2006 Honda Element Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2006 Honda Element ranks 2nd-worst of 7 model years with a complaint index of 83 and 122 complaints, rated Avoid. Airbags are the top problem area, tied to 9 recall campaigns, mostly involving frontal airbag inflators.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 83/100
- #2 of 7 Element years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 122
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 9
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 17
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 16
- Top issue
- Airbags
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 20.5
- 19 city / 23 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 16 / 0
Top 2006 Honda Element problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags55 (45%)
- Structure & Body21 (17%)
- Electrical System13 (11%)
- Visibility & Wipers13 (11%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (9%)
- Other10 (8%)
- Engine7 (6%)
- Seat Belts5 (4%)
- Transmission & Powertrain5 (4%)
- Brakes3 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Frontal airbags failed to deploy in moderate-speed crashes, including one at 65 mph and another rear-end collision at low speed.
- Airbags reportedly deployed in some crashes but caused burns on hands and wrists.
- A rollover crash occurred after the Element was struck by an SUV, with extensive body damage reported.
- Front tire and axle components detached from the vehicle after a side-impact crash at 40 mph.
- Headlight wiring harness connectors burned out, causing low-beam headlight failure similar to other Honda recall patterns.
- Windshields cracked without any reported impact, with dealers attributing the damage to road debris.
2006 Honda Element recalls
9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V501000Jun 27, 2019Airbags1,657,752 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.
- NHTSA 19V499000Jun 27, 2019Airbags3,947 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.
- NHTSA 19V182000Mar 6, 2019Airbags1,101,534 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
2006 Honda Element fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19 MPG
- Highway
- 23 MPG
- Combined
- 20.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,175
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2006 compared with other Element years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 Honda Element reliable?
- NHTSA data shows the 2006 Element has a complaint index of 83, the second-highest among the 7 model years with data, and it carries an Avoid verdict relative to other Element years.
- What is the top problem with the 2006 Honda Element?
- Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 55 of 122 complaints (45%) and linked to 15 crashes and 9 separate recall campaigns.
- Does the 2006 Honda Element have an airbag recall?
- Yes. NHTSA lists multiple airbag recall campaigns covering the 2006 Element, mainly for replacing frontal airbag inflators, including campaigns 19V501000, 19V499000, 19V182000, 18V268000, 17V029000, 16V344000, and 15V320000.
- How does the 2006 Element compare to other years?
- The 2005 Element has the highest complaint index at 100 and is also rated Avoid, while 2007-2011 Elements carry Caution verdicts with complaint indexes ranging from 67 down to 0.
- What mileage do Element airbag problems show up at?
- The median mileage at failure for airbag-related complaints is 76,500 miles, though some sample complaints report failures as early as 5,300 and 9,139 miles.