In order to study pollution characteristics health risk of heavy metal elements in particulate matter from vehicle emissions, a tunnel test was conducted the Fu Gui Mountain tunnel in Nanjing, China. The concentration and characteristics of PM_2.5, and the components of heavy metal elements were studied. The health risk of heavy metal elements in PM_2.5 was assessed by using the international recognized health risk assessment method (US EPA). The results showed that the concentration of PM_2.5 in the tunnel entrance and exit at workdays was (78.67±24.58) μg/m³ and (164.2±45.13) μg/m³, and the concentration of particulate matter on non-working days was slightly lower than the working day. During the sampling period, the concentration of Zn, Cu, and Mn in PM_2.5 at tunnel exits was higher quality, which was greatly affected by vehicle. The enrichment factor analysis results show that the EF of the Cd, Sb, Sn, Zn, Cu, Mo, Pb, and As at the entrance and exit of the tunnel were greater than 10, which were affected by the anthropogenic sources emission. The EF of Co, Mn, Cr, Ni, V, and Tl were less than 10, which were almost no enrichment in the tunnel. The health risk assessment results showed that the non-carcinogenic risk index (HI) in the tunnel during the test period was greater than 1for children, which had non-carcinogenic risk. For adults, the HI was less than 1, which were within safe limits. However, two heavy metal elements were carcinogenic to human body, such as Cr and As which had a significant impact on human health.