2008 Honda Element Brakes Problems

WE JUST BOUGHT A USED 2008 HONDA ELEMENT AND WE THOUGHT THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR BECAUSE OF LOW BRAKE FLUID THAT THE HONDA SERVICE OF BATON ROUGE APPARENTLY DID NOT FILL, BUT IT STILL WAS NOT WORKING. WE BROUGHT IT IN AND OUR MECHANIC PULLED UP A SAFETY RECALL FOR AIR IN THE VSA MODULATOR, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE BRAKES ARE DOING. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE RECALL HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN 2016, SO THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO, EXCEPT GO IN AND CHARGE US TO DO THE SAME PROCESS AGAIN.

No incident, Soft Brake Pedal all the time

RECENTLY BECAME SECOND OWNER OF VEHICLE. NOTICED IT HAD A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. RECALL PERFORMED BY FIRST OWNERS DEALER, BUT, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

AT 22,294 MILES MY 2008 HONDA ELEMENT, HAS SEVERE PREMATURE BRAKE PAD, ROTOR WEAR. I HEARD AND FELT A SEVERE GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. I HAD TIRES PUT ON MY CAR AND THE BRAKE PADS INSPECTED AND MECHANIC FOUND NOTHING UNUSUAL. TWO WEEKS LATER THE NOISE RETURNED LOUDER AND WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY FOUND NO REAR BRAKE PAD ON RIGHT REAR WHEEL AND MY ROTOR WAS COMPLETELY RUINED. MY FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE FINE AND WAS GIVEN NO EXPLANATION BY HONDA WHY THIS COULD'VE OCCURRED. HONDA WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY AND I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD EXACT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE. I RECENTLY HEARD THAT HONDA HAS RECALLED ACCORDS OF THE SAME YEAR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT NOT MY MODEL OR YEAR. I'M APPALLED AT THE AUDACITY OF HONDA TO IGNORE THE SAME PROBLEMS FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER ON DIFFERENT MODELS. CLEARLY HONDA IS AWARE OF THEIR FAULTY ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS AND CHOOSES TO OVERLOOK THIS PROBLEM. I DID NOT EXPECT TO PAY 400.00 FOR A PROBLEM OF THIS MAGNITUDE FOR A CAR WELL MAINTAINED WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I INTEND TO GO AFTER HONDA TO BE FULLY RE-IMBURSED FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE HAVING THE OIL CHANGED BY THE AUTHORIZED DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR BRAKES HAD BECOME WORN. THE CONTACT NOTICED WHILE DRIVING THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD EXTEND TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 22,644.

MY 2008 HONDA ELEMENT HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE IN JUNE 2010 RE; SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. BACK TO DEALER ON AUGUST 24 FOR RECURRING SOFT PEDAL ISSUE. DIAGNOSIS WAS AIR IN BRAKE SYSTEM. SYSTEM BLED AGAIN. BRAKE PEDAL FIRM FOR NOW. SERVICE MANAGER COULD NOT OFFER AN EXPLANATION OTHER THAN MAYBE WE DID NOT GET ALL THE AIR OUT DURING THE RECALL WORK. HONDA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS SAFETY DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODELS SINCE 2003. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FIX. *TR

PREVIOUSLY FILED A COMPLAINT (ODI # 10321852) VIA EMAIL WITH NHTSA REGARDING THE "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL" ISSUE WITH MY 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. A RECALL WAS ISSUED IN 2010, THE WORK WAS PERFORMED IN JUNE 2010, A POSITIVE IMPROVEMENT. BRAKES ARE SLOWLY BUT SURELY RETURNING TO THEIR PREVIOUS SOFT PEDAL DEFECT. I AM HAVING TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL ONE TIME TO GET A FIRM PEDAL. THIS DEFECT ON CERTAIN HONDA MODELS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2003. HONDA RE- ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN # 07-045 ON MARCH 5, 2009 REGARDING "BRAKE PEDAL IS LOW AND FEELS SOFT" COVERING CERTAIN MODELS FROM 2003-2008. APPARENTLY THERE WERE PREVIOUS SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED AS EARLY AS 2007, THE 07 IN THE ABOVE REFERENCED SERVICE BULLETIN (07-045) INDICATES 2007 ISSUE. I AM A RETIRED CAREER POLICE OFFICER WHO SPENT OVER HALF OF MY 25 YEAR CAREER IN THE TRAFFIC DIVISION INVESTIGATING TRAFFIC COLLISIONS INCLUDING THOSE INVOLVING FATALITIES. I CONSIDER THIS BRAKE PROBLEM A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT, THAT COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE UNLESS A PERMANENT REPAIR OR TOTAL RECALL OF THE AFFECTED HONDA VEHICLES IS REQUIRED BY NHTSA. HONDA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HAS NOT FOUND A PERMANENT REPAIR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY REPORTS REGARDING THIS DEFECT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTS REGARDING THE SOFT BRAKE ISSUE @HTTP://WWW.ELEMENTOWNERSCLUB.COM UNDER THE THREAD TITLED RECALLS, TSB'S AND NOTICES. THANK YOU *TR

2008 HONDA ELEMENT, 21,000 MILES, NEEDED NEW REAR BRAKE JOB FOR 600$. THIS WAS 2500 MILES AFTER IT WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR BRAKE RECALL MODIFICATION OF SOME SORT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V098000. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT AND WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED, THE PEDAL CONTINUED TO EXTEND TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,300.

2008 HONDA ELEMENT HAS HAD VERY SOFT BRAKE PEDAL FROM DAY ONE. DEALER REPLACED VSA MODULATOR PER TSB WITH NO CHANGE IN PEDAL FEEL. DEALER DID A RECALL PLACING CAPS ON PLUGS IN ABS UNIT AND BLED BRAKES WITH NO CHANGE IN PEDAL FEEL. PEDAL WILL STILL GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE PRESSURE APPLIED. *TR

BRAKES WERE SOFT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR,MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND ENDED UP HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. HAVE CONTACTED HONDA AND THEY ARE RECALLING MY MODEL OF CAR BUT NOT MINE FOR THE SAME REASON. *TR

SOFT, MUSHY BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, PEDAL SLOWLY GOES TO THE FLOOR AND MUST BE PUMPED TO MAINTAIN BRAKE PRESSURE. *TR

DUE TO LOOSE BRAKE, IT TAKES TIME TO STOP (AT SPEED OF 15 MPH). I FELT IT COULD BE DANGEROUS IF I WERE TO BE DRIVING FASTER. *TR

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT WHICH RECENTLY CAME OUT WITH A MEDIA RELEASE FROM HONDA THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH BRAKE FAILURE. ONE YEAR AGO I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH YOU REGARDING BRAKE FAILURE ON MY ELEMENT. THE DEALER AT THAT TIME FOUND THAT I HAD VERY SPONGY BRAKES AND AIR BUBBLES IN THE LINE BUT COULD NOT GIVE ME AN ANSWER OF WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN AND NOT GUARANTEE THAT IT COULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAVE WORRIED CONSTANTLY ABOUT THIS AND SO I STILL CONTINUED TO FEEL THE SPONGY BRAKES SO I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER THAT CHECKED OUT AND SAID THAT IS JUST THE WAY HONDA ELEMENT BRAKES ARE. SO 2 MONTHS AGO THE BRAKES WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AGAIN ( I HAVE TO PUMP THEM QUICKLY SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY FINALLY GRAB) I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY ONCE AGAIN CHECKED IT AND FOUND NOTHING, WELL SINCE THIS MEDIA RELEASE CAME OUT THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A RECALL ON 410,000 HONDA VEHICLES I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER HE WAS VERY APOLOGETIC AND SAID THAT WAS EXACTLY MY VEHICLE, AND AGREED WITH ME THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THEY GET THE PARTS TO REPAIR IT; HE HAD ME CALL HONDA AN THEY TREATED ME VERY VERY RUDELY THEY TOLD ME JUST TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, I TOLD THEM I ALREADY HAD AND THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE SINCE I'VE ALREADY EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WON'T GIVE ME A RENTAL CAR AND JUST KEPT REPEATING TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THAT I COULD NOT BE CERTAIN THAT MY VEHICLE HAD THIS MALFUNCTION. I'M VERY FRUSTRATED THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE ON THE ROAD AND EVEN THE DEALER AGREES WITH ME ,IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT HONDA BASICALLY JUST DOES NOT CARE AND THEY TREATED ME LIKE I'M MAKING A BIG DEAL ABOUT THIS. PLEASE HELP! *TR

REAR BRAKES FAILED 2008 HONDA ELEMENT HEARD WHINING NOISE 5 MONTHS PRIOR IN REAR BRAKES. DEALER CHECKED AND SAID NOTHING FOUND. 5 MONTHS LATER DEALER SAID REAR BRAKES 'GONE' AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. 1/3 OF ONE OF REAR ROTORS WAS MISSING/ERODED AWAY. VEHICLE ONLY HAD 24000 MILES. ROTOR AND PADS REPLACED. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS MULTIPLE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH ELEMENT . SEE: ELEMENTOWNERSCLUB.COM. *TR

BOUGHT 2008 HONDA ELEMENT NEW IN DEC. 2009. AT ABOUT 5000MI. (8MO.) BRAKES BECAME INCREASINGLY MUSHY AND PEDAL SOFT. EVENTUALLY BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE UNTIL ABOUT AN INCH OFF FLOOR. DEALER CONFIRMED AND REPLACED BRAKE MODULE. WITHIN A WEEK THEY WERE BAD AGAIN. DEALER REBLED BRAKES SAID REAR PADS WERE WORN EXCESSIVELY AND UNEVENLY, ROTORS SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE HEAT, THEY REPLACED PADS. SOLID WHEN PICKED UP, LASTED LESS THAN A WEEK. NOW CAR HAS PERIODS OF A FEW HUNDRED MILES OF SOLID BRAKING, THEN PERIODS OF SOFT, FADING BRAKING WITH WILD SWINGS OF RPMS FROM THE VACUUM BOOST. HAVE HAD SIX CLOSE CALLS DURING THESE PERIODS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. CONSEQUENTLY, HE REAR-ENDED THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THE DRIVER IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED $4,000 WORTH OF DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM COMPUTER MODULE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,000.

2008 HONDA ELEMENT BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL IS EXCESSIVE AND THE BRAKES ARE AT TIMES SOFT. *TR

PREMATURE RIGHT REAR BRAKE WEAR (OUT BOAD 2.9MM INBOARD TAPERED FROM 6MM)REQUIRING RESURFACING AND NEW PADS AT APPROX 22,500 MILES. LEFT REAR OUT/INBOARD EXPECTED NOMINAL 6MM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE AT NO MORE THAN 8 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A CURB AND INTO A LAWN. SHE HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS AIR IN THE BRAKE LINES. THEY DRAINED AND REPLACED ALL THE FLUID FROM THE BRAKES AND PRESSURIZED THE BRAKE LINES. THE DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE FAILURE OCCURRED OR IF IT WOULD RECUR. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BECAUSE THE DEALER HAS DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST. SHE WAS ADVISED TO CONSTANTLY PUMP THE BRAKES TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM RECURRING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,000.