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#BS-2008-HONELE-B4A52008 Honda Element
Based on reports from 127 owners and 13 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Proceed with Caution
Based on 127 complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, and 13 recalls.
Top reported problems
premature brake wear
5 complaints • Severity 8.4/10
paint chipping
3 complaints • Severity 7.3/10
heater ac not working properly
2 complaints • Severity 7/10
Preview: What's in your full report
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
32 owners reported brakes issues — failures commonly reported around 29K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (39 reports) • Median: 29K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Brakes (32 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2008 Honda Element: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Brakes Issues
Brakes complaints account for 25% of all reports filed for the 2008 Honda Element, with 32 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 29,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 29K-mile mark.
Airbags Issues
Airbags complaints account for 18% of all reports filed for the 2008 Honda Element, with 23 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Suspension Issues
Suspension complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 2008 Honda Element, with 22 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Structure:body Issues
Structure:body complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2008 Honda Element, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2008 Honda Element. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (13 recalls)
SUSPENSION:REAR
HONDA IS RECALLING 241 MY 2008 ELEMENT VEHICLES. THE FRONT BUSHING BRACKET OF THE LEFT TRAILING ARM OF THE REAR SUSPENSION MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY WELDED AND COULD SEPARATE FROM THE TRAILING ARM.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
HONDA HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2008 ODYSSEY AND ELEMENT PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JULY 28, 2006 AND AUGUST 21, 2008. AIR CAN ENTER THE VSA MODULAR PUMP DURING AN INITIAL SELF-CHECK PROCESS THAT OCCURS SHORTLY AFTER EACH TIME THE ENGINE IS STARTED. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ENOUGH AIR TO ENTER THE SYSTEM TO RESULT IN A BRAKE PEDAL THAT FEELS SOFT OR LOWER TO THE FLOOR.
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
ALL IN ONE MOBILITY IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2008 CONVERSION VANS EQUIPPED WITH VMI/RICON 6-WAY POWER SEAT BASES. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF A DEFECTIVE WELD AT THE JOINT BETWEEN THE PIVOTING PLATE AND THE PIVOTING PLATE PIN.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 ACCORD, 2007-2010 CR-V, AND 2005-2008 ELEMENT PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 1, 2004, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 3, 2010. THE OUTER RACE OF THE SECONDARY SHAFT BEARING MAY BE BROKEN DURING CERTAIN DRIVING STYLES. A BROKEN OUTER RACE MAY CAUSE ABNORMAL NOISE, THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT TO TURN ON, AND ALLOW CONTACT BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION IDLE GEAR AND AN ELECTRONIC SENSOR HOUSING WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION.
TRAILER HITCHES
Honda is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2011 Element passenger vehicles equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness. The wire that supplies power to the trailer turn signal lights was inadvertently switched with the stop lamp wire. As a result the turn signals only illuminate when the brake lamps are illuminated. This does not comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
+ 8 more recalls in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Honda Element is the 2007 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is accessories - interior.
2008 Honda Element vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)
This vehicle
127
Class avg
387
Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles. A good sign.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 127 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 13 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
2008 Honda Element: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 2008 Honda Element Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 127 owner reports. Know before you buy.