2005 Honda Element Electrical Problems

Vtec oil pressure switch low voltage threw a code so I replaced entire mechanism, I don't know the name buy removed wire snaps and three bolts and replaced with brand new, and reattached. Unplugged battery till all reserve was gone. Plugged back up [battery] drove, but still as I hit 3000 rpm and vtec turns on shoots check engine light and vehicle jukes. I have already changed oil, made sure proper level proper weight had flushed as to clean out any debris. Made sure all connections were tight, but nothing fixes problem.

NHTSA ID

11509959

Incident

Feb 28, 2023

MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT CONSTANTLY DISPLAY AIRBAG OFF, WHEN IT'S INACCURATE, DASHBOARD LIGHT DOESN'T WORK. THERE'S SOME KIND OF SHORTAGE BECAUSE IT BLINKS, COME ON AND GO OFF AND STAY OFF. IT SHOWS THE SAME INFORMATION, RATHER DRIVING OR STATIONARY. ARE THERE RECALLS ON THIS CAR? IT'S BEEN ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER.

NHTSA ID

11405632

Incident

Feb 3, 2021

Mileage

172,000 mi

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS WILL COME ON FOR NO REASON SAYING PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF AND IT IS NOT OFF. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. THIS HAPPENS AT VARIOUS TIMES, CRANKING VEHICLE, DRIVING VEHICLE, THERE IS REALLY NO SPECIFIC SITUATION . IT'S SPORADIC. HEADLIGHTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DIM. SOMETIMES I CAN'T EVEN TELL IF THEY ARE ON. THE CARGO LIGHTS, FRONT MIDDLE AND BACK WORK SOMETIMES AND MOST TIMES THEY DON'T. ALSO BRAKE LIGHTS SEEM TO HAVE A MIND OF THERE OWN AND WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO BUT DEFINITELY NOT WHEN I WANT THEM TO. IN FACT I AM PRETTY SURE THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE SOMEWHERE.

NHTSA ID

11375667

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, FLAMES APPEARED FROM THE DASHBOARD. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL TOW LOT. THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR AND INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000.

NHTSA ID

11204955

Incident

Sep 27, 2017

Mileage

111,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. AN INVESTIGATOR WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,500. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11123507

Incident

Sep 17, 2017

Mileage

114,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY DID NOT FIT INTO THE IGNITION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CHECK FOR POSSIBLE RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V344000 (AIR BAGS) AND15V320000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

NHTSA ID

10918758

Incident

Oct 17, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE, IT INDEPENDENTLY ROLLED BACKWARDS WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO START THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO LOCK THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000. UPDATED 7/14/15*CN

NHTSA ID

10715983

Incident

Feb 15, 2015

Mileage

127,000 mi

DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE SWITCH FOR SRS AIR BAG SYSTEM SHUTS OFF SRS SYSTEM - RED WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER RESETTING, SYSTEM MAY WORK OKAY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. REPAIR SHOP SAYS COMMON PROBLEM SEEN MAY TIMES . COST TO FIX $350+. *TR

NHTSA ID

10578794

Incident

Mar 13, 2013

Mileage

80,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET, QUITE SLOW (ABOUT 20-25 MPH) AND SMOKE STARTED TO BILLOW OUT OF MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE SWITCHES WHICH CONTROL MY WINDOWS. THE SMOKE GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME (30 SECONDS - 1 MINUTE). I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN MY WINDOWS TO LET THE BLACK SMOKE OUT. I OPENED MY CAR DOOR WHILE I DROVE INTO THE FIRST PARKING LOT I SAW. AS SOON AS I PARKED, I COULD SEE FLAMES UNDER THE WINDOW SWITCHES, WHICH MELTED THE PLASTIC AND CAUSED THE FLAMES TO GET LARGER. I WAS ABLE TO SMOLDER THE FIRE WITH A JACKET WHILE WAITING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. A FIRE CLAIM WAS FILED. MY CAR WAS TOWED, SINCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE IT. I AM NOW AWAITING WORD FROM THE MECHANIC IT WAS TOWED TO. I WORK FOR A HOME HEALTH CARE AGENCY, AND HAVE TO TRANSPORT SMALL OXYGEN TANKS ON OCCASION. I HAD ONE IN MY CAR AT THE TIME AND THIS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10576146

Incident

Mar 31, 2014

Mileage

163,000 mi

FROM ABOUT MARCH OF 2007 WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR BRAKES, THEY HAD BEEN CHANGED ABOUT TWICE A YEAR. WE THOUGHT CAUSE WE DRIVE AROUND IN A CITY, THE BRAKES WEAR OUT FASTER THAN NORMAL. THEN 2 YEARS LATER WE WERE HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR. WE HAD TO GET IT JUMPED START- IT SEVERAL TIMES, BEFORE WE PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY. THOUGH IT HAS BEEN A YEAR FROM THE TIME WE GOT A NEW BATTERY, WE STILL HAD PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO THE AUTO SHOP SEVERAL TIME, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEN THE GEAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND WE TOOK IT IN TO GET THAT FIXED, AND NOW IT DOES NOT START ALL. IT IS NOT THE BATTERY, BECAUSE THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS STILL COME ON. AT 74,0000 MILES WE SHOULD NOT BE HAVING SO MANY FAILURES WITH THIS VEHICLE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10428108

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

Mileage

25,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION ON AND NOTICED SMOKE AND HEARD A CRACKING SOUND COMING FROM THE MASTER POWER WINDOW SWITCH ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE SMOKE WAS FOLLOWED BY A SMALL FLAME. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN AND CAUSED THE DOOR PANEL TO MELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FIRE AND STATED THE WIRING HARNESS AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,962.

NHTSA ID

10425562

Incident

Sep 10, 2011

Mileage

80,962 mi

ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2011, UPON STARTING THE IGNITION OF MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT, I NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. AFTER HEARING SOME CRACKLING NOISES FROM THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH, IT SOON POPPED INTO A SMALL FIRE WHICH WENT OUT ON IT'S OWN, PROCEEDED BY MORE CONTINUOUS SMOKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10425047

Incident

Sep 10, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ODOMETER FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE DISTANCE THAT WAS TRAVELED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

NHTSA ID

10254964

Incident

Nov 13, 2008

Mileage

55,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT HER HORN WAS NO LONGER WORKING. SHE HAS SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,050. UPDATED 6/2/08 *CN THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THE HORN WAS NOT WORKING BECAUSE OF A MINOR FENDER BENDER SHE HAD 2 MONTHS PRIOR. UPDATED 06/02/08

NHTSA ID

10225865

Incident

Apr 18, 2008

Mileage

44,050 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE BATTERY WAS RECHARGED, AND AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10176172

Incident

Dec 7, 2006

Mileage

7,470 mi

HAVE A 2005 HONDA ELEMENT COVERED UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN #05E035000. TRAILER HITCH WAS INSTALLED BY THE DEALER ON A NEW VEHICLE. WAS MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL THROUGH CONSUMERS REPORTS MAGAZINE. CHECKED THE NHTSA WEB SITE TO LEARN MORE. CALLED HONDA DEALER WHO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL. CALLED AMERICAN HONDA NUMBER FROM THE NHTSA RECALL NOTICE, THEY SAID MY ELEMENT WAS NOT COVERED AS THE TRAILER HITCH WAS NOT FACTORY INSTALLED BUT DEALER INSTALLED. HONDA DOESN'T MENTION ANY FACTORY INSTALLED OPTIONS IN THE CATALOG, JUST DEALER INSTALLED ACCESSORIES. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT HONDA DIDN'T NOTIFY ME OR ANYBODY ELSE WITH A DEALER INSTALLED TRAILER HITCH OF THE RECALL. AS FAR AS THEIR CONCERNED, I DON'T HAVE THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH MY CAR EXHIBITED ALL OF THE SYMPTOMS THE RECALL NOTICE DESCRIBED. WHAT'S THE POINT OF A RECALL IF THEY DON'T NOTIFY ANYBODY? *NM

NHTSA ID

10136284

Incident

May 12, 2005

Mileage

2 mi