2007 Honda Element Brakes Problems

I WAS JUST DRIVING MY 2007 HONDA ELEMENT TO WORK IN THE NORTH END OF SEATTLE, AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY VEHICLE STARTED JERKING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSA AND STEERING LIGHT CAME ON THE "TRIANGLE WITH A LIGHTNING BOLT IN IT" IT STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. WHEN I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS IT WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO JERK AND THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD IDLE UP AND DOWN. IT WAS VERY INTENSE. I WOULD LIFT OFF THE GAS PATEL AND TRY TO LET IT SMOOTHIN OUT. IT DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW A RECALL ON THE 2007 AND 2008 HONDA ELEMENT, OVER 68,000 OF THEM. I WENT TO HONDA OF SEATTLE AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WASN'T A RECALL, I THEN TOLD HIM TO LOOK ONLINE AND HE TRIED TO TELL ME THAT MY CAR WASN'T COVERED. HE STARTED TO QUOTE SOME NUMBERS OF WHAT THE DIAGNOSTIC WOULD COST AND THEN THEY WOULD GO FROM THERE. I THEN TOLD THEM TO RETURN MY VEHICLE AND BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC. THE TOTAL COST TO FIX WHAT HONDA WOULDN'T EVEN THOUGH IT IS A RECALL IS $450.00. THIS IS UNFAIR AND HONDA NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT!

NHTSA ID

11151002

Incident

Nov 8, 2018

Mileage

10 mi

WHILE THE VEHICLE MOVING SLOWLY, SUDDENLY THE ABS, VSA (VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST) AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND STAYED ON. A HONDA DEALERSHIP LATER DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A FAULTY VSA MODULATOR, AN EXPENSIVE PART WHICH CONTROLS THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS. THE FAULT OUR VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PREVENTS ALL THESE SYSTEMS FROM FUNCTIONING. I CONTACTED OTHER HONDA ELEMENT OWNERS AND FOUND SEVERAL WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH 2007 AND 2008 ELEMENTS - ALL THREE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE AND THEN DEALER DIAGNOSIS TURNED UP A FAULTY VSA MODULATOR. IN SEVERAL CASES, THESE PEOPLE CONTACTED HONDA OF AMERICA AND HONDA OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE VSA MODULATOR REPLACEMENT (EVEN OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY), PRESUMABLY DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE OF HAVING THIS CRITICAL PART FAIL THAT DISABLES THE ABS AND VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEMS. I CONTACTED HONDA OF AMERICA AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PART ON MY VEHICLE. BEFORE THIS INCIDENT, I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY ISSUES WITH THE VSA MODULATOR AND HAD VERY RARELY BEEN IN A LOW-TRACTION ENVIRONMENT WHERE EITHER THE VSA OR ABS SYSTEMS WOULD ENGAGE. INTERESTINGLY, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT A HONDA DEALERSHIP PERFORMED A VSA MODULATOR-RELATED RECALL TO REMOVE AIR THAT COULD ACCUMULATE IN THE MODULATOR (RECALL #10V098000); THE DEALERSHIP INSISTED THAT WORK AND THIS FAILURE WERE UNRELATED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR BRAKING AND VEHICLE STABILITY ON A SEALED PART WITH OTHER OPEN RECALLS AGAINST IT. THIS PART SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, AND YET IT IS FAILING SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL MECHANISM OF FAILURE. HONDA SHOULD REPLACE FAULTY VSA MODULATORS AT NO CHARGE.

NHTSA ID

11054018

Incident

Jul 22, 2016

Mileage

125,000 mi

WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE OUR BRAKES & ROTORS EVERY YEAR,STARTING IN YEAR 3. (I DROVE ONLY 3,000 MILES A YEAR) THEN GAVE IT TO MY HUSBAND WHO DRIVES TO WORK. WHEN THE MILES GOT UP TO 14,000 - THAT WAS THE FIRST BRAKE & ROTOR REPLACEMENT. ASKED HONDA ABOUT THIS WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND NO WORD ABOUT PROBLEMS, JUST THEIR ANSWER THAT IT WAS FROM A 'STREET SWEEPER' OR 'THE WAY WE DROVE.' SEVERAL TIMES THE ROTORS WERE SO BAD, THAT THE CAR SCREECHED. 2 YEARS AGO, HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED TWICE IN THE SAME YEAR-IN MARCH AND AGAIN IN OCTOBER TWICE NOW OUR CALIPERS HAD TO BE CHANGED AS WELL AS THE BRAKES & ROTORS. HAVE PUT A LOT OF $ OUT FOR ALL THESE REPAIRS. NOT HAPPY WITH HONDA OR THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE ANYMORE.

NHTSA ID

10717624

Incident

May 10, 2010

Mileage

14,000 mi

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2007, SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES EVERY YEAR. WE HAD THE VSA MODULATOR RECALL REPAIRS DONE IN APRIL 2010 AND THE SOFT BRAKE, EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR CONTINUES. THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE, ARE SOFT, AND HAVE TO BE APPLIED HEAVILY TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD REPAIRS DONE BY THE DEALER THE FIRST FIVE YEARS WITH NO EXPLANATIONS TO MY COMPLAINTS OF EXCESSIVE FAILURE. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TO HAVE THE BRAKES RE-DONE EVERY YEAR. EACH TIME SHORTLY AFTER HAVING THEM RE-DONE THEY BEGIN TO QUICKLY DEGRADE AND DO NOT STOP THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10598575

Incident

May 11, 2009

Mileage

11,888 mi

THE HONDA ELEMENT HAS A RECALL FOR A SOFT, SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL THAT HAS TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR TO GET THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SYMPTOM, RELATED TO THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST MODULE. THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE, AND THE PEDAL FEEL IMPROVED, BUT AFTER TIME, THE ISSUE RETURNS. MY BRAKES ARE SOFT AND SPONGY AND I GET NO BRAKES UNLESS THE PEDAL GOES MOST OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. IT FEELS AS IF THE CAR IS NOT GOING TO STOP EACH TIME I BRAKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10470537

Incident

May 31, 2010

Mileage

70,000 mi

BRAKES "REPAIRED" IN '11 AT DEALER AFTER '07 ELEMENT BRAKE RECALL. NO NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN BRAKE SOFTNESS, BRAKES ARE STILL SOFT AND REQUIRE A LOT OF MUSCLE TO STOP THE CAR. SCARED, AND REFUSE TO DRIVE '07 ELEMENT WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR FOR FEAR OF NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP ON TIME. OWN A 2011 ACCORD, AFTER DRIVING THE '07 ELEMENT FOR A DAY OR TWO, I AM "SLAMMING" ON THE BRAKES OF THE ACCORD DUE TO HABIT OF HAVING TO "FLOOR/MASH" THE BRAKES TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THANK GOODNESS FOR GOOD ACCORD SEAT BELTS. :) PLEASE FIX THIS ISSUE. MANY TEENAGERS WILL BE RECEIVING THIS CAR AS FIRST TIME DRIVING CAR. VERY DANGEROUS. NOT SAFE WITH CURRENT CORPORATE APPROVED FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454046

Incident

Apr 4, 2012

Mileage

74,174 mi

I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, BRAKES WERE NOT APPLIED BEFORE INCIDENT, AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS AND THE DRIVER SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED. WHEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THEY WERE NOT FUNCTIONING FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILES OF TRAVEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10430325

Incident

Oct 15, 2011

Mileage

20 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V098000 (SERVICES BRAKES, AIR). AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE ERROR CODES WERE REMOVED FROM THE SYSTEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY OTHER FAILURES. THE WARNING LIGHTS CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,380.

NHTSA ID

10419648

Incident

Aug 3, 2011

Mileage

58,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXTREME PRESSURE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V098000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR) IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.

NHTSA ID

10405495

Incident

Jan 10, 2007

Mileage

500 mi

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT MY 2007 HONDA ELEMENT EX. IN 2008 I STARTED EXPERIENCING VERY SOFT BRAKES, AND COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER PROCEEDED TO REPLACE THE VSA MODULATOR TWICE, AND BLEED THE BRAKES OVER 12 TIMES AND IT CAME BACK WORSE THAN WHEN I TOOK IT IN. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO REPLACED THE MODULATOR AGAIN, BLED BRAKES, FELT BETTER TEMPORARILY BUT THE ISSUE RETURNED. HONDA FINALLY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE SOFT BRAKE PEDAL ISSUE THAT INVOLVED SIMPLY GLUING CAPS OVER VENTS ON THE VSA MODULATOR (NOT REDESIGNING A CRITICAL PART OF THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY SYSTEM MIND YOU). I HAD THE RECALL PERFORMED AND MY BRAKES HAVE AGAIN BECOME SOFT (SOMETIME DANGEROUSLY SOFT). THIS WAS ALL WHILE MY CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. MY CAR IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND HONDA OF NORTH AMERICA DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE FACT THEIR "FIX" DIDN'T FIX ANYTHING. I'VE GOT A BABY ON THE WAY AND DON'T FEEL SAFE HAVING MY WIFE DRIVE MY CAR. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT HONDA ISN'T TAKING SERIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF OTHER COMPANIES RECENT QUALITY CONTROL ISSUES AND RECALLS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10374689

Incident

Sep 1, 2008

Mileage

15,000 mi

HONDA'S RECALL SERVICE FOR SOFT BRAKES WAS NOT PERFORMED PROPERLY BY THE HONDA DEALER. STEPS 13 AND 14 ON SERVICE BULLETIN, PERTAINING TO INSTALLATION OF THE CAPS WHERE THE AIR INTRUSION IS BELIEVED TO COME FROM CALLS FOR A CONTINUOUS BEAD OF WHITE SILICONE TO BE SPREAD AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF REPLACEMENT CAPS USING A SPECIAL TOOL. THE WHITE SILICONE SHOULD BE VISIBLE AROUND BOTH CAPS ON THE MODULATOR. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND TECH THEY PUT JUST ENOUGH SILICONE TO AFFIX THE CAP AND DIDN'T SEE A NEED FOR ANY MORE. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THE OTHER STEPS IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN WERE PERFORMED BUT AM NOT CONFIDENT TO WHAT EXTENT. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEFT LOW SO IT WAS EVIDENT AT LEAST SOME BLEEDING OF THE BRAKES WAS PERFORMED. THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WAS REMOVED TO ACCESS THE MODULATOR AND HAD ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF FLUID LEFT IN THE RESERVOIR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. I HAVE MADE A REQUEST TO HONDA AMERICA TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332630

Incident

May 7, 2010

Mileage

38,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD FALL INTO THE FLOORBOARD INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER MADE UNKNOWN REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE TO NO AVAIL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,900.

NHTSA ID

10328128

Incident

Sep 17, 2006

Mileage

900 mi

PREMATURE FAILURE OF REAR PASSENGER DISC BRAKE AT 22000 MILES. LOUD GRINDING NOISE NOTICED COMING FROM REAR PASSENGER WHEEL. BROUGHT TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. REAR PASSENGER ROTOR AND BOTH REAR PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, FRONT BRAKES FINE UPON INSPECTION. AFTER ARGUING WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT GOT THE REPAIR BILL DOWN FROM $505 TO $65. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I FEEL THAT THE DEALER JUST TREATED THE SYMPTOM AND NOT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND THIS IS LIKELY TO OCCUR AGAIN. NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED TO THE RECENT BRAKING RECALL FOR HONDA ELEMENTS AND ODDYSSEYS OR NOT, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE A RECORD OF MY EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO MAY HAVE HAD TO COVER THE FULL COST OF THEIR REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10323326

Incident

Mar 31, 2010

Mileage

22,000 mi

TRAVEL WEST ON VA ROUTE 50 @ SPEED OF 55 MPH, ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN FOR TRAFFIC LIGHT. APPLIED BRAKES, THEY DID NOT SLOW DOWN CAR. SLAMMED BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR, CAR SKIDDED TO STOP JUST SHY OF HITTING CAR IN FRONT OF ME.

NHTSA ID

10321769

Incident

Mar 24, 2007

Mileage

71,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE PREMATURE FAILURE / WEAR. WAS DRIVING AND HEARD TERRIBLE NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. SMOKE COMING FROM REAR BRAKE ON DRIVER SIDE. PAD HAD WORN COMPLETELY THROUGH ONLY AFTER 27,000MI. PASS. SIDE REAR BRAKE WAS OK WHEN INSPECTED. APPEARS REAR DRIVER SIDE CALIPER FROZE CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10313882

Incident

Nov 15, 2009

Mileage

27,000 mi

BRAKES ARE SPONGY ON 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL HAS INCREASED, ESPECIALLY ON HARD BRAKING. THIS HAS DEVELOPED MOSTLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. NO ACCIDENTS, BUT A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS BECAUSE THE CAR DOES NOT STOP AS QUICKLY AS IT SHOULD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10276402

Incident

Jun 3, 2009

Mileage

30,000 mi

BRAKING SYSTEM PREMATURE WEAR AND SOFT, "MUSHY" BRAKE PEDAL. THIS ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED BY ME WITH 5 HONDA DEALERSHIPS, ALL CLAIMING NO MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBILITY. THEIR STATEMENT: "USER VARIANCES; DRIVER SENSITIVE" DATES, NAMES AND PARTS, AS WELL AS PHOTOGRAPHS, ARE AVAILABLE. SPECIFICS: 2007 HONDA ELEMENT SC. AT 30K MILES, REAR BRAKES NEEDED COMPLETE RE-DO, INCLUDING ROTOR TURN. AT 23K MILES, SAME, TO FRONTS. ON REAR, MARCH, 2009, ON REAR SYSTEM, 1 PAD OF 4 PADS FOUND TO BE SEIZED TO CALIPER HOUSING BY CORROSION; LACK OF LUBRICANT. INTENSIVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH HONDA, TORRANCE CA. INDICATED THEY FEEL NO RESPONSIBILITY. LATER, INVESTIGATIONS INTO SOFT, INEFFECTIVE BRAKE PEDAL FOUND FP# NOT ADMITTED BY HONDA AT ANY TIME; INTER NET INVESTIGATION THROUGH ELEMENT OWNERS FORUM FOUND FP#57110-SCV-A72, AND TSB 07-045. MODULATOR, BRAKES, PART # 9125782. MY CONTENTION: MY FEELING IS THAT THIS MODULATOR, RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING THE PROPER FLUIDS TO EACH WHEEL CALIPER FOR PROPER BRAKING AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE, HAS CAUSED THOUSANDS IF NOT MILLIONS OF BRAKE SYSTEMS TO WEAR UNEVENLY AND PREMATURELY, AND SAME NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS THEMSELVES DUE TO A HONDA PART FAILURE IN THE SYSTEM. SAFETY: FURTHER, VEHICLE STABILITY AND ANTI LOCK BRAKE MECHANISMS ARE AFFECTED NEGATIVELY, WHILE HONDA DENIES RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THEIR PART AND MANUFACTURING. NOTE: MY VEHICLE IS TO BE REPAIRED TODAY, APRIL 14, 2009, AT HONDA EXPENSE. I HAVE ALREADY PAID IN EXCESS OF $ 200 FOR REPAIRS ON THE VEHICLES BRAKE SYSTEM; NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO ME, WITH TOTAL HONDA DENIAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10265228

Incident

Mar 27, 2009

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS POOR ON HIS VEHICLE. THE BRAKES ONLY WORK FOR THE FRONT WHEELS. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND THEY HAVE CHANGED THE REAR BRAKE PADS, FRONT BRAKE PADS, AND THE MASTER BRAKE PUMP. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BRAKE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS THE ELECTRONIC POWER BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,700. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

NHTSA ID

10194778

Incident

Jun 27, 2007

Mileage

4,700 mi