WHILE DRIVING THROUGH PARKING LOT APPROACHING EXIT, THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON. LOUD BANG, RINGING EARS, AND CRYING KIDS. NO BUMPS, POTHOLES, CURBS OR ACCIDENT. SO FAR EVERYONE FROM HONDA, THE DEALER AND INSURANCE ARE ALL POINTING THE FINGER AT EACH…

12/23/2013 · NHTSA ODI #10557130.0

2005 Element · airbags

STARTED WITH PASS. AIR BAG LIGHT & PASS. SEATBELT BEEPER & LIGHT. HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED 4 TIMES BUT PASS. BEEPER & LIGHT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. SPOKE WITH HONDA AMERICA IN CA REGIONAL MGR MORRIS SAID IT DOESN'T EXIST IN THE 2005 HONDA ELEMENT THE MANUAL IS A MISPRINT. THIS IS A…

12/21/2008 · NHTSA ODI #10252458.0

2005 Element · airbags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER (MIKE MAROONE HONDA, 1103 ACADEMY PARK LOOP, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80910, (719) 888-2995) STATED…

12/20/2018 · NHTSA ODI #11162794.0

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

severe NHTSA 05E035000 16/05/2005

CERTAIN HONDA ACCESSORY TRAILER HARNESS KIT, P/N 08L91-SCV-102, MANUFACTURED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 24 AND DECEMBER 18, 2004, SOLD FOR USE ON MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN DECEMBER 20, 2004, AND APRIL 29, 2005

IMPROPER SIGNALING OR A LOSS OF TRAILER WARNING LAMP FUNCTION WITHOUT WARNING COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE CRASH, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES.

Fix: HONDA WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND INSTRUCT THEM TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO A HONDA DEALER. THE DEALER WILL CORRECT THE CONNECTOR WIRING FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 17, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 310-783-2000.

Common questions

Is the 2005 Honda Element reliable?

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 157 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Honda Element is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

What's the most common problem on the 2005 Honda Element?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 70 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Honda Element has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2005 Honda Element?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 157 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 21 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with honda. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.