2009 HONDA Element Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

SERVICE BRAKES

5 complaints

A FAILED MODULATOR. SERVICE ADVISORY A52 MUSHY BRAKES.

Aug 25, 2020

BRAKE PEDAL TOO SOFT. CHANGED FLUID, STILL THE SAME.

Feb 15, 2020

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.

Jan 15, 2020

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

Aug 07, 2019

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.

Oct 07, 2015

AIR BAGS

4 complaints

TAKATA RECALL : AFTER SERVICING OUR HONDA VEHICLE TODAY, THERE IS A WARNING NOT TO ALLOW A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT, AND THEY CANNOT OR WILL NOT REPAIR/REPLACE THE DANGEROUS AIRBAG. WHY CAN THEY NOT DISABLE IT UNTIL THEY CAN REPLACE OR REMOVE IT? HOW CAN I USE THIS AUTO FOR MY FAMILY IF IT'S DANGEROUS?

Aug 29, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V344000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V320000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

Jul 19, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP SIGN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE PANEL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND THREE TIMES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH FORCE, METAL FRAGMENTS EJECTED FROM THE AIR BAG. THE CONTACTS GLASSES CAME OFF AND A METAL FRAGMENT PEALED THE CONTACTS RIGHT EYE LID CAUSING EXCESSIVE BLEEDING. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED BRUISES TO THE FACE AND BRUISING FROM THE SEAT BELT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED FURTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT DUE TO THE INJURIES SUSTAINED FROM THE FORCE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO REMEDIED THE BODY DAMAGES AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE AIR BAGS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V320000 (AIR BAGS) AND 12V436000 (AIR BAGS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,260. UPDATED 12/24/15.*JB

Jul 23, 2015

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:14V351000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

May 21, 2015

SUSPENSION

3 complaints

The driver side rear trail arm broke free from under the vehicle. Vehicle loses control much like having flat tires but more violent fish tailing. Vehicle is hard to control to pull over to shoulder. Photos were shown to local Honda dealer representative, Scott Guyette. (Gustman Honda in Appleton Wi). Scott Guyette at the dealership stated that he has seen this numerous times on the Honda Element and they are currently fixing Honda CRVs with the same issue. Email: ([email protected]) He stated, don't tow it in, just send photos, which I did.

Sep 25, 2023

The contact owns a 2009 Honda Element. The contact stated the driver's side rear trailing arm detached from the vehicle while he was reversing at an undisclosed speed, and the vehicle stopped. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated the failure occurred due to rust and corrosion. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed them they could not provide assistance, and then the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.

Jun 23, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE IN FOR A ROUTINE CHECK UP BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COVER OF BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE MISSING AND THAT BOTH THE BALL JOINTS AND THE CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

Sep 19, 2013

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

3 complaints

2009 HONDA ELEMENT, UNDER 2000 MILES AFTER CERTIFICATION SUFFERED A BRAKE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING LEADING TO ACCIDENT. *KB

Aug 03, 2011

Crash: 1

SOFT BRAKE PEDAL ON 2009 HONDA ELEMENT LX AWD. BRAKE PEDAL MAY GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR SO THAT FOOT HITS GAS PEDAL WHEN BRAKING. *TR

May 22, 2010

SINCE NEW (DAY ONE) HAVE HAD SOFT BRAKE PEDDLE. DEALER SAYS NORMAL, BUT I DON'T THINK SO AS I HAVE DRIVEN 100S OF VEHICLES IN MY 50 YEARS OF DRIVING AND ONLY FELT THIS MUSHY BRAKE PEDAL WHEN EXPERIENCING A MASTER CYLINDER INTERNAL LEAK. *TR

Mar 21, 2010

STEERING,SUSPENSION,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2 complaints

Just like the same era's Honda CR-V (the Honda Element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era Honda CR-V's NHTSA Recall (23V-228). Large sections of my car’s rear frame are completely missing, as shown in the photographs. My car is now undriveable. I had it towed to two Honda dealerships at my expense and both refused to even look at the car's rust, when I explicitly asked them to determine if the car was safe to drive. Niether dealership would confirm. Honda corporate cited that they were unable to assess the photographs that I sent to it because it does not physically inspect the cars. Honda corporate also insisted that it could not do anything about any dealership’s behavior as they are allegedly completely independent from Honda of North America. Honda corporate also looked up the history of my Hondas that I have owned and Elements that I still own and actually asked me, if I purchased them just to try to have Honda fix them for free. Just like with the CR-V, a recall for the rear frame corrosion first occurred in Canada and then in the US: see NHTSA Recall 23V-228’s chronology. The Honda Element's Canadian recall is as follows: "Transport Canada Recall - 2021024 – HONDA". As of today, there is no NHTSA recall for rear frame corrosion for Honda Elements. I am submitting this complaint for this car now, and also contemporaneous will submit less detailed complaints under different VINs for my other Elements with rust problems: every Honda Element that I have ever owned, even one that had spent its entire 14 year life as a New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas car has had rust problems. In other words, no matter what environment these Elements (which were made for the model years 2003-2011) are in, they corrode right away (within any factory warranties), and eventually become dangerous.

Jun 13, 2025

Just like the same era's Honda CR-V (the Honda Element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era Honda CR-V's NHTSA Recall (23V-228). Sections of my car’s rear frame are rusty. Just like with the CR-V, a recall for the rear frame corrosion first occurred in Canada and then in the US: see NHTSA Recall 23V-228’s chronology. The Honda Element's Canadian recall is as follows: "Transport Canada Recall - 2021024 – HONDA". As of today, there is no NHTSA recall for rear frame corrosion for Honda Elements. I am submitting this complaint for this car now, and also contemporaneously am submitting other complaints under different VINs for my other Elements with rust problems: every Honda Element that I have ever owned, even this Element for this complaint that I am submitting right now, that had spent its entire 14 year life as a New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas car has had rust problems. In other words, no matter what environment these Elements (which were made for the model years 2003-2011) are in, they corrode right away (within any factory warranties), and eventually become dangerous.

Jun 13, 2025

STRUCTURE

2 complaints

The contact owns a 2009 Honda Element. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the contact observed a noise coming from the rear driver's side of the vehicle. The contact stated that when the vehicle came to a stop, he opened the driver's door and observed the rear passenger’s side tire was sideways. The vehicle was towed to a body shop where the contact was informed that the frame of the vehicle near the trailing arm was rusted through and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 152,403.

Sep 04, 2024

While driving the left rear wheel went sideway... looking underneath the Unibody had corroded to the point the left control arm separated from the car making it undrivable.... was told to not drive the car as it is not safe...

May 24, 2024

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 complaint

There is corrosion on the rear trailing arm and surrounding area. Also rust is forming on rear subframe / crossmembers and the front subframe. Over time, this can result in premature structural failure and catastrophic accident. It poses a serious safety risk. It affects the structural integrity of the suspension system. There’s no recall even though multiple complaints exist for similar make/model.

Jun 18, 2025

SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE,TIRES

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2009 Honda Element. The contact stated there was an extreme amount of rust on the vehicle. The contact stated that the trailing arm was corroded and had several holes. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to assist with the repairs. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 274,000.

Jul 16, 2024

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, DROVE OVER A CURB, AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FLOW HONDA (2600 PETERS CREEK PKWY, WINSTON SALEM, NC 27127, (888) 902-4024), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

Nov 15, 2018

Crash: 1

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

1 complaint

THE CAR ACCELERATES INCORRECTLY MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. NO MATTER HOW MUCH GAS YOU GIVE IT, THE CAR WILL ONLY GO 15 MPH. THIS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN ENTERING A HIGHWAY OR TURNING LEFT. THE ONLY WARNING YOU GET IS A LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. THE PROBLEM ON THE COMPUTER TEST SHOWS A P2138(37) CODE. APP SENSOR A/B (THROTTLE POSITION TO SENSOR.

Apr 30, 2018

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE

1 complaint

I WAS DRIVING MY HONDA ELEMENT 2009 ON A HWY IN SC. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND I HAD A GREEN LIGHT AND THE CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD WHEN A WOMAN WHO WAS DRIVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, MADE A LEFT TURN IN THE INTERSECTION FAILING TO YIELD ME THE RIGHT OF WAY. MY CAR IMPACTED HER CAR ON ONE SIDE MOST LIKELY THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THE COLLISION WAS A FRONTAL COLLISION FOR MY CAR. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS IN MY VEHICLE WERE DEPLOYED. I HIT MY FACE ON THE WINDSHIELD AND I SUFFERED A CONTUSION/ LIGHT FRACTURE ON MY LEFT RIBS AND A HEAD CONCUSSION. CAR WAS PURCHASED AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP ON 12/21/2016 WAS A USED CAR THAT NEVER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND HAD A CLEAN TITLE AND CLEAN HISTORY. ACCORDING TO HONDA DEALERSHIP, THE CAR BELONGED TO ONE OWNER ONLY IN THE PAST. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THE AIRBAGS REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2017. MY BIGGEST CONCERN WHY THE AIRBAGS WERE NEVER DEPLOYED AND PROTECTED ME AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED?

Dec 25, 2017

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

INTERIM SHAFT BEARING BROKEN - REPLACED BY TWO DIFFERENT DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT 20K MILES IN JUNE 2014 AND ALSO AT 30K MILES IN DEC 2015 WITH ORDINARY SUBURBAN DRIVING

Dec 11, 2015

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1 complaint

AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER - CUT ON AIR CONDITIONING AFTER WINTER, WOULD NOT COOL. TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER, BILL GATTON HONDA IN BRISTOL, TN. TOLD ROAD DEBRIS THROUGH CONDENSER, NOT COVERED UNDER 3 YR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY (WE HAD ALSO PURCHASED EXTENDED 100,000 MILE WARRANTY). THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN LIGHTLY AROUND TOWN, NO HIGH SPEED HIGHWAYS (INTERSTATES, ETC.). AWARE THAT HONDA HAS HAD CLASS ACTION LITIGATION FOR IDENTICAL COMPLAINT WITH OTHER HONDA VEHICLES (ODYSSEY VAN, ACURA, CIVIC, ETC.), THEREFORE, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN IN THE AUTOMOBILES, AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. SECOND REPAIR THAT HAS BEEN DENIED UNDER NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY. OTHER DENIED DAMAGE IS HEADLINER PULLED AWAY ON DRIVER'S SIDE. REPAIR COST, WITH HONDA PART, IS ATROCIOUS; WARRANTY IS VOIDED IS USE OFF MARKET PART. CONSUMER CAUGHT BETWEEN ROCK AND HARD PLACE. *TR

May 26, 2012

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

NEEDLE ON GAS GAUGE POPPED OUT AND IS NOW RESTING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PLASTIC ENCLOSURE - AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE NEEDLE ON THE GAS GAUGE POPPED OUT - THE TACHOMETER CEASED WORKING AND THE NEEDLE NOW POINTS AT WHAT WOULD BE SIX O'CLOCK - THE SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER A BRUTAL COLD SPELL. *TR

Jun 01, 2010

VISIBILITY

1 complaint

STRESS CRACK APPEARED ON WINDSHIELD DIRECTLY OPPOSITE REAR VIEW MIRROR. CRACK BEGINS ABOVE AREA OF WINDSHIELD EXPOSED TO OUTSIDE AIR, EXTENDS STRAIGHT DOWN FOR SEVERAL INCHES, THEN VEERS LEFT SEVERAL INCHES AND STOPS. NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE IS NO IMPACT POINT ALONG THE CRACK. IPHONE CAMERA PICTURE WAS TAKEN BY SERVICE MANAGER, COPY SUBMITTED TO HONDA FOR REVIEW. HONDA DECLINED RESPONSIBILITY. NO PAPERWORK GENERATED. *TR

Apr 26, 2010

STEERING

1 complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON SMOOTH ROAD SURFACE. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. ALSO, TRAVELING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED LESS SHAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE SECOND DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,120. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

Mar 25, 2010

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4.5/5.0

80 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2009 HONDA Element have?

The 2009 HONDA Element currently has 29 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2009 HONDA Element?

The most common problems reported for the 2009 HONDA Element are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2009 HONDA Element problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2009 HONDA Element comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.