Everything NHTSA's vPIC database knows about this exact vehicle:
Decoding from NHTSA…
Vehicle history — accidents, title & owners
The decode above is what this vehicle is. For what it's been through — accidents, title brands, odometer, theft/total-loss and previous owners — pull a full history report.
NHTSA publishes the first 11 characters of the VIN with every complaint — that identifies the plant, model year, body and engine. So these are reports from cars built exactly like this one, not an average across the whole model.
5J6YH286X4L••••••2006 Honda ELEMENT
This build draws 3.3× more complaints than the average 2006 Honda ELEMENT build (6 vs 2).
6on this build
106on the model
59builds in total
1involved a fire
Most reportedAir Bags 2Visibility 1Electrical System 1Engine 1
What owners of this build wrote
Electrical SystemfireMar 2005
Fire occurred in driver's side door of 2004 honda element while it was parked overnight in the driveway. Front upper quarter of door completely burned/melted away, down to bare exterior metal. Extensive smoke damage to interior. Vehicle was in consumer's possession for only 12…
Air BagsJul 2016
NHTSA recall 16V-344 the local dealer replaced my front passenger airbag on 07.06.2016. The dashboard warning light for my airbag system has been on since this date. I have emailed the local honda dealer here in cedar rapids iowa 10 times with no response from them. I also found…
SeatsFeb 2016
The driver's seat in my 2004 element rocks noticeably. The dealer recommended replacing the seat frame. Cost was $2300. Searching the internet, I found that this is a common problem, and that honda issued a service bulletin #03-032 (attached). The work involves replacing seat…
EngineSep 2014
Took a well maintained 1994 element we had owned since new to the honda dealer for maintenance and was informed that the block was cracked and had been seeping coolant for a long time. This cracked block was undoubtedly a hazardous manufacturing defect requiring expensive repair…
VisibilityFeb 2005
I am an owner of a 2004 honda element. Like many other element owners, I've just had my first cracked windshield, 3 months after purchase. I've also had my first experience trying to get honda to admit that there is a problem with the windshield in this vehicle. There is no…
Read all 6 complaints on this exact buildFull text, search by keyword, and the systems that fail most on cars built like yours.Unlock with Pro →
Owner complaints…
Now the whole model — all 59 builds of it, not just this build. Same NHTSA reports, wider net:
Loading owner complaints…
PRO
Upgrade to Pro
You know what it is. Find out what it's worth.
Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
The original window sticker and factory options
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Decoded via NHTSA vPIC. Recalls, complaints and safety from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Full history reports from our partner. VIN 5J6YH286X4L032310 · decoded Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.