Side/window Air Bag problems of the 2003 Honda Element

While traveling at 65 mph on the freeway, the passenger side air bag deployed for no reason. There was no impact or collision of any kind. There was no front passenger at all, only the driver in the vehicle.

I was traveling north on nc hwy 12 on my way to work, alone, and I rear ended another vehicle traveling between 35-40 mph, when I glanced down to scratch my leg and when I glanced back down, the car in front of me was at a dead stop and I rear ended it. My passenger airbag deployed, however I had no passenger with me, my drivers side airbag failed. Luckily I was wearing my seatbelt and only received minor injuries.

Happened in nyc, afternoon, weather drizzling/raining and humid. Slid on an oil slick on the road, swerved sideways and hit an exit ramp concrete barrier full front (w/ my front against it, perpendicular to the barrier). Passenger side airbag deployed, mine did not. The thing is, I was the only person in the car, there was no passenger in the passenger seat. Car was always driven in NY, I am original owner. Didn't report it earlier bec news always said it's only an issue w/ cars in the south, and Element didn't appear in the recall lists in the papers (only saw it listed this minute on the gov site, after hearing so much talk about it on the news and decided to check). I think the car manuf's should have notified all owners of that airbag of the possibility of an issue, even if they didn't live in the south, just in case, it's not expensive to do, just a stamp. Anyway, that's my feeling.

Addendum to original report 10310546. Shoulder and arm still affected from driver side airbag deploying without warning.

While driving on rough pavement driver side airbag deployed - urban street in rush hour while raining. 2003 Honda Element.

My car ran over an object in the road, making a loud noise but not causing the car to go out of control. When I pulled over to assess the situation, I saw that the front passenger seat side airbag had deployed. No one was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time and there was absolutely no side impact to the car at all. There was no damage to the car, other than the malfunctioning deployment of the airbag.

Sat. 11/1/08 -Honda Element was parked, but running, in front of our home. My kids were in the back, my husband was in the driver's seat. After strapping my child into the carseat, I closed the back door and the passenger side air bag deployed! no one was hurt, just scared. I contacted Honda dealer & took it in on mon 11/3/08 & was told that Honda rep would have to inspect. Service men at dealership were very nice & felt it would be taken care of. I waited for call for appt w/ Honda rep. I wasn't given an appt until wed. 12/17. Honda rep refuses to pay saying it is not Honda's fault. Said it was out of warranty & not a manufacturer's defect. Rep said it might be the sensor but that I could have hit a pothole or something causing the air bag to deploy. The car was parked in front of my home. We hit nothing! the air bag just deployed! Honda rep told me to file with my insurance. State farm denies claim and says it will not pay because this is "clearly a manufacturing defect. " the Honda rep also said he had never heard of anything like this ever happening before. So did the Honda customer relations headqtrs in CA that I called today. But I have googled this issue and found other Element owners who have had their side air bags deploy for no reason. At least one while he was driving! please investigate and let me know if others have reported this to you. I would like Honda to fix the problem and hopefully correct it so no one will get hurt. This is obviously a defect! closing the backdoor should not deploy the airbag!!.

My parked vehicle deployed passenger side air bag without collision to vehicle, according to insurance company there was no sign of forced entry to the vehicle (which Honda claims "could" be the cause of the deployment).

Driving down smooth road and driver's side airbag deployed for no reason . . . . Dealer inspected the vehicle and refused to fix. Car under warranty. Car is a 2003 Honda Element.

- the contact owns a 2003 Honda Element with an odometer reading of 40000 miles. While driving under dry conditions at 20 mph the driver's side air bag deployed unexpectedly. The contact was able to pull to side of the road without incident. The contact called the manufacturer, and they stated that she had to have done something to make the air bag deploy. The contact then took the vehicle to browns Honda ,and they were unable to find the reason why the air bag deployed. Updated 04/05/07.