NHTSA Complaint #10672392 — 2007 HONDA ELEMENT

WE PURCHASED OUR ELEMENT IN 2011. IN 09/13, WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, WE HIT A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD AND ALL OF THE GAUGES POPPED OFF OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER WHO GAVE US A BID OF $1,000.00 TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. WE CHOOSE INSTEAD TO REPAIR THE CLUSTER. SINCE THE REPAIR, NONE OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAVE READ APPROPRIATELY. AT THAT TIME, NO MENTION WAS MADE THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND YEAR. APPROX. ONE YEAR LATER IN 11/14, THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AGAIN POPPED OFF WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT. MY HUSBAND DID SOME RESEARCH AND WE LEARNED THAT IN 2008, HONDA DID A SAFETY RECALL REGARDING THE 2007 ELEMENT AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. APPARENTLY, HONDA IS WAS VERY MUCH AWARE THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE AND THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE DESIGN. HONDA PURPOSELY CHOOSE TO DO A SAFETY RECALL SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE LIABLE AFTER 2010. WE CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA IN DECEMBER AND A REPRESENTATIVE ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A PRODUCT UPDATE ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND A SAFETY RECALL BACK IN 2008; HOWEVER, THIS RECALL HAD EXPIRED. I FILED A COMPLAINT AND WAS SENT TO CONSUMER PRODUCTS. A REPRESENTATIVE TOOK OUR INFORMATION AND AGREED TO RESEARCH OUR ISSUE. WE ALSO CONTACTED THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER, REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND ALTHOUGH THEY WERE UNDERSTANDING, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO HELP US. ONE WEEK LATER, AMERICAN HONDA CONTACTED US AND TOLD US THAT THEY BEST THEY COULD DO WAS TO HONOR THE BID OF $1,000.00 AND THAT THIS WAS A DEAL SINCE THE COST NOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM WAS $1,300.00. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT HONDA SHOULD BE FORCED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REPAIR THIS DEFECTIVE PART. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS, COMMENTS AND CONCERNS ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR