How many recalls does the 2011 Honda Element have?

The 2011 Honda Element has 10 NHTSA safety recall campaigns on record.

How do I check if my 2011 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 2011 Honda Element?

Of 15 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is air bags.

2011 Honda Element Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2011 Honda Element has 10 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 11,232,645 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. 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 18V662000 2018-09-27 57,095 affected

Defect

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Ridgeline vehicles nationwide. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2012 Acura RL, 2011 Honda Element and 2011-2013 Ridgeline vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri,…

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 November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are H2H and S2I.

AIR BAGS 18V268000 2018-04-26 1,335 affected

Defect

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 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been…

Consequence

An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

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. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O.

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

AIR BAGS

POWER TRAIN

SEAT BELTS

STEERING

SUSPENSION

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VISIBILITY

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

WHEELS

Total complaints15

What owners report

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

“Tl* the contact owns a 2011 honda element. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, she had noticed that an extension ladder and debris had landed in the middle of the road. In order to avoid the objects, the contact and the driver behind her attempted to make the same turn at the same…”

SEAT BELTS · reported 2020-12-03

“Tl* the contact owns a 2011 honda element. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, she had noticed that an extension ladder and debris had landed in the middle of the road. In order to avoid the objects, the contact and the driver behind her attempted to make the same turn at the same…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2020-12-03

“Aluminum steering wheel 'hub support mounting bracket' has cracked and is broken in two places. This has happened over a time period during normal usage of my vehicle. The steering wheel is wobbley and loosened. Honda dealer service department disassembled and reviewed components of steering wheel…”

STEERING · reported 2018-08-08

“There are two indicator lights for air pressure that come on and stay on without cause (pressure is normal) "tpms" and a symbol. It is a documented problem among owners online in group discussions. In addition, the suspension is faulty in that an unexplainable "cracking" and slicking noise has…”

SUSPENSION · reported 2017-07-12

“There are two indicator lights for air pressure that come on and stay on without cause (pressure is normal) "tpms" and a symbol. It is a documented problem among owners online in group discussions. In addition, the suspension is faulty in that an unexplainable "cracking" and slicking noise has…”

WHEELS · reported 2017-07-12

“Takata recall: I was advised that it would possibly take longer than a 3 month wait until the repair kit even arrived at the facility due to the fact that they "don't make that vehicle any more" and was told to have my family of 4 ride in the rear seats for safety issue. It is a 4 seat vehicle.…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2016-08-24

“Tl* the contact owns a 2011 honda element. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v344000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2016-08-17

“Takata recall: replaced driver side airbag 2 yrs ago when news broke. Dealer would not replace passenger side as honda america refused to pay for it. Now honda issues recall on passenger side airbag, stating no one should sit in passenger seat until repair. Called dealer, honda america has not…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2016-07-21