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Honda ElementModel year report

2008 Honda Element Problems

Compared with other Honda Element years

More complaints than typical for this model

100/100 3.2× a typical year · 50 = typical

Open NHTSA investigationAir Bag Inflator Rupture

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
113filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
26,500miles, 66 complaints with mileage
Recalls
12campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl FWD · 20 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Honda Element (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints on this model year center on a soft, low brake pedal that many owners describe as present from new or recurring after service, and on rear suspension trailing-arm corrosion found on higher-mileage vehicles. Airbag inflator recalls and rear brake wear at low mileage also appear repeatedly in the sample, with most braking complaints filed under 25,000 miles.

  1. Brakes

    Soft, low brake pedal

    • 25 complaints (22%)
    • median 15,291 mi at 2.4 yrs old (22 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2022

    Owners describe a brake pedal that feels spongy or sinks close to the floor, sometimes within days or weeks of delivery, and several say it must be pumped to keep pressure. Complaints mention dealerships replacing the VSA modulator or master cylinder, bleeding the system for air, and in some cases telling the owner the pedal feel was normal; several owners report the softness returning after the repair. Mostly reported from a few hundred to about 25,000 miles, often within the first year of ownership; a few owners report it again later in life.

    Recall 10V098000

    What to check: With the engine running, hold steady pressure on the brake pedal at a stop and see whether it creeps toward the floor; ask for service records showing whether the VSA modulator recall work was done and whether the system has been bled since.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Honda Element 2008 began experiencing soft pedal when applying brakes, 2 lights came on vsa and ABS! . I continued to drive that particular day and when I tuned off engine and turned it back on lights disappeared for a smal amount of time. Brakes felt as though I would be unable to stop because of such play in them. I was driving on highway for approx 15 miles and also city driving for about 10 miles.”

    NHTSA complaint #10956913, filed 2017-02, 75,000 miles

    “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. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10320978, filed 2010-03, 23,000 miles
  2. Suspension

    Rear trailing arm rust and separation

    • 22 complaints (19%)
    • median 148,000 mi at 15.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2010–2026

    Complaints describe the rear trailing arm or its front bushing bracket rusting through and separating from the body, sometimes noticed as a clunk or rubbing noise and sometimes as the rear wheel sitting visibly out of line while driving. Owners frequently say the dealer checked the VIN against a trailing-arm campaign and found the vehicle not covered, and several mention that a similar program exists in Canada. Mostly reported between roughly 116,000 and 225,000 miles, on vehicles driven in areas that use road salt.

    Recall 08V349000

    What to check: Have the rear suspension mounting points and trailing-arm brackets inspected from underneath for rust or cracking, especially on a vehicle from a salt-belt state, and check the VIN against campaign 08V349000.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While traveling at approximately 20mph on a city street, suspension parts failed causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop. Upon inspection, frame rust caused the rear-trailing arm to separate from the vehicle's frame. At higher speeds this may have been catastrophic. This is a common problem in areas that salt their roads. Honda canada has a recall and buyback program for this exact issue.”

    NHTSA complaint #11407580, filed 2021-04, 200,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2008 Honda Element. The contact stated the vehicle has improperly welded a front bushing bracket on the left trailing arm of the rear suspension. Recall#08v349000, suspension:rear but his VIN was not included. The contact called the manufacturer and was told that his VIN was not included; therefore, he would have to pay for the repairs. The failure mileage was 70,400.”

    NHTSA complaint #10317794, filed 2010-03, 70,400 miles
  3. Brakes

    Rear brake pads and rotors wearing early

    • 7 complaints (6%)
    • median 22,397 mi at 2.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2009–2019

    Owners report rear pads worn out or rotors badly eroded well before expected, sometimes with grinding noise heard for months before a shop confirmed the wear. Complaints describe dealerships finding one side worn far more than the other, and owners being told the work was not covered as warranty. Typically reported between about 16,000 and 24,000 miles, often within the first two years of ownership.

    What to check: Inspect rear pads and rotors on a used example regardless of stated mileage, and listen for grinding or squealing from the rear during a test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10374864, filed 2011-01, 22,294 miles

    “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.”

    NHTSA complaint #10268478, filed 2009-05, 22,500 miles

Buying note. Check the brake pedal feel carefully on a test drive and ask for records of the VSA modulator recall and any subsequent bleeding, then have the rear suspension and brake condition inspected underneath before buying. Confirm with a dealer by VIN which open campaigns, including airbag inflator recalls, still apply to the vehicle.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 113 consumer complaints for the 2008 Honda Element. 66 of the complaints include a mileage, and 58% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 26,500 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns and 47 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 2 Honda Element model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 100 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (2), Seat belts (2), Engine (1), Equipment (1), Steering (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “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.”

NHTSA complaint #11394486, filed 2021-02, 108,000 miles

Air bags: “I am following up on my recent replacement of the recalled driver's side air bag. Worried that the same problem could exist on the passenger side, I have contacted Honda to inquire if the passenger side airbag is similar to the recalled item and also in need of replacement. Honda has told me that the passenger side air bag is a takata brand but a different model. Upon research on your site, I found that Honda Element years 2003-2004 have had a recall for a similar design and vintage air bag under NHTSA campaign 14v700000. …”

NHTSA complaint #10702685, filed 2015-03, 40,000 miles

Suspension: “Heard clunking noise from under carriage of vehicle. Brought into Honda dealership. Their inspection revealed worn ball joints(prematurely). Ball joints could separate causing the vehicle suspension to collapse. This condition would result in vehicle deceleration and a sudden loss of power, also steering controllability would be reduced.”

NHTSA complaint #10648378, filed 2014-10, 58,600 miles

Body and structure: “As I was driving down the interstate, I heard a slight rattling sound. I then saw the left side windshield molding garnish completely break off of my car and fly into the road. I inspected the part and noticed that the plastic brackets that held it together were worn out from normal wear and tear, and became weak. This created a road hazard that nearly hit the vehicle behind me, and I was not in a spot where I could slow down and retrieve the part without causing a greater traffic hazard myself, as this occurred during rush hour.”

NHTSA complaint #11255448, filed 2019-09, 100,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

58% of the 66 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 11,000 and 110,000 miles.

24%0–1026%10–258%25–506%50–758%75–10018%100–15011%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (66 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 26,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

’0820’11’14’17’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Honda Element. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Element · sedan AWD/FWDnot rated5 / 5——3 · 20.4% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Honda Element version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Element 2WD2.4L 4-cyl5-speed automatic202522$3,050
Element 2WD2.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual182320$3,350
Element 4WD2.4L 4-cyl5-speed automatic192421$3,200
Element 4WD2.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual182320$3,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 12 recalls for the 2008 Honda Element → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 47 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 47 bulletins →

Other model years of the Honda Element

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20111160,20010—22—Not enough data
20103045,42910—2229 · FewerRising
20093140,0008—2250 · TypicalRising
200811326,50012—22100 · MoreRising
200711271,40010—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200612269,7869—21Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200515970,0007—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200428147,0009—21Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200342324,00010—21Not compared (before 2008)Rising

All Honda Element model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Honda Element?

Complaints on this model year center on a soft, low brake pedal that many owners describe as present from new or recurring after service, and on rear suspension trailing-arm corrosion found on higher-mileage vehicles. The issues reported most often: Soft, low brake pedal; Rear trailing arm rust and separation; Rear brake pads and rotors wearing early.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Honda Element have?

NHTSA recorded 113 consumer complaints for the 2008 Honda Element as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Honda Element is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 34 complaints (30% of the total), followed by air bags with 24.

Has the 2008 Honda Element been recalled?

NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Honda Element get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Honda Element (Element 2WD, 2.4L 4-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 20 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Honda Element reported?

Among the 66 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 26,500 miles and the middle half falls between 11,000 and 110,000 miles; 58% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.