I've got an AWD EX w/ AT and have noticed on several "hurry up" situations, I step on the gas and get a momentary lapse before the response. Its enough that if you're say, turning in front of traffic, you get that panicked feeling and then it seems to kick in. I have a carpeted floor mat, but I don't think it is interferring with pedal travel. My wife has noticed this as well. Its pretty scary not having the power the second you need it.
Anyone else have this problem?

Did you drive manual transmission cars before? On my last car I made the jump from manual to automatic and the similar "wind up" lag with it took a while to get used to. You're right, tho', it's very scary when you tromp on it and nothing happens for a second or so.

:shock:

Question: Is that always from a standstill? Just wondering.

I also have a 4WD EX, A/T, and in 7500 miles I've never noticed that. In fact overall my impression's been that it's quite responsive. Come to think of it, if I know it's clear when a light turns green and I'm in front, I'll give it a quick pop to get up ahead of the pack and have my own space ... and I've never noticed a hesitation.

If yours is hesitating enough to be making you uncomfortable, I'd definitely have it check out. Good luck.

I've got the EX AWD auto, and I've noticed something similar. From a dead stop, no hesitation or problems. But if I'm coming into say, a right hand turn with a yield. I slow down to about 5mph, then hit the gas. The tranny stays in 2nd, not first. If you jump on it enough, it will surge into 1st, but there is a definite delay.

A friend with a new CRV has the same thing. I've overcome that by using the shifter for first when I think it might be at all necessary.

The tranny is definitely pre-wired for all out economy, not all out best speed (IMO of course).

[quote:d07e2a72cc="Oak Lawn Element"]I've got the EX AWD auto, and I've noticed something similar. From a dead stop, no hesitation or problems. But if I'm coming into say, a right hand turn with a yield. I slow down to about 5mph, then hit the gas. The tranny stays in 2nd, not first. If you jump on it enough, it will surge into 1st, but there is a definite delay.

A friend with a new CRV has the same thing. I've overcome that by using the shifter for first when I think it might be at all necessary.

The tranny is definitely pre-wired for all out economy, not all out best speed (IMO of course).[/quote:d07e2a72cc]

Ok, that's right. I paid attention to it on my drive to the office just now. Mine's always done that. I guess I've always just instinctively popped it into low, then away I go.

I have a 2010 LX AT and have the accelerator lag problem. The transmission seems to work fine from a stop or under acceleration, but under 'coasting' or low intake manifold pressure, if I try an emergency acceleration, there is over a 1 second lag between when I press and some power goes to the wheels. The motor revs, but no acceleration as the transmission is not engaged. I consider this a very serious problem as clearly, a 1 sec. delay between pressing on my brake and it working would be considered an unacceptable problem. It already takes 2 sec.s to recognize and take action. Adding another 1sec. for the accelerator to function seems unreasonable and unsafe. The dealer told me, 'no problem code, no problem!'. I am going to give the dealer one more try, but this will be on Honda's desk if they don't fix this very unsafe condition.
It is my hope that Honda America is more conscientious than the dealer I purchased it from. I enjoy my E very much except for this anxiety inducing blemish.

I have a 2010 LX AT and have the accelerator lag problem. The transmission seems to work fine from a stop or under acceleration, but under 'coasting' or low intake manifold pressure, if I try an emergency acceleration, there is over a 1 second lag between when I press and some power goes to the wheels. The motor revs, but no acceleration as the transmission is not engaged. I consider this a very serious problem as clearly, a 1 sec. delay between pressing on my brake and it working would be considered an unacceptable problem. It already takes 2 sec.s to recognize and take action. Adding another 1sec. for the accelerator to function seems unreasonable and unsafe. The dealer told me, 'no problem code, no problem!'. I am going to give the dealer one more try, but this will be on Honda's desk if they don't fix this very unsafe condition.
It is my hope that Honda America is more conscientious than the dealer I purchased it from. I enjoy my E very much except for this anxiety inducing blemish.

I think that every vehicle I've ever driven with an automatic had a lag under those conditions. Mostly GM transmissions, a couple large trucks with I-dunno-whats and now two Honda's (Pilot and Element) and they all do. BTW, I just ran in to a situation like you described yesterday when I was going through a green light and an idiot on the red side almost broadsided me. I stomped on the gas instead of pushing slowly and the same pause before it dug in, then another pause before the rear wheels started helping. If I'd kept my head and just pushed the gas pedal down in a controlled way instead of stomping, the few inches we cleared by might've been a couple of feet instead. I guess I'm getting old...

Would this help? http://www.sprintboostersales.com/detail.cfm?year=2006&make=Honda&model=Element&engine=Gas

emergency acceleration? is that like flooring it to go through a yellow light?

ive never had an issue but there are times when the trans shouldnt down shift even when floored. that aside its my understanding the 5spd auto is not an aod and all 5 gears are fully useable unlike aod equipped cars that can hit the top speed limiter out of overdrive

now i have a 2wd element but i believe the 4wd has a rear wheel pause due to building pressure while spinning the front tires its like a water pump. how many times does it spin before water comes out?

Would this help? http://www.sprintboostersales.com/detail.cfm?year=2006&make=Honda&model=Element&engine=Gas

Reading the big, bold print in their web ad, they ask if you don't like this or that or this & that, etc, blah-blah. Going to the "how it works" part of their ad, I start getting suspicious that maybe the thing is a bunch of hooey... and then, there it is. The ONLY thing that gimmick does is to make your car "feel" like it's faster and more responsive by changing the way the gas pedal feels.

Reading the fine print in their web ad, I'd say -NOT- because the thing doesn't actually have any effect on the "lag" issue we're talking about. I'm guessing that the bottom line effect is to make it worse, not better.

ide say that custom lets call it "performance programer" is basicly a box with 3 wires.

you have wire A which is just a wire (stock setting)

wire B which is a wire with a small resistor value and a green light (sport setting)

wire C which is a wire with a larger resistor value and a red light (race setting)

does it make the car "feel" faster without a doubt YES is it worth the money and potental issues that could come from trucking your drive by wire computer ide say NO

and as for the making it worse i would kinda agree. if you remove the split second lag from when you hit the gas...does it in turn add a lag to when you let off the gas?

I can only say that I removed that little handle thing from the air intake pipe (right by the drive side inner fender wall), which opens up another pretty small hole into the intake piping, and got more even response all around.

I've never floored the damn thing (we're not driving vehicles designed for performance) but I do know that, again, everything is more 'even'.

I have no idea what that handle is, why it's there, or what damage it could be doing by not being there. I do know that I drove around for a good 25 miles right after I took it off and had no CEL come on or anything like that. The pathway of that hole still leads through the airbox, so, it can't be too terribly bad???

I'd wait for someone who is more technically/mechanically inclined and/or actually knows what they're talking about before removing yours.

Edited to add: Mine's an 08, EX, AT

OD, can you identify what you disconnected from this diagram?

http://www.hondapartsnow.com/diagrams/small/air-cleaner-465150.png

http://http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=556&pictureid=2774

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=556&pictureid=2775

OK, that's the "tube, side branch," p/n 17252-PZD-A10 (http://www.hondapartsnow.com/genuine/honda~tube~side~branch~17252-PZD-A10.html). Dunno a thing about it, tho. You sure your performance change isn't placebo effect?

http://www.hondapartsnow.com/diagrams/small/resonator-chamber-465151.png (http://www.hondapartsnow.com/electrical_exhaust_heater_fuel/b__0105~2008~honda~element~5dr_ex_4wd~5at~ka~reson ator~chamber.html)

It's a resonator on the resonator for suppressing higher frequencies. By removing it we've poked a hole in the resonator. So I also suspect placebo effect because the hole means more "Vroom! Vroom!" from intake noise.

Roger that.

Although, I didn't necessarily mean "performance" in the way a tuner would say it, however, I understand that things getting 'evened out' could be considered an improvement in general operating performance.

Placebo effect or not, I do feel like it's evened things out (which, I know, is the nature of the placebo effect). I also think it's hurt fuel economy (which is partly because I have been driving more aggressively to actually see if it does help), so I think I'll be re-installing it tomorrow. Either that or I'll stop "testing" it for a week or so and just see how it goes.

As for the vroom-vroom noise from the intake, I don't hear a damn thing when I'm driving except whatever noise is coming from the iPod. And, that one little hole isn't going to create that much noise over having it plugged. So the vroom-vroom is kinda null.

Regardless, thanks for the replies, and I'm not trying to come off like an a-hole, just trying to explain myself.

from what i see and what ive done in the past. http://www.hondapartsnow.com/diagrams/small/resonator-chamber-465151.png removing everything in this diagram and replacing the rubber flex with a longer piece (they come in various compositions. the most popular would prob be the 3 inch dryer vent tube from home depot. and hang like a foot of it over into the hole in the fender. its prob close to the best air intake mod and the cheapest.

however one resonator i would not advise removing is the one downstream of the maf part 9 in this diagram http://www.hondapartsnow.com/diagrams/small/air-cleaner-465150.png

Roger, Dodger. Didn't even notice there was one downstream, but I know enough to know not to mess w/ things downstream from the MAF.

Maybe getting one of these would help?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4hge5FqaP8&feature=fvsr

Maybe getting one of these would help?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4hge5FqaP8&feature=fvsr


No thanks. Perfectly content with my toaster on wheels :grin:

Maybe getting one of these would help?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4hge5FqaP8&feature=fvsr

I could watch Ken Block drive for HOURS at a time. He is such a STUD!!

How do I get a ride with him while he is doing that??

He drives for Ford now...believe it or not its a Fiesta!

Maybe getting one of these would help?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4hge5FqaP8&feature=fvsr

Aw heck! The oem Wrangler tires on my Element felt like that all of the time. Switching to Yokohama Geolanders fixed it right up.

Most newer drive by wire throttles suffer from this problem. I've learned to anticipate the 1-2 second lag and step on the gas 1-2 seconds before I plan to move.