2004 HONDA ELEMENT Electrical System Problems

My air conditioner went out and I was going to put car in reverse to see if the fans were working. When I put the key in I didn't start the car because my key wouldn't go forward or backwards it was just stuck and the steering column locked up. When I first purchased the vehicle in October 2022 I had to have to front end suspension joints replaced the bar in the middle was cracked. It sounded and felt like the motor was going to fall out. I need to replace the back suspension due to very loud noises when driving like something is going to fall apart.

The contact owns a 2004 Honda Element. The contact stated that after the vehicle was shifted into park(P), the vehicle would roll forward or roll backward. Additionally, the key would remain stuck in the ignition, causing the contact to have to maneuver the key to release the key from the ignition switch. The failure occurred intermittently; however, the key was still stuck in the ignition. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 167,000.

Mileage: 167,000

WHILE DRIVING OR OUT OF PARK POSITION IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED.ALSO WHILE IN PARK EITH SWITCH IN ON PODSITION THE IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED. I HAVE HAD IGNITION SWITCH FIXED TWICE WITHIN A 6 MONTH PERIOD. FIRST TIME OCCURRED SEPTEMBER 9 , 2019 OTHER TIME WAS MARCH,2020.

Mileage: 268,000

SRS LIGHT ON. HONDA DEALER WANTS $$ TO DIAGNOSE, BUT THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE.

Mileage: 95,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE KEY FAILED TO TURN TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NALLEY HONDA BRUNSWICK (178 ALTAMA CONNECTOR, BRUNSWICK, GA 31525 (912) 267-7000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY IGNITION THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V364000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CONNECTOR OVERHEATED AND MELTED AT ITS TERMINAL WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH RESULTING IN THE RANDOM FAILURE OF MY HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. AFTER SEARCHING MORE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, I FOUND THAT THE SAME ISSUE RESULTED IN A RECALL OF THE PART IN 2001/2002 HONDA CIVICS (EXPORT SERVICE BULLETIN 04-015, APRIL 2004). THE SOLUTION, "REPLACE THE COMBINATION LIGHT SWITCH, THE RED/WHT WIRE IN THE HEADLIGHT WIRE HARNESS AND, IF NEEDED, THE 16P HEADLIGHT WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR." I VERIFIED THAT IT IS THE SAME RED/WHT WIRE THAT OVERHEATED IN THE CONNECTOR. WHY IS MY 2004 HONDA ELEMENT NOT COVERED BY THIS RECALL?

Mileage: 248,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER SEVERAL TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. UPDATED 2/24/15*CN UPDATD 03/03/15

Mileage: 100

THE CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND CAME TO AN INSTANT STOP. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE PULLING INTO A BUSINESS. THANKFULLY THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME. IT HAS BEEN MAYBE A YEAR FROM THE FIRST INCIDENT AND NOW THE CAR WILL FLASH OFF AND ON WITHIN A NANO SECOND WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND ALSO WHILE COMING TO A STOP AND TURNING CORNERS. THE HEADLIGHTS ALSO DIM AT DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS VERY SCARY AND WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WILL BE MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL DEALER ASAP. I AM HOPING THAT BY GETTING THE IGNITION RECALL COMPLETED THIS WILL FIX THE ISSUE. *JS

Mileage: 101,000

LOW BEAMS STOPPED WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY. HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE PROMPTLY REPLACED BUT THE BULBS WERE FINE. THE DEFECT WAS IN THE VEHICLE ITSELF. LOW BEAMS DO NOT WORK, WHILE THE HIGH BEAMS AND RUNNING LIGHTS CONTINUE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. HONDA HAD A RECALL FOR THIS, JUST NOT FOR THE ELEMENT: HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS/DEFECT/RESULTS.CFM?ACTION_NUMBER=EA11012&SEARCHTYPE=QUICKSEARCH&SUMMARY=TRUE MY LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP WANTS $350 TO FIX THIS DEFECT. *TR

Mileage: 158,000

2004 HONDA ELEMENT. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE IGNITION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE THE IGNITION WAS FROZEN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. HE WAS ABLE TO INSERT AND REMOVE THE KEY, BUT IT DID NOT FUNCTION. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER ELEMENT OWNER, A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, HONDA INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON FEB 1, 2011. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE NOTICED THE IGNITION KEY WAS LOOSE WHILE POSITIONED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED THREE YEARS LATER. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V364000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REMEDY REPAIR; HOWEVER THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN INTO ANY DIRECTION AND AN ADDITIONAL REPAIR WOULD NEED TO BE PERFORMED IN COMBINATION WITH THE RECALL REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN THE POSSESSION OF THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 90,000

AIR BAGS AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. AIR BAGS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND BROUGHT TO DEALER. CABLE REEL ASSEMBLY IN STEERING COLUMN WAS BAD. DEALER SAID I HAD TO PAY FOR NEW ASSEMBLY AND LABOR. *TR

Mileage: 64,000

CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, BROKEN DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR AND A HORN THAT HAS ONE BROKEN PITCH, LEAVING THE PITCH VERY LOW, ALMOST NOT NOTICEABLE. IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY FOR A YEAR, BUT DID NOT FIND THIS SITE UNTIL NOW. TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *JB

Mileage: 30,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO USE THE HORN IT WAS INOPERABLE. OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE HORN WORKED THE SOUND WAS VERY LOW. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. *AK UPDATED 03/19/07. *JB

Mileage: 42,000

DESIGN PROBLEM: ON MY 2004 HONDA ELEMENT, THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR IS NOT LOUD ENOUGH TO HEAR, OR BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE. FURTHERMORE, IT SEEMS THE (AUTOMATIC) SWITCH TO TURN THE TURN SIGNAL OFF IS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY. THE RESULT OF THESE DESIGN FLAWS IS THAT I FIND THAT MY TURN SIGNAL IS LEFT ON AFTER MAKING TURNS THAT ARE < 90 DEGREES. AFTER REVIEWING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER, THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. RECCOMENDATION: MAKE ALL TURN SIGNALS MEET MINIMUM AUDIBLE/ VISUAL STANDARDS AND HAVE TIME OUT DEVICES THAT AUTOMATICALLY TURN OFF TURN SIGNALS AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. *NM

THE HORN ON MY 2004 HONDA ELEMENT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ANYMORE, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY HONDA ELEMENT OWNER HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN IN THERE CAR AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM, IT SEEMS THAT THE HORN STOPS WORKING AFTER 36, 000 MILES. *NM

Mileage: 42,500

FIRE OCCURRED IN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF 2004 HONDA ELEMENT WHILE IT WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN THE DRIVEWAY. FRONT UPPER QUARTER OF DOOR COMPLETELY BURNED/MELTED AWAY, DOWN TO BARE EXTERIOR METAL. EXTENSIVE SMOKE DAMAGE TO INTERIOR. VEHICLE WAS IN CONSUMER'S POSSESSION FOR ONLY 12 DAYS AND HAS FEWER THAN 300 MILES ON ODOMETER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE IT IS STILL UNDER EXAMINATION. NO EXPLANATION OR RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME.

Mileage: 270

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE . *AK

Mileage: 14,000