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The 2009 Honda Element has 7 critical safety recalls on file — the kind NHTSA opens when crashes, fires, or injuries are documented. 30 owner complaints alongside. Read those first.
The 2009 Honda Element has 30 NHTSA owner complaints and 9 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is brakes at 8 complaints, typically surfacing around 33,000 miles (~$450 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Element | 122 | 11 |
| 2007 Element | 112 | 12 |
| 2008 Element | 111 | 13 |
| 2009 Element (this page) | 30 | 9 |
| 2010 Element | 30 | 11 |
| 2011 Element | 11 | 11 |
Significant reliability concerns on file. Read the trouble spots before buying.
Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: brakes is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 33,000 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 9 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 3.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is airbags (~$1,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
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…
Interim shaft bearing broken - replaced by two different dealer service departments at 20k miles in june 2014 and also at 30k miles in dec 2015 with ordinary suburban driving
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Honda element. While parking the vehicle, the contact applied the emergency brake; however, the vehicle accelerated, drove over a curb, and crashed into a parked and unoccupied vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The air bags did…
Brake pedal is soft and goes to the floor when the engine is running. When the engine is off the pedal is hard and does not go to the floor.
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA15001 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 3.8 out of 10 based on 30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Honda Element has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2009 Honda Element is a higher-risk ownership prospect. Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open. The record behind that call: Reliability score 3.8/10 — below the segment average; 9 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the brakes first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 8 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 33,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 3.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 30 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is brakes. Typical failure occurs around 33,000 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is brakes, with 8 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 33,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop.
The brakes is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 33,000 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
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.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 30 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $450, 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 are not always better value.