If you own one of these vehicles (especially if you live in an area of high humidity) you need to check ASAP if your vehicle is on the recall list as already 3 people have died from metal fragments that were thrown from the airbag when it deployed and became lethal projectiles.

Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, BMW, GM, (Ford & Chrysler have had similar recalls so check also if you have one)

Here is the recall list. It also has a link to check your vehicle by VIN number but i haven't been able to get through on it. Will contact the dealership tomorrow.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+R...mmediate-action

"The death of motorist Hien Thi Tran was initially investigated as a homicide because deep cuts on her neck weren’t consistent with crash injuries, Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Montes said in an interview yesterday. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is now blaming the death on the air bag and this week turned the inquiry back over to the highway patrol, she said.
The death may add to two known incidents in which a faulty air bag in a Honda Motor Co. (7267) vehicle -- rather than the crash itself -- was responsible for killing the car’s occupant. Federal regulators also have been in contact with Honda about whether it has been underreporting death and injury claims to regulators.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had already been conducting an industrywide investigation of air bags that may deploy with too much force, causing metal fragments to kill or injure vehicle occupants"

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-17...g-scrutiny.html

2008 Honda Element, getting the airbag recall taken care of on Thursday (I think) along with a regular servicing. Honda mentioned it, but I didn't know any details until I read your link. Thanks.

Same here, a 2008 Honda Element - it's been a very handy car. Wife tells me only an old man would buy a car that looks like that

That's because Honda neglected to mention the element is lead.



The Jedi Master

harharhar

Looks like we've got one, but the VIN lookup site is down. Haven't gotten anything in the mail though.

My wife and I drive the kids around in our 2007 Honda Pilot. Will definitely need to get this checked out. Bleeding out from a neck wound is not a nice way to go.

Yup, the only car I've purchased that I thought was truly ugly. Could be worse though, it's forgivable because unlike the other cubes, it's total function over form. The other cubes we looked at had styling compromises, we didn't want a stylish box, just a box...and with no carpet.

Ralphie and Suzie loved it from day one...








And OMG the stuff you can put in it, as you already know (a low-res ad pic)...



My stuff (packing for a 500+ mile trip with 3 adults, 2 dogs and a cat)...
http://198.65.10.229/DID/Temp/DSCF0088.JPG

The ice chest would be placed on the blue luggage, and my wife would sit on the tailgate at rest areas and make sandwiches.

It always surprises me how everything just seems to fit (e.g. 3 handicap-sized Kohler toilets [tall and elongated bowls] still in boxes from Home Depot, and without taking the back seats out, just flipped up).

The other day I took the rear seats completely out for the first time (although it turned out to be unnecessary), just a perfect utilitarian vehicle, IMO (and what a great idea the tailgate was).

But with a face only an owner and their dogs can love.


I would have preferred this color...



...but wanted a darker interior than tan for the dogs (although the seat material is stain resistant).


Like I said, it could be worse ("style" over function)...

I was going to mention the Aztec! LOL
THAT was pure function over form. A very smart car on paper, but butt ugly. Your Element is a nice blend of the two. I like those and the Scion XB's.

Whew,escaped that recall.Have 2006 Honda Odyssey. love it to.

The $20k question is, "Can you fit a bike in it?"

Sure...



Another one...





LOL!

++++++++++

I saw the airbag story on CNN HLN this morning, damn that's a lot of cars!

MarkG, offtopic: but was that an older Specialized S-works?

Apologies to the board about that, I'm hoping the OP will forgive me since he owns one.

No clue about the bicycle, I used an old Honda ad pic (I think) because I have no other lower-res cargo pics, and no cargo so interesting.

++++++++++

Anyone getting the recall work done, please report back how long it took. Thanks.

My DT-1 would fit in the back seat of my '66 Chev if I took out the lower part of the seat and the front wheel off the DT.

I'm just now noticing on the second motorcycle pics that the rear seats weren't even removed, just folded up.

Honda keeps asking me if I want to trade mine in and I say, "Sure, just let me know as soon as the new Element arrives". I wait...

Thanks for the info OP

Wife just called from Honda (she does early morning Yoga in Baton Rouge so she took it in), looks like it'll be about a 3 hour job (plus a power door lock fix and servicing). I wonder if they're replacing the entire airbag or is there a simpler fix? We'll find out.

Done...two hour job replacing the "box behind the airbag".

EDIT: Driver's side only.

thanks for the update MarkG now i know about what to expect. Did you get a recall letter in the mail before you took it in ?

I got a recall letter from Toyota for my 4Runner several years ago. They didn't put the mirror in the passenger side visor.

I declined to schedule an appointment for its replacement.




The Jedi Master