Every recall campaign and owner complaint the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration holds for the 2009 Honda Element. Nothing on this page is written from memory — it is all imported from NHTSA's public database.
8 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 2009 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… |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 18V041000 2018-01-09 |
Air Bags Frontal Passenger Side › Inflator Module |
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura RL, 2010 Honda Element, and 2010-2013 Honda Ridgeline vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A."
Additionally, Honda is recalling certain…
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 air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are U0H, and G0I. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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… |
| 12V436000 2012-09-05 |
Electrical System Wiring |
Honda is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2011 Element passenger vehicles equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness. The wire that supplies power to the trailer turn signal lights was inadvertently switched with the stop lamp wire. As a result the turn signals only illuminate when the brake lamps are illuminated. This does not comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
Risk: Without trailer turn signal illumination, the driver's intent is not communicated, potentially increasing the risk of a crash. Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on September 20, 2012. Owners may contact Honda 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 2009 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.
31 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2009 Element, grouped by the component owners reported. Counts reflect how many owners complained, not how often the fault actually occurs.
| Reported component | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 5 | |
| Suspension | 4 | |
| Air Bags 1 crash, 1 injured |
4 | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic 1 crash |
3 | |
| Steering,Suspension,Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | |
| Structure | 2 | |
| Suspension,Structure,Wheels | 1 | |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 | |
| Suspension,Structure,Tires | 1 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control 1 crash |
1 | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 | |
| Air Bags,Structure 1 crash, 1 injured |
1 |
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.
A FAILED MODULATOR. SERVICE ADVISORY A52 MUSHY BRAKES.
filed 08/25/2020 · ODI 11351078
BRAKE PEDAL TOO SOFT. CHANGED FLUID, STILL THE SAME.
filed 02/15/2020 · ODI 11309330
The frame rusted and separated where the rear trail arm connects to the vehicle, so it cannot move.
filed 10/08/2026 · ODI 11769951
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: (scott.guyette@gustman.com) He stated, don't tow it in, just send photos, which I did.
filed 09/25/2023 · ODI 11546349
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?
filed 08/29/2016 · ODI 10899369
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.
filed 07/19/2016 · ODI 10885967
2009 HONDA ELEMENT, UNDER 2000 MILES AFTER CERTIFICATION SUFFERED A BRAKE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING LEADING TO ACCIDENT. *KB Crash reported
filed 08/03/2011 · ODI 10416913
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
filed 05/22/2010 · ODI 10331758
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.
Free, official, and takes about thirty seconds. No account needed.
Yes. NHTSA records 8 recall campaigns filed by Honda for the 2009 Element. The most recent is campaign 19V182000, filed 2019-03-06, covering Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module.
Yes. 7 of the 8 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 Service Brakes with 5 of the 31 owner complaints on file. Complaint counts show where owners report trouble; they are not proof of a defect.
31 complaints with NHTSA for the 2009 Element, spread across 17 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.