How many recalls does the 2009 Honda Element have?

The 2009 Honda Element has 8 NHTSA safety recall campaigns on record.

How do I check if my 2009 Honda Element has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2009 Honda Element?

Of 37 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is suspension.

2009 Honda Element Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2009 Honda Element has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 11,174,215 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 37 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the suspension. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

AIR BAGS 19V499000 2019-06-27 3,947 affected

Defect

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…

Consequence

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.

AIR BAGS 19V501000 2019-06-27 1,657,752 affected

Defect

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…

Consequence

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.

AIR BAGS 19V182000 2019-03-06 1,101,534 affected

Defect

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…

Consequence

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…

AIR BAGS 18V041000 2018-01-09 24,945 affected

Defect

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura RL, 2010 Honda Element, and 2010-2013 Honda Ridgeline vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana…

Consequence

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 air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are U0H, and G0I.

AIR BAGS 17V029000 2017-01-10 308,884 affected

Defect

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 Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama,…

Consequence

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

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.

AIR BAGS 16V344000 2016-05-23 1,790,894 affected

Defect

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, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida,…

Consequence

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

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. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3.

AIR BAGS 15V320000 2015-05-28 6,281,043 affected

Defect

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 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. …

Consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with 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 on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their…

TRAILER HITCHES 12V436000 2012-09-05 5,216 affected

Defect

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…

Consequence

Without trailer turn signal illumination, the driver's intent is not communicated, potentially increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on September 20, 2012. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

Complaints by component

SUSPENSION

AIR BAGS

SERVICE BRAKES

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

STEERING

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

STRUCTURE:BODY

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

Total complaints37

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“There is corrosion on the rear trailing arm and surrounding area. Also rust is forming on rear subframe / crossmembers and the front subframe. Over time, this can result in premature structural failure and catastrophic accident. It poses a serious safety risk. It affects the structural integrity…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2025-06-18

“Just like the same era's honda cr-v (the honda element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era honda cr-v's nhtsa recall (23v-228). Large sections of my carâ€™s rear frame are completely missing, as shown in…”

SUSPENSION · reported 2025-06-13

“Just like the same era's honda cr-v (the honda element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era honda cr-v's nhtsa recall (23v-228). Large sections of my carâ€™s rear frame are completely missing, as shown in…”

STEERING · reported 2025-06-13

“Just like the same era's honda cr-v (the honda element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era honda cr-v's nhtsa recall (23v-228). Large sections of my carâ€™s rear frame are completely missing, as shown in…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2025-06-13

“Just like the same era's honda cr-v (the honda element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era honda cr-v's nhtsa recall (23v-228). Sections of my carâ€™s rear frame are rusty. Just like with the cr-v, a…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2025-06-13

“Just like the same era's honda cr-v (the honda element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era honda cr-v's nhtsa recall (23v-228). Sections of my carâ€™s rear frame are rusty. Just like with the cr-v, a…”

STEERING · reported 2025-06-13

“Just like the same era's honda cr-v (the honda element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era honda cr-v's nhtsa recall (23v-228). Sections of my carâ€™s rear frame are rusty. Just like with the cr-v, a…”

SUSPENSION · reported 2025-06-13

“The contact owns a 2009 honda element. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 mph and approaching a stop sign, the contact observed a noise coming from the rear driver's side of the vehicle. The contact stated that when the vehicle came to a stop, he opened the driver's door and…”

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS · reported 2024-08-29