2005 Honda Element Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 76about this part
- Share
- 48%of 159 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 80,000miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 76 complaints about the air bags of the 2005 Honda Element, 48% of the 159 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 80,000 miles. 11 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 6 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“In a parking lot moving slowly. I was the only one in the car. The air bag on the rear of the passanger seat deployed. Nothing was hit or was I hit by anything. The seat was moved forward as far as possible because I had something in the back.”
NHTSA complaint #11361278, filed 2020-09, 110,100 miles“Was driving on a gravel road around 30 MPH when I heard a loud bang and noticed that something hit my left arm. I looked to the side and saw that the side airbag on the driver side had deployed. I did not get hit nor did I hit anything.”
NHTSA complaint #11364819, filed 2020-10, 187,000 miles“My son rolled our 2005 Honda Element in a relatively low speed crash, about 30 MPH. Although the roof was smashed in and windshield broken, the airbags did not deploy. Luckily he was wearing a seatbelt and escaped harm, but it seems like in a wreck in which the car ended up resting on its roof, that the side curtain airbags should have deployed.”
NHTSA complaint #10508732, filed 2013-04, 182,000 miles“The passenger air bag, in the front passenger seatback, deployed accidentally in my 2005 Honda Element. We were driving very slowly on a gravel road. We thought we had been shot at, with the loud bang and my passenger's swearing and grabbing his arm. I am going to click below to say there was an injury, but it was only bruising to the upper arm. It was painful.”
NHTSA complaint #10276490, filed 2009-07, 52,000 miles“Accident involving a 2005 Honda Element. A front end crash when another vehicle ran a stop sign and we hit the vehicle in the drivers side causing major damage to both vehicles. Our Honda Element sustained front end damage approximate speed 30mph. The airbag on the Element did not deploy. Have you had any other complaints on Element airbags not deploying? We only sustained minor injuries.”
NHTSA complaint #10300473, filed 2010-01, 76,500 milesRelated recalls
- 19V499000Jun 27, 2019Honda (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…Covers: Honda Element 2003–2011, Accord 2001–2007, Pilot 2003–2008 +9 more
- 19V501000Jun 27, 2019Honda (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…Covers: Honda Element 2003–2011, Ridgeline 2006–2014, Acura RL 2005–2012 +9 more
- 19V182000Mar 6, 2019Honda (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…Covers: Honda Element 2003–2011, Acura TL 2002–2006, 2009–2014, RDX 2007–2016 +14 more
- 17V029000Jan 10, 2017Honda (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…Covers: Honda Element 2005–2011, Acura RL 2005–2012, Honda Ridgeline 2006–2012 +4 more
- 16V344000May 23, 2016Honda (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…Covers: Honda Element 2003–2011, Acura RL 2005–2011, Honda Pilot 2003–2008 +5 more
- 15V320000May 28, 2015Honda (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…Covers: Honda Element 2003–2011, Accord 2001–2007, Pilot 2003–2008 +9 more
Related service bulletins
- 11034200Jun 30, 2026Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator.
- 10172566Mar 10, 2020Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty…
- 10172561Mar 10, 2020Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty…
- 10141172Jun 7, 2018Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty…
- 10141169Jun 1, 2018Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty…
- 10139567May 24, 2018Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty…
- 10086306Sep 7, 2016Posters sent to hawaiian independent repair facilities, automotive part stores, car washes, and gas stations to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment…
- 10086291Sep 7, 2016Flyer circulated to the residents of hawaii to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
- 10086288Aug 29, 2016Letter sent in conjunction with the florida highway safety and motor vehicles department to remind florida owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their…
- 10086302Aug 21, 2016Advertisement in hawaiian newspapers to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 6 | 55% |
| 2010 | 7 | 23% |
| 2009 | 5 | 16% |
| 2008 | 24 | 21% |
| 2007 | 27 | 24% |
| 2006 | 55 | 45% |
| 2005 | 76 | 48% |
| 2004 | 73 | 26% |
| 2003 | 49 | 12% |
Other parts of the 2005 Honda Element
16 complaintsSuspension
13 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
13 complaintsSeats
12 complaintsEngine cooling
9 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
9 complaintsSeat belts
8 complaintsBody and structure
8 complaintsSteering
7 complaintsBrakes
6 complaintsOther or unknown
6 complaintsEngine
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2005 Honda Element
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology