2006 Honda Element problems
NHTSA has received 154 complaints about the 2006 Honda Element, and 36% of them involve air bags. After that come wipers, windshield & visibility (8%) and electrical system (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 154 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 36% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 26 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 17 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 70,000 miles 101 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 20 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 19 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 10 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 5 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 10 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 6 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 8 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 6 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 10 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 6 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Among the 101 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 70,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 76,000 miles (38 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 26 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 17 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 84% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2006 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Honda Element with enough data (59 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 9 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I ran head on into the side of a mitsubishi montero going 40 MPH. The passenger airbag deployed even though there wasn't a passenger. The driver airbag did not deploy. The police, firemen, paramedics, and insurance adjusters were all shocked when they saw the car with the airbag not deployed. I have a photo of the damage to the front of the car that I can e-mail to you which will show the amount of damage. I have a photo of the inside showing the passenger airbag deployed and the driver airbag intact.
A lady ran a red light (which was already red for 12 seconds) and hit me from the right side, which then caused my car to go at an angle striking a pole head-on. The airbags all deployed as they were supposed to but I did end up having second degree burns on my hands and wrists. While the bags worked as they were supposed to, I thought it wise to file a complaint for the mere purpose of requiring the auto industry to make its customers aware of the types of burns that airbag deployment can cause.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 honda element. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle was involved in a crash. The air bags failed to deploy. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of failure and advised the contact to call the manufacturer and NHTSA. The contact sustained an injury to her collar bone. A police report was filed. The engine size and # of cylinders were unknown. Updated 08/16/07.
The ignition lock cylinder failed suddenly, preventing any use of the vehicle. The wafers (equivalent to pins on tumbler locks) wore away such that the key no longer worked in the lock. The failure occurred such that turning the key in the ignition is impossible, and strands the driver and all passengers wherever the car is at the time. When the part failed, the vehicle was stalled on a roadway where speeds regularly exceed 30 MPH and I immediately tried to move the car out of danger.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 honda element. While driving at various speeds, the driver seat air bag deployed independently without an impact occurring. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15v665000 (air bags). The failure mileage was 173,000.