROM THE INSIDE OUT, AND GLASS PIECES FLEW OVER A WIDE AREA. NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR, AND THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHADE, UNDER THE CARPORT, AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 40 DEGREES. THERE IS NO CHANCE THAT ANYTHING COULD HAVE STRUCK THE WINDOW SINCE IT WAS FAR OFF THE STREET IN OUR DRIVEWAY BEHIND OUR IRON GATE. THE SHATTERED WINDOW WAS PROTECTED FROM THE POSSIBILITY OR FLYING OBJECTS BY OUR HOUSE. WE HAVE READ REPORTS ONLINE WHERE THIS SAME SITUATION HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER HONDA ELEMENTS. NO PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED EXCEPT THE WINDOW, WHICH MUST BE REPLACED. HAD THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WE THINK THE SURPRISE AND VIOLENCE OF THE EXPLODING WINDOW COULD HAVE CAUSE A DANGEROUS SITUATION, INCLUDING A CRASH. IF WE HAD A PASSENGER OR CHILD IN THE REAR SEAT, THAT PERSON WOULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK WITH GLASS. APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT OF THE GLASS PIECES WERE IN THE VEHICLE, WITH THE REST FALLING OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. CONSEQUENTLY, HE REAR-ENDED THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THE DRIVER IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED $4,000 WORTH OF DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM COMPUTER MODULE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,000.

I BELIEVE THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT ON MY CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS BELT CINCHES SO TIGHTLY THAT I MUST REMOVE IT WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. IT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE RACHETING SYSTEM INTENDED FOR A CHILD SAFETY SEAT. IT IS UNSAFE AND HONDA HAS NO FIX FOR THIS. BMW FIXED MY 5-SERIES, AND GM PROVIDED ME A SEAT BELT EXTENDER WHICH SOMEHOW STOPS THE CINCHING FROM OCCURRING. A FRIEND HAS THE SAME CAR (OLDER MODEL) AND SHE HAS DISABLED HER SEAT BELT BECAUSE SHE CAN'T BREATHE. IS THERE SOMETHING WHICH CAN BE DONE TO AID ME IN GETTING HONDA TO FIX THIS SCARY SITUATION. THE PROBLEM IS ONGOING, THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENT. THANK YOU. *TR

I HAVE AN 08 HONDA ELEMENT THAT I BOUGHT NEW. FROM 1ST DAY I'VE OWNED IT I THOUGHT THE BRAKES FELT SOFT/MUSHY. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME GETTING USED TO A NEW VEHICLE, AT TIMES NOW BRAKES WHEN I'VE STOPPED HARD IT FELT LIKE ELEMENT PEDAL WAS AT THE FLOOR AND I WONDERED IF VEHICLE WAS GOING TO STOP. I NOW KNOW THAT SEVERAL OTHER ELEMENT OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM AND HONDA HAS ISSUED A TSB ON IT. SEVERAL THAT HAVE HAD THE TSB DONE ARE SAYING THAT THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I BROUGHT MINE IN AND THE DEALER HAS ORDERED THE VSA MODULATOR. I JUST WANT TO BE ON RECORD THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM THAT HONDA MAY HAVE TO DO MORE THAN THEY ARE CURRENTLY DOING TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. BRAKES ARE NOT A PROBLEM TO TAKE LIGHTLY. I BOUGHT MY ELEMENT NEW IN APR 08. *TR

2008 HONDA ELEMENT BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL IS EXCESSIVE AND THE BRAKES ARE AT TIMES SOFT. *TR

PURCHASED NEW 2008 HONDA ELEMENT ON 23 SEP 2008 DURING FAMILY EMERGENCY VISIT TO OHIO WHILE TRAVELING TO FLORIDA. THE CAR WAS TO BE LICENSED IN FLORIDA WHERE I HAVE A HOME SO A THIRTY DAY TAG WAS ISSUED WITH ARRANGEMENTS FOR ANOTHER THIRTY DAY TAG TO BE SENT TO LOCATION IN ROUTE IF NEEDED. AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A BRAKE NOISE AND VIBRATION WHEN STOPPING. I WAS TRAVELING TO FLORIDA THE NEXT DAY BUT DID CALL THE SALESMAN, WHO ADVISED ME THAT AS THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING, THIS WAS NORMAL AND I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR AND \"BURN IN\" THE BRAKES. I THEN TRAVELED IN THE CAR TO BOSTON TO VISIT FRIENDS AND THEN WORKED MY WAY DOWN THE EAST COAST. I STOPPED AT A HONDA DEALER IN VIRGINIA BEACH, VA WHERE THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE SECOND THIRTY DAY TAG SENT BUT THEY COULD NOT LOOK AT THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS. MY SCHEDULE WOULD NOT PERMIT A DELAY SO I CONTINUED THE TRAVEL TO FLORIDA. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE IN MY HOME IN FLORIDA DURING DECEMBER 2008 TO FEBRUARY 2009 WHILE I RETURNED TO GERMANY TO TIE UP LOOSE ENDS. I RETURNED TO FLORIDA IN LATE FEBRUARY 2009 AND TOOK THE CAR TO BLOUNT HONDA IN LEESBURG, FL FOR 6000 MILE CHECKUP IN EARLY MARCH. I ASKED THEM TO SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT THE BRAKES. AS I WAS WAITING FOR THE CAR, THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT THEIR WAS ROTOR DISTORTION CAUSED BY THE CAR SITTING, THE ROTORS WOULD HAVE TO BE TURNED, AND IT WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. THE CAR DID SIT FOR TWO AND A HALF MONTHS WHILE IN MY POSSESSION BUT I DISMISSED THIS AS THE CAUSE AS THE BRAKE PROBLEM WAS NOTICED THE INSTANT I GOT THE CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2008. IT WOUND UP COSTING ME $160.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR WAS RECEIVED BY JAY HONDA DEALER IN JANUARY 2008 AND THEY HAD IN THEIR POSSESSION FOR ALMOST NINE MONTHS. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH AMERICAN HONDA WHO SAID THAT IT WAS UP TO THE SELLING DEALER TO REIMBURSE ME. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THEY WOULD NOT. *TR

PREMATURE RIGHT REAR BRAKE WEAR (OUT BOAD 2.9MM INBOARD TAPERED FROM 6MM)REQUIRING RESURFACING AND NEW PADS AT APPROX 22,500 MILES. LEFT REAR OUT/INBOARD EXPECTED NOMINAL 6MM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT PURCHASED FOUR NEW RIMS AND A TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR MONITOR. LAST FALL, THE TPMS ICON FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR WAS NOT WORKING. THE DEALER HAD TO ENTER A NEW CODE INTO EACH SET OF TPMS' TO ENABLE THE SYSTEM. FIVE MONTHS LATER, THE DEALER CHANGED THE TIRES. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER, THE TPMS LIGHT FLASHED AGAIN. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE DEALER IS RIPPING OFF CONSUMERS BY CHARGING $50 TO ENABLE THE CODE TO ACTIVATE THE TPMS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,500. UPDATED 5/27/09 *CN UPDATED 06/01/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE AT NO MORE THAN 8 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A CURB AND INTO A LAWN. SHE HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS AIR IN THE BRAKE LINES. THEY DRAINED AND REPLACED ALL THE FLUID FROM THE BRAKES AND PRESSURIZED THE BRAKE LINES. THE DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE FAILURE OCCURRED OR IF IT WOULD RECUR. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BECAUSE THE DEALER HAS DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST. SHE WAS ADVISED TO CONSTANTLY PUMP THE BRAKES TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM RECURRING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,000.