Every recall campaign and owner complaint the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration holds for the 2006 Honda Element. Nothing on this page is written from memory — it is all imported from NHTSA's public database.
9 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 2006 Element, newest first.
| Campaign | Component | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|
| 19V182000 2019-03-06 |
Air Bags Frontal Driver Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014…
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer… |
| 19V499000 2019-06-27 |
Air Bags Frontal Driver Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles.
These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service…
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58. |
| 19V501000 2019-06-27 |
Air Bags Frontal Passenger Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles.
The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement…
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C. |
| 06V270000 2006-07-26 |
Equipment Other Owners/Service/Other Manual |
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MOTORCYCLES, THE OWNER'S MANUALS CONTAIN INCORRECT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S (NHTSA) VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE.
Risk: THE LANGUAGE IN THE OWNER'S MANUALS IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CURRENT MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS. Fix: HONDA WILL SEND A POSTCARD TO DEALERS AND OWNERS WITH THE CORRECT NHTSA VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE INFORMATION AND WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO INSERT THE CARD INTO THE "REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS" SECTION OF THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 2, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009,… |
| 18V268000 2018-04-26 |
Air Bags Frontal Passenger Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O. |
| 17V029000 2017-01-10 |
Air Bags Frontal Passenger Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2011 Honda Element vehicles, 2005-2012 Acura RL vehicles, 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2005-2008 Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American…
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KD9 and KE0. |
| 15V320000 2015-05-28 |
Air Bags Frontal Driver Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible…
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles… |
| 16V344000 2016-05-23 |
Air Bags Frontal Passenger Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the…
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3. |
| 11V395000 2011-08-04 |
Power Train Automatic Transmission Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) |
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 ACCORD, 2007-2010 CR-V, AND 2005-2008 ELEMENT PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 1, 2004, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 3, 2010. THE OUTER RACE OF THE SECONDARY SHAFT BEARING MAY BE BROKEN DURING CERTAIN DRIVING STYLES. A BROKEN OUTER RACE MAY CAUSE ABNORMAL NOISE, THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT TO TURN ON, AND ALLOW CONTACT BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION IDLE GEAR AND AN…
Risk: THIS COULD RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL. ADDITIONALLY, BROKEN PIECES OF THE OUTER RACE OR BALL BEARING FROM THE SECONDARY SHAFT MAY BECOME LODGED IN THE PARKING PAWL RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AFTER THE DRIVER HAS PLACED THE GEAR SELECTOR IN THE PARK POSITION. … Fix: HONDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 27, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AUTOMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-999-1009. |
Summaries are quoted verbatim from NHTSA's official campaign records. A single campaign often covers dozens of model years and several nameplates, so a summary may name vehicles other than the 2006 Element — that is normal. Every record listed here carries this vehicle's own make, model and model year in NHTSA's database. Whether a recall is still open on a particular car can only be determined by VIN.
122 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Element, grouped by the component owners reported. Counts reflect how many owners complained, not how often the fault actually occurs.
| Reported component | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags 11 crash, 15 injured |
47 | |
| Visibility | 11 | |
| Seats | 5 | |
| Suspension | 4 | |
| Structure | 4 | |
| Power Train 1 crash |
4 | |
| Electrical System | 4 | |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 | |
| Suspension,Structure | 2 | |
| Suspension,Wheels 1 crash |
2 | |
| Service Brakes | 2 | |
| Air Bags,Seats | 2 |
A complaint is an unverified owner report. It is a signal about where to look, not proof of a defect.
Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaint filings on this model year. These are the owners' own words, not our diagnosis, and each one is a single unverified report.
Vehicle (2-owner, all svc records), involved in a head-on collision, with approximately 75% of impact/damage to the Driver’s front (see photos). The passenger front (25% of impact) airbag deployed, the DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG did NOT deploy. The Takata airbag recall service/replacement (see invoice) was performed by a local Honda dealership on 01/08/2018. (Factory recall: 16-047; Kit Inflator: 06999). The vehicle is in my (owner’s) private possession since the time of the incident, I have deliberately not yet had it serviced or inspected for damage/repair estimates in any way, as my priority is Crash reported
filed 02/01/2026 · ODI 11714865
The contact owns a 2006 Honda Element. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the passenger's side door air bag deployed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact and her mother heard a loud explosion, and the passenger's side door air bag deployed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed. There was no impact GTC system scanned -1 completed troubleshooting found no damage while SRS and air bag unit need to be replaced. The vehicle had previously been repaired, a year and a half prior to the failure under an unknown recall associated with the air bags.
filed 03/25/2025 · ODI 11650488
BROKEN WINDOW REGULATOR: WE WERE REFUELING AT THE GASOLINE STATION WHEN SUDDENLY THE GLASS OF THE WINDOW (FRONT PASSENGER SIDE) FELL DOWN. CULPRIT WAS BROKEN WINDOW REGULATOR.
filed 12/31/2010 · ODI 10375869
HONDA ELEMENT (2006) HAS A POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE, DRIVER'S SIDE (FRONT LEFT). DIAGNOSED AS A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOW REGULATOR CABLE. REPAIR EXPECTED TO BE AROUND $300 - $400 AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP ($500 PLUS AT THE DEALERSHIP). THIS SAME HONDA ELEMENT HAS A CRACKED WINDSHIELD THAT SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A TOLL ROAD WITH NO OTHER CARS WITHIN 20 CAR LENGTHS AND NO VISIBLE ROCKS OR OTHER OBJECTS IN THE ROADWAY. HONDA ACCORD (1998) HAS ALL FOUR WINDOWS WITH POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE. EACH REPAIR IS JUST UNDER $500 WITH TAX AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
filed 09/08/2010 · ODI 10354491
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT ROCKS DANGEROUSLY BACK AND FORTH. I ONLY WEIGH 108 POUNDS SO IT'S NOTHING I HAVE DONE TO CAUSE THIS. WHEN I LOOK ONLINE, THOUSANDS OF ELEMENT OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME COMPLAINT. IT IS PRETTY EXPENSIVE TO GET THE SEAT ASSEMBLY REPLACED. I HAVE DRIVEN HONDAS FOR 30 YEARS AND NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. IT BEGAN A YEAR OR SO AGO AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE!
filed 07/10/2020 · ODI 11338587
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKED BACK AND FORTH WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION NUMBER: 03032 (SEATS). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.
filed 08/01/2019 · ODI 11241088
Honda Canada recognized the safety risks from salt damage to the frames and rear suspension of Honda Elements and recalled all years of the Element for warranty repairs, or if the damage was too severe, buy back of the vehicles. Yet they have not in the USA in rust belt states where salt damage is prevalent. As you will note from the attached photos, severe injury or death could occur in a major collision, which falls into the scope of your agency. All Elements in areas where corrosive salty and liquid brine is used are at risk, posing a significant safety hazard. Contacting local Honda d
filed 12/18/2025 · ODI 11706003
left rear rear trailing arm rusted out. had car checked due to rough ride & was informed said part so rusted it was dangerous to drive. damage so severe repair not feasible. appears this is a problem with elements & some crvs. canada apparently has a recall for this, & US should, too.
filed 12/14/2025 · ODI 11704944
A recall only matters if it is open on your car. The lists above are for the model year as a whole; the free official lookup below tells you what applies to your specific 17-character VIN.
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Yes. NHTSA records 9 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 2006 Element. The most recent is campaign 19V182000, filed 2019-03-06, covering Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module.
Yes. 7 of the 9 campaigns on record for this model year involve the airbag system. The fix is a free inflator replacement at an authorised dealer.
The most-reported component is Air Bags with 47 of the 122 owner complaints on file, including 11 reports involving a crash. Complaint counts show where owners report trouble; they are not proof of a defect.
122 complaints with NHTSA for the 2006 Element, spread across 38 reported component groups.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's free recall lookup. Recalls are applied per vehicle, so the model-year lists above cannot tell you whether your particular car is covered.