2004 HONDA ELEMENT Complaints

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A COLLISION. DRIVER WAS MAKING A SLOW U-TURN EXIT FROM A PARKED LOCATION AND ACCIDENTALLY DROVE ONE TIRE OVER A CURB. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN THE TIRE ROLLED OFF THE CURB. DEALER SERVICE PERSONNEL INITIALLY CONFIRMED A NO-IMPACT DEPLOYMENT, THEN CHANGED DIAGNOSIS AFTER BEING CONTACTED BY HONDA AMERICA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE AND BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 HONDA ELEMENT ON A GRAVEL ROAD, WHICH I DO MOST DAYS AS I LIVE ON THIS ROAD, AND THE SIDE AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON, CAUSING ME BODILY HARM WITH SCRATCHING AND BRUISING TO MY LEFT UPPER ARM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS DURING THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE BOTH CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 123,000. UPDATED 11/01/11. *JB

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 HONDA ELEMENT TO WORK ON THE MORNING OF MAY 27, 2011 WHEN THE (DRIVERS SIDE) SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION OR KNOWN REASON FOR IT TO DEPLOY. IT STARTLED ME BADLY, NEARLY CAUSING ME TO GO OFF THE ROAD. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A GUN SHOT. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE, GOT OUT AND CHECKED FOR DAMAGE, HOLES. I ONLY NOTICED THE BAG HANGING FROM THE SIDE OF THE SEAT WHEN I WENT TO ENTER THE VEHICLE AGAIN. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD HAPPENED UNTIL I SAW THAT BAG. MY LEFT UPPER ARM FELT AS IF I HAD BEEN PUNCHED HARD. NETHER MY INSURANCE COMPANY(SAFETY) NOR AMERICAN HONDA WILL COVER THE DAMAGE WHICH WAS ESTIMATED AT A BIT OVER $1500. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MY HONDA DEALER. THEY COULD FIND NO "CODES" OR OTHER REASON FOR THE BAG DEPLOY. MY INSURANCE COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE STATED IT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AS I REPORTED AND INFERRED I MIGHT BE TRYING TO DEFRAUD THE COMPANY. ALL IN ALL, THIS WAS A VERY BAD EXPERIENCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE NOTICED THE IGNITION KEY WAS LOOSE WHILE POSITIONED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED THREE YEARS LATER. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V364000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REMEDY REPAIR; HOWEVER THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN INTO ANY DIRECTION AND AN ADDITIONAL REPAIR WOULD NEED TO BE PERFORMED IN COMBINATION WITH THE RECALL REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN THE POSSESSION OF THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT WOULD ROCK BACK AND FORTH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST THE CONTACT AND THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE AIR BAGS SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES AS A RESULT BUT WAS NOT HOSPITALIZED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I AM THE ORIGINAL/ONLY OWNER OF A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HAS BECOME VERY LOOSE ON SEAT TRACK AND NOW "ROCKS" ON ITS TRACK. SEAT IS SO LOOSE THAT CONTROL OF VEHICLE IS COMPROMISED WHEN DRIVING. HONDA SERVICE INSPECTION INDICATES SEAT BUSHINGS HAVE FAILED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. CHECK ONLINE SHOWS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR. INDICATIONS ARE THAT EVEN FOLLOWING REPAIRS, SEAT WILL BECOME LOOSE AGAIN, POINTING TO SAFETY DESIGN FLAW. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000. *TR

PASSENGERS SEAT, SIDE AIRBAG, DEPLOYED WHILE TRAVELING LESS THAN 10 MPH. I WAS TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND GETTING READY TO PARK. VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, DID NOT HIT A POT HOLE, ETC. HONDA STATES THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WILL NOT REPAIR. COST OF REPAIR ESTIMATED AT OVER $2400. *TR