2006 Honda Element Airbag Problems

Which parts fail

• Side/window
  11
• Frontal
  5

Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  821%
• 25k–50k
  718%
• 50k–75k
  38%
• 75k–100k
  513%
• 100k–150k
  411%
• 150k+
  1129%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Honda Element owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2006 Honda Element. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the passenger's side door air bag deployed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact and her mother heard a loud explosion, and the passenger's side door air bag deployed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed. There was no impact GTC system scanned -1 completed troubleshooting found no damage while SRS and air bag unit need to be replaced. The vehicle had previously been repaired, a year and a half prior to the failure under an unknown recall associated with the air bags. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 155,500.

Vehicle (2-owner, all svc records), involved in a head-on collision, with approximately 75% of impact/damage to the Driver's front (see photos). The passenger front (25% of impact) airbag deployed, the DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG did NOT deploy. The Takata airbag recall service/replacement (see invoice) was performed by a local Honda dealership on 01/08/2018. (Factory recall: 16-047; Kit Inflator: 06999). The vehicle is in my (owner's) private possession since the time of the incident, I have deliberately not yet had it serviced or inspected for damage/repair estimates in any way, as my priority is to FIRST go through proper, qualified channels to have it properly inspected and diagnosed in regards to the AIRBAG FAILURE.

Daughter was driving on a highway with stop and go traffic and hit the car in front of her. The passenger air bag went off, which we had fixed on a recall notice years before. However the driver air bag did not go off. My daughter went forward and it affected her jaw. We are concerned that the driver airbag did not even go off to protect her. The police even commented on it. Her car May be unfixable we will know soon. We want to report this for others safety.

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Honda Element. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the driver side air bag deployed without warning or impact. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the cause of the deployment could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

This vehicle was making a left turn into a neighborhood when it collided with an oncoming vehicle which was traveling approximately 45 MPH. The impact was front driver's side to front driver's side. The driver's side airbag did not deploy which resulted in the driver losing consciousness and suffering a concussion.

When: motor vehicle accident on Wednesday, 11/07/2007, 1515hrs where: southbound co hwy 93 and eastbound co hwy 72; jefferson county, state of colorado; what: motor vehicle accident: 2006 Honda Element was struck by an SUV. The accident caused the 2006 Honda Element to rollover, once, before righting onto its wheels. Extensive damage occurred to the Element automobile. Notably, the airbags - front, passenger, and side - did not deploy. The safety belt restraint system protected the sole occupant from life-threatening injuries. Who: colorado state patrol. Jefferson county sheriff department, arvada, co police department; and arvada fire department arrived at the scene. The attending law and emergency rescue personnel were surprised that the Honda Element airbag system did not deploy due to the severity and catastrophic nature of the accident. …

I was driving on a curvy road where it had recently rained - only driver was in vehicle. The Element SUV skid and possibly hydroplaned a little. The SUV jumped the curb and crashed into a concrete column of a freeway overpass. The front end was smashed in and the radiator was destroyed. The passenger side airbag deployed but the driver airbag did not deploy. The collision was more on the driver side and it still did not deploy the airbag. The seatbelt I had on tensed up and kept me from crashing into the steering wheel. I did bounce a little and hit my head either on the side column or the frame above the window. The airbag May have prevented that. I am shocked it did not deploy.

My side curtain airbag came out after running over a branch that I could not avoid. I came over a hill on a residential street and the branches were all over the road. I got out of my car because I smelled smoke. It was only upon getting back in my car that I realized the air bag was hanging out. It did not inflate just came out. I recently had the recall taken care of for the front driver side. Every auto body person I have spoke with says that it should not have deployed for something like a branch. Also, my seat belts are still working which is uncommon after the air bag deploying. Honda has not wanted to take responsibility for the air bag deploying without true cause.

I hit a deer last December and the only reason the insurance company did not total it was because the air bags did not deploy. There was just about $10,000 worth of damage to my car. After waiting a month and a half, traveling 18 hours & spending an extra $200 for travel to go get my car I finally got it back. Also, my car does not idle like it should. It will also go dead when I come to a stop. It doesn't happen all the time but it will happen in the middle of traffic and I will be stuck there for a few minutes.

I ran head on into the side of a Mitsubishi montero going 40 MPH. The passenger airbag deployed even though there wasn't a passenger. The driver airbag did not deploy. The police, firemen, paramedics, and insurance adjusters were all shocked when they saw the car with the airbag not deployed. I have a photo of the damage to the front of the car that I can e-mail to you which will show the amount of damage. I have a photo of the inside showing the passenger airbag deployed and the driver airbag intact.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Airbag complaints in other Element years