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moderate Owners of the 2008 Honda Element have filed 5 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 Element | 14 |
| 2006 Element | 8 |
| 2007 Element | 20 |
| 2008 Element (this page) | 5 |
Of the 5 electrical complaints filed for the 2008 Honda Element, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
Of the 4 model years of Honda Element we track for electrical problems, this one has the fewest owner complaints on file (5).
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 13 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Without trailer turn signal illumination, the driver's intent is not communicated, potentially increasing the risk of a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
SERVICE BULLETIN - ALL OF THE LISTED VEHICLES HAVE A TYPE 4 IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM THAT DISABLES THE VEHICLE UNLESS A PROGRAMMED IGNITION KEY IS USED. THE TYPE 4 SYSTEM IS DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS SYSTEMS IN THAT THE TRANSPONDER ID CODE IN THE KEY IS A ROLLING-TYPE CODE INSTEAD OF A FIXED CODE. IN THIS SERVICE BULLETIN, A PROGRAMMED IGNITION KEY REFERS TO A TRANSPONDER-TYPE KEY THAT HAS BEEN CUT TO FIT THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WHOSE TRANSPONDER ID CODE IS RECOGNIZED BY THE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. IF YOU TRY TO START THE ENGINE WITHOUT A PROGRAMMED IGNITION KEY, THE ENGINE CRANKS, BUT IT DOES NOT START.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗HONDA: ON SOME MODEL VEHICLES, THERE IS AN ALTERNATOR/STARTER TESTER (AST) MODULE CAPABLE OF TESTING ALTERNATORS, INSTALLED ON GR8 DIAGNOSTIC BATTERY STATION.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
I replaced the tires on my new 2008 Honda element on 10/21/2007 at 869 miles since the tires that the came with the vehicle had poor traction in rain. A month later, the TPMS light came on and I took it to the dealer on 11/26/2007 at 1056 miles. Honda of seattle concluded that the system just needed a reset and proceeded with doing so. Several days later, the TPMS light came on again so I took…
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 5 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Based on the 5 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 10,528 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover electrical issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.