Skip to content
Honda ElementModel year report

2009 Honda Element Problems

Compared with other Honda Element years

Typical for this model

50/100 1.0× 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
31filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
40,000miles, 17 complaints with mileage
Recalls
8campaigns 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 2009 Honda Element (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 2009 Honda Element. The part named most often is brakes, with 8 complaints (26% of the total), followed by suspension (8) and air bags (5). 17 of the complaints include a mileage, and 53% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 40,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns and 49 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 50 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (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: Other or unknown (1), Tires (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “Spongy brake pedal goes almost to floor. Have new rotors & pads and just had the system flushed and bled. No change in operation. Still spongy and travel almost to floor. Symptoms have existed for years.”

NHTSA complaint #11299636, filed 2020-01, 20,000 miles

Suspension: “Just like the same era's Honda CR-V (the Honda Element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era Honda CR-V's NHTSA Recall (23V-228). Large sections of my car’s rear frame are completely missing, as shown in the photographs. My car is now undriveable. I had it towed to two Honda dealerships at my expense and both refused to even look at the car's rust, when I explicitly asked them to determine if the car was safe to drive. Niether dealership would confirm. …”

NHTSA complaint #11666864, filed 2025-06

Air bags: “I was driving my Honda Element 2009 on a hwy in sc. The car was in motion and I had a green light and the car was moving forward when a woman who was driving in the opposite direction, made a left turn in the intersection failing to yield me the right of way. My car impacted her car on one side most likely the passenger side door and the collision was a frontal collision for my car. None of the frontal air bags in my vehicle were deployed. I hit my face on the windshield and I suffered a contusion/ light fracture on my left ribs and a head concussion. …”

NHTSA complaint #11056369, filed 2017-12, 131,000 miles

Body and structure: “The car is extremely rusty, so much so that the driver side trailing arm detached from the rest of the frame. The driver side rear suspension components are detached from the car. The car has been garage-kept since new, yet is extremely rusty. This is just like what the Canadian Honda Element recall was all about. The local dealership refused to do anything and said the car was out of warranty.”

NHTSA complaint #11755910, filed 2026-08

Mileage when problems were reported

53% of the 17 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 20,000 and 130,000 miles.

24%0–1018%10–2512%25–506%50–756%75–10018%100–15018%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (17 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 40,000 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.

’105’12’15’17’19’21’24’26
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 2009 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 2009 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 8 recalls for the 2009 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. 49 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 49 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

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Honda Element have?

NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 2009 Honda Element as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Honda Element is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 8 complaints (26% of the total), followed by suspension with 8.

Has the 2009 Honda Element been recalled?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Honda Element get?

The EPA rates the 2009 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 2009 Honda Element reported?

Among the 17 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 40,000 miles and the middle half falls between 20,000 and 130,000 miles; 53% 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.