MYRModel Year Report

2006 Honda Element

● Typical for this model
2006 Honda Element
RENDERED 2026-11-01T12:43:33.200Z

This year's complaint volume is within 30% of this model's typical year.

This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.

How is this computed?

Complaints
122
Recalls
11

Campaigns on file for 2006

Investigations
3

Opened by NHTSA

Top problem
Air bags

45% of complaints

Complaints per year

2003: 424 complaints 2003 2004: 281 complaints 2005: 159 complaints 2006: 122 complaints 2006 122 2007: 112 complaints 2008: 113 complaints 2009: 31 complaints 2009 2010: 30 complaints 2011: 11 complaints 2011
2003: 424 complaints 2003 2004: 281 complaints 2004 2005: 159 complaints 2005 2006: 122 complaints 2006 122 2007: 112 complaints 2007 2008: 113 complaints 2008 2009: 31 complaints 2009 2010: 30 complaints 2010 2011: 11 complaints 2011
2003: 424 complaints 2003 2004: 281 complaints 2004 2005: 159 complaints 2005 2006: 122 complaints 2006 122 2007: 112 complaints 2007 2008: 113 complaints 2008 2009: 31 complaints 2009 2010: 30 complaints 2010 2011: 11 complaints 2011

2006: 122 complaints

View as data table
YearComplaints
2003424
2004281
2005159
2006122
2007112
2008113
200931
201030
201111

Known problem areas

Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.

Air bags

45% · 55 reports

Most commonly citing side/window and frontal.

CRASHINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

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.

NHTSA ODI report, 2026-02-01

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.

NHTSA ODI report, 2018-07-14

Takata recall ----front passenger air bag did not come out after front side collision. Auto was totaled.

NHTSA ODI report, 2017-11-03

Visibility

10% · 12 reports

Most commonly citing windshield and power window devices and controls.

Structure

9% · 11 reports

Most commonly citing body and hinge and attachments.

CRASH

Electrical system

9% · 11 reports

Most commonly citing instrument cluster/panel and interior/under dash.

CRASH

Suspension

8% · 10 reports
CRASH

Safety timeline

11 recalls · 3 investigations · oldest first

To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →

  1. R
    2006-08-02Equipment06V270000 On certain passenger vehicles and motorcycles, the owner's manuals contain incorrect contact information for the national highway traffic safety administration's (NHTSA) vehicle safety hotline.

    Remedy: Honda will send a postcard to dealers and owners with the correct NHTSA vehicle safety hotline information and with instructions to insert the card into the "Reporting safety defects" Section of the…

    Check if this car was fixed →

  2. R
    2009-05-11Exterior lighting09E012000 Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…

    Remedy: Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on May 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  3. R
    2009-07-28Exterior lighting09E025000 Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…

    Remedy: Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on July 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  4. R
    2011-08-27Power train11V395000 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…

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will update the automatic transmission control module software free of charge. The safety recall began on August 27, 2011. Owners may contact Honda automobile…

    Check if this car was fixed →

  5. I
    2014-06-11Preliminary evaluationClosed 2015-03-02 Air Bag Inflator Rupture
  6. I
    2015-02-24Engineering analysisOpen Air Bag Inflator Rupture
  7. R
    2015-07-01Air bags15V320000 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003...

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  8. R
    2016-06-29Air bags16V344000 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold,...

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  9. R
    2017-02-27Air bags17V029000 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Acura MDX and Honda CR-V vehicles, 2005-2011 Honda Element vehicles, 2005-2012 Acura RL vehicles, 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles and 2005-2008 Honda...

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KD9 and KE0.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  10. R
    2018-06-22Air bags18V268000 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and...

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  11. R
    2019-04-10Air bags19V182000 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...

    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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  12. R
    2019-08-12Air bags19V499000 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,...

    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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  13. R
    2019-08-12Air bags19V501000 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,...

    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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  14. I
    2021-09-17Engineering analysisOpen Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Buy-smart checklist

2006 Honda Element — pre-purchase inspection

Inspect

  • Air bags: 55 reports on file for this year.
  • Visibility: 12 reports on file for this year.
  • Structure: 11 reports on file for this year.

Verify these recalls were completed

  • Recall 06V270000 · Equipment
  • Recall 09E012000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 09E025000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 11V395000 · Power train
  • Recall 15V320000 · Air bags
  • Recall 16V344000 · Air bags
  • Recall 17V029000 · Air bags
  • Recall 18V268000 · Air bags
  • Recall 19V182000 · Air bags
  • Recall 19V499000 · Air bags
  • Recall 19V501000 · Air bags
Inspected by ______________ Date ______________

Other years of this model

See all years ranked →

Best years2 years

Worst years3 years

FAQ

Is the 2006 Honda Element reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 2006 Honda Element is rated "typical".
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Honda Element?
The most-reported component is air bags, accounting for 45% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 2006 Honda Element have?
11 recalls on file for this model year.

Data updated 2026-11-01 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.