2007 Honda Element Complaint Log

2007 HONDA ELEMENT, PURCHASED MARCH OF 2007. FEBRUARY 15, 2008 CRACK SHOWED UP ON WINDSHIELD STARTING FROM RIGHT SIDE FRAME OF WINDSHIELD, GROWING DAILY. *TR

2007 HONDA ELEMENT EX GOT FLAT TIRE, PUT ON TEMPORARY SPARE. TIGHTENED LUGS: NUTS PROPERLY, AND DROVE TO TIRE STORE ABOUT 30 MILES. 2 OF THE LUG S:NUTS HAD COME OFF COMPLETELY AND THE REMAINING 3 WERE LOOSE, ALMOST LOST THE ENTIRE WHEEL. TIRE STORE WAS NOT SUPRISED. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS POOR ON HIS VEHICLE. THE BRAKES ONLY WORK FOR THE FRONT WHEELS. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND THEY HAVE CHANGED THE REAR BRAKE PADS, FRONT BRAKE PADS, AND THE MASTER BRAKE PUMP. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BRAKE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS THE ELECTRONIC POWER BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,700. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

I BOUGHT A HONDA ELEMENT 2007 IN JULY 2007. SINCE THE PURCHASE I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE FRONT SEATS DO NOT ADJUST AS IN PREVIOUS MODELS. HOWEVER, BOTH THE QUICK START MANUAL AND THE REGULAR MANUAL BOTH INDICATE VISUALLY AND IN WRITING THAT THE FRONT SEATS SHOULD ADJUST FORWARD AT ABOUT A 10 DEGREE ANGLE FOR ACCESS TO THE BACK SEAT. "OPEN THE DOOR, AND PULL UP ON THE SEAT-BACK ADJUSTMENT LEVER. THE SEAT-BACK TILTS FORWARD TO ALLOW EASIER ACCESS TO THE REAR SEAT." THE PICTURE ALSO SHOWS THIS TILT ANGLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS DESIGN CHANGE; THEY ALSO DID NOT KNOW THAT THE SAME CHANGE IS ON THE 2008 MODEL. I TALKED WITH HONDA ABOUT THIS DESIGN FLAW AS A SAFETY ISSUE. WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO TILT THE SEAT FORWARD BOTH ENTRY AND EXIT FROM THE BACK SEATS ARE RESTRICTED EVEN WHEN A FRONT SEAT IS MOVED FORWARD AS FAR AS IT WILL GO. HONDA'S RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY KNEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE CAR AND THEY AREN'T HAVING ANY PROBLEMS GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE BACK SEAT AND THAT I SHOULD JUST MOVE THE FRONT SEATS BACK AND FORTH TO USE THE BACK SEATS. IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, EXITING THE BACK SEAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT AT BEST AND A DANGER TO THEIR SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. HONDA'S RESPONSE IS THAT THE DESIGN IS WRITTEN IN STONE AND THAT UNLESS ENOUGH COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS WITH EMERGENCY EXITS ARE MADE THAT NOTHING WILL BE DONE. THEIR OPINION IS THAT THE CAR IS SAFE AND HAS BEEN FULLY APPROVED BY THE NTSB AND NHTSA. I WOULD DEFY ANYONE TO ENTER AND EXIT THE BACK SEAT WITH ANY SPEED BECAUSE OF THIS CHANGE IN DESIGN. I HOPE THIS WILL BE INVESTIGATED AND THAT HONDA WILL BE FORCED TO REDESIGN AND RECALL THE MODELS THAT NO LONGER ALLOW THE FRONT SEAT TO TILT FOR AS THEY SAY "EASIER ACCESS TO THE REAR SEAT" AND I WOULD ADD EASY, QUICK EXIT FROM THE BACK SEAT IN AN EMERGENCY. *TR

HONDA ELEMENT PURCHASED 4/16/07: A CHIP A WEEK ON WINDSHIELD! TODAY IS 4/28/07. INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS HISTORY WITH ELEMENT WINDSHIELDS. CALLED SALESMAN, "ITS OUR ROADS...REPAIR DEPT." JUST WANT TO GET A COMPLAINT ON RECORD SINCE THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR OTHER RECENT YEARS. *TR

TRAVEL WEST ON VA ROUTE 50 @ SPEED OF 55 MPH, ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN FOR TRAFFIC LIGHT. APPLIED BRAKES, THEY DID NOT SLOW DOWN CAR. SLAMMED BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR, CAR SKIDDED TO STOP JUST SHY OF HITTING CAR IN FRONT OF ME.

SPONTANEOUS WINDSHIELD CRACK ON 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. LOWER PASSENGER SIDE CRACK OCCURRED WHILE I WAS SITTING IN CAR; NO IMPACT EVENT, ONLY DEFROSTER IN COLD WEATHER. DEALER EXAMINED AND CLAIMS 'STONE PIT' AND REFUSED TO COVER ON WARRANTY, BUT THERE IS NO VISIBLE PIT NOR ANYTHING THAT CAN BE FELT WITH FINGER. 19,100K MILES. CLASSIC CRACK STORY TYPICAL OF MANY OTHER HONDA ELEMENTS, AND CLASSIC 'STONEWALL TREATMENT' BY HONDA DEALER AS REPORTED BY OTHER HONDA ELEMENT OWNERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXTREME PRESSURE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V098000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR) IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.

CAR CRASH, THE PERSON I HIT RAN A STOP SIGN GOING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. 2007 HONDA ELEMENT AIR BAGS WENT OFF, AND LOST PERMANENT HEARING LOSS IN BOTH EARS, L EAR 50% AND R EAR 70%. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 1,473 MILES. THE CONTACT REALIZED THAT WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE REAR SEAT, THE REAR DOORS CAN NOT BE OPENED. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE REAR SEAT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE WIND BLEW THE DOORS SHUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A WAY FOR HIM TO UNLATCH THE DOORS. ON PAST MODELS THERE WAS A LATCH ON THE FRONT SEATS WHICH WOULD RELEASE THE SEAT SO THE DOORS COULD BE UNLOCKED. NOW ON THE CURRENT VEHICLE THE LATCH IS NOT AVAILABLE, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF THE REAR SEATS IT TO CLIMB OVER THE SEATS OR OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE VIN AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. UPDATED. *JB UPDATED 05/10/07. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT OBSERVED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO REMAIN CLOSED IN A SECURE POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, WHENEVER THE FRONT SEAT BELT SYSTEM WAS IN USE THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM UNLATCHED WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD FALL INTO THE FLOORBOARD INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER MADE UNKNOWN REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE TO NO AVAIL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,900.