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 OTHER. AS SEEN ON THIS AND OTHER SITES THIS SEEMS COMMON HOWEVER EVERYONE ACTS LIKE IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE HEARD OF …
2005 Honda Element airbags problems
severe 70 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100
Complaints
70
Recalls
0
Crashes
11
Avg fix
$1,100
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
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 SAFETY ISSUE WHICH HONDA DOES NOT WANT TO CORRECT. IT HAD WORKED BEFORE SO MY WIFE & I SPOKE TO PEOPLE WITH 1996 TO 2008 HON…
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 THAT THE CONTACT MUST HAVE STRUCK SOMETHING TO TRIGGER THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COS…
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 2005 HONDA ELEMENT AROUND 50MPH AND HIT A SMALL POT HOLE AND THEN HEARD A LOUD BANG. AFTER SEEING SMOKE SHE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE CAR AND FOUND NO OUTSIDE DAMAGE. WHEN GETTING BACK IN STILL SEEN AND SMELLED SMOKE AND NOTICED PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED. HOW DOES AN AIRBAG DEPLOY WITHOUT A FRONT OR SIDE IMPACT?
MY HONDA 2005 ELEMENT'S SIDE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. I WAS EXITING A PARKING LOT AND PARTIALLY DROVE OVER A CURB WITH THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. AS THE TIRE ROLLED OFF THE CURB THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND AND WAS COMPLETELY FREAKED OUT. I LOOKED TO MY LEFT SIDE AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG HAD EXPLODED OUT. IT WASN'T EVEN INFLATED. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT INJ…
REPEATED (7 SHOP VISITS) ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE SRS (AIRBAG) INDICATOR ACTIVATING. TWO SEAT BELT CLASP REPLACEMENTS, I CAN RECALL. HONDA REFUSES TO HONOR VEHICLE OCCUPANT SAFETY WARRANTY TO REMEDY REPEATED FAULTS TIED POSSIBLY TO DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT HARNESS WIRING ESTIMATED TO COST $400-$1,100.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V344000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBU…
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND FOR NO REASON AT ALL, MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED!!!!! SCARED ME TO DEATH, GLAD I WASN'T GOING VERY FAST OR I MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT! I AM ALSO LUCKY THAT IT WASN'T THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG, OR IT COULD HAVE BROKEN MY ARM! *TR
MY WIFE, MOTHER IN-LAW, AND 8 MONTH OLD SON WERE DRIVING ON A GRAVEL DRIVEWAY TO SOMEONES HOUSE WHEN SUDDENLY THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG IN MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION, NO RECKLESS DRIVING, NOTHING TO PROVOKE AN AIRBAG TO SUDDENLY DEPLOY. IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE, HOWEVER, DUE TO FIGHTING W/ DEALERSHIPS AND HONDA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER OVER THE REPAIRS; MY WIFE IS STILL D…
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2005 Honda Element?
It's a meaningful issue. 70 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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