BestCarRank
Honda

2010 Honda ELEMENT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2010 Honda ELEMENT has 39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 39. The most common issue is air bags problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: crash pushed car off the road. airbags deployed but did not inflate. airbags had crude cut out circles at the end of wires. did someone cut out the bag inflators?..updated 06/25/14 *bf updated 06/30/2014 *js updated 12/30/15*lj. There are 11 recalls issued for this model year.

2 crash reports 5 injuries

39

Total Complaints

11

Recalls Issued

/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

AIR BAGS

7 complaints
18%
  • CRASH PUSHED CAR OFF THE ROAD. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BUT DID NOT INFLATE. AIRBAGS HAD CRUDE CUT OUT CIRCLES AT THE END OF WIRES. DID SOMEONE CUT OUT THE BAG INFLATORS?..UPDATED 06/25/14 *BF UPDATED 06/30/2014 *JS UPDATED 12/30/15*LJ
  • AT THIS TIME MY CAR HAS A RECALL ON ITS AIRBAG. RECENTLY I RECEIVED A LETTER TO CALL MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER. IN CALLING I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR COULD NOT BE FIXED TILL DECEMBER 10TH AND TO CALL THE DAY BEFORE TO MAKE SURE THE PART WAS EVEN AVAILABLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS IT EFFECTS THE SAFETY O
  • HONDA HAS BEEN NON RESPONSIVE TO NHTSA RECALL 14V-351. AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE WHICH SAID THE DEFECT COULD KILL OR INJURE ME I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG. HONDA REFUSED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE BACK ORDERED. SINCE THEN THEY H
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

CRASH PUSHED CAR OFF THE ROAD. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BUT DID NOT INFLATE. AIRBAGS HAD CRUDE CUT OUT CIRCLES AT THE END OF WIRES. DID SOMEONE CUT OUT THE BAG INFLATORS?..UPDATED 06/25/14 *BF UPDATED 06/30/2014 *JS UPDATED 12/30/15*LJ

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2010 Honda ELEMENT

Based on 19 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 46K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
7
30-60K
5
60-100K
6
100-150K
1
150-200K
0
200K+
0

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (11)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE27/09/2018

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, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Lastly, if not included above, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2011 Honda Element, 2010-2012 Acura RL and 2010-2013 Ridgeline vehicles in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2010 Honda ELEMENT

Live EIA prices
Per year
$2,286
Per month
$191
Per mile
19.1¢
MPG
21
City driving (worst-case MPG)
$2,667/yr
Highway driving (best-case MPG)
$1,920/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today
Current
$4.00
5-year low
$2.78
5-year high
$5.01
Since 2021
+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2010 Honda ELEMENT

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,494
Full coverage / month
$125
Liability only / year
$639
vs US avg
-11%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (suv-midsize)1.05x
× theft risk1.00x
× safety rating1.00x
× vehicle age0.85x
= Full coverage estimate$1494

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Honda ELEMENT Service Intervals

Oil change
8K mi / 12 mo
Tire rotation
8K mi
Brake fluid
36 months
Transmission fluid
30K mi
Engine coolant
60K mi
Spark plugs
100K mi
Cabin air filter
15K mi
Engine air filter
30K mi
Differential (AWD/4WD)
30K mi

Maintenance Minder shows exact intervals based on your driving. CVT-equipped models (Civic, HR-V, Accord Hybrid) need CVT fluid service, not conventional ATF.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Honda New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
3 yr / 36K mi
Powertrain
5 yr / 60K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
8 yr / 100K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
5 yr / unlimited mi
Roadside assistance
3 yr / 36K mi

These are the terms for a new Honda. If you're buying a used 2010 ELEMENT, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Honda dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)
$500
SUSPENSION(~50K mi)
$500
BRAKES(~50K mi)
$500
VISIBILITY(~50K mi)
$500
ENGINE(~50K mi)
$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 39 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • AIR BAGS: CRASH PUSHED CAR OFF THE ROAD. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BUT DID NOT INFLATE. AIRBAGS HAD CRUDE CUT OUT CIRCLES AT THE END OF WIRES. DID SOMEONE CUT OUT THE BAG INFLATORS?..UPDATED 06/25/14 *BF UPDATED 06/30/2014 *JS UPDATED 12/30/15*LJ

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • SUSPENSION: Drivers side rear trailing arm separated from chassis. This occurred while backing out of a parking spot causing the left rear wheel to turn outward. When this happened I had to turn the steering wheel left to keep vehicle going straight forward and this was at an idling speed. we had just a few da

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • BRAKES: I PURCHASE A HONDA ELEMENT 2010 FROM RAY HONDA ON STRASBOURG ON APRIL, TEST DRIVE IT AND THE BRAKE WENT DOWN TO FLOOR I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIR I DROVE AWAY AND THE SAME PROBLEM PERSIST I BROUGHT IT BACK THEY SAID TO ME THAT I HAVE TO LEAVE WE IT, I TOLL THEM IS DANGEROUS

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • VISIBILITY: 2/27/10 PURCHASED NEW HONDA ELEMENT, DELIVERED WITH WINDSHIELD CHIPS, DEALER SUBCONTRACTED. NEW WINDSHIELD INSTALL & GAVE GUARANTEE OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. TOOK DELIVERY 3/8/10, NOTED EXCESSIVE DASH/WINDSHIELD RATTLE. CALLED DEALER NEXT DAY-WAS ASKED TO 'MONITOR THROUGH SUMMER MOS. AS RATTLE WOULD

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 11 recalls have been completed — free at any Honda dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

Honda ELEMENT — Year Comparison

How does 2010 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.

Full years-to-avoid analysis →

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
39
Recalls
11
Fire reports
0
Crash reports
2
Injury reports
5
Segment avg
39

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2010 Honda ELEMENT