13 problems related to body have been reported for the 2003 Honda Element. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2003 Honda Element based on all problems reported for the 2003 Element.
The trailing arm connection that connects to the subframe has completely rusted make the car unsafe to drive. Parts will break and driver will lose control of the car. These same parts were recalled in canada many years ago.
Rust corrosion.
Vehicle has extreme corrosion of the frame near the rear trailing arm which is nearing catastrophic failure. Trailing arm is in danger of separating from the frame. This is similar to ntsb campaign # 23v-22800 for the cr-v which shares suspension parts with the Element on these model years. If the trailing arm separates at highway speeds it could be fatal. This is a pre-emptive report of failure/loss, as I just attempted to jack up my vehicle on the drivers' side in the rear and had a great deal of the rusted frame detach near the point of the trailing arm attachment. I fear that it won't be long before the rest of the frame rusts through and if this occurs, that it may occur at highway speed and cause injury or death.
Inspection of the underbody revealed complete rusting away of the frame mount point for the passenger side lower control arm. The mounting has not failed yet, but the metal surrounding the bolt point is no longer providing any structure. I would not ordinarily have thought inform the NHTSA of this failure, but internet searching has turned up many other owners of Elements experiencing this same failure and Honda has issued a recall in canada for Elements for this problem. Cr-vs in the us that use the same chassis have had a recall for the same problem. Why has the recall not been extended to us Elements that are exposed to road salt? I have not yet contacted Honda regarding this issue.
Same as the recalls for Honda Element of canada and american Honda crv of America in Honda’s words: summary: american Honda motor CO. , inc. (Honda) is recalling certain 2007-2011 model year cr-v vehicles. In salt-belt states where DE-icing agents are used to maintain the roadway, the DE-icing agents, along with mud and water, could enter the rear frame through drainage/positioning holes when the vehicle is driven through flooded areas or puddles at high speeds. Over time, the accumulated DE-icing agents/mud/water mixture could cause corrosion to the frame's internal structure. If this occurs, the rear trailing arm can fall off. Safety risk: the corrosion to the frame's internal structure can cause the rear trailing arm to fall off, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Seems Honda is hiding specific VIN needing recal replacement of airbag fue to fact it's deployed. Attempt to cover up recall regarding this specific VIN possibly aware that damage is done and if airbag deployed, VIN check results "no current recalls" for vehicle. 2003 Honda Element had first recall replacement done. At that time Honda had person come to house to notify. This time, second recall, too late. It deployed and air bag is on recall list. Please provide honest facts. Correct me please if I misunderstood.
The car was being driven at a low speed across a school parking lot when there was a loud bang, the car dropped in the back and stopped movong. The rear trailing arm came apart from the body causing it to be inoperable. If I the car wasn't in a school zone and traveling at a high rate of speed this could have been a very serious accident. If there was a vehicle behind they would have rear ended the Honda. If this happens on going down a hill it would have rolled over. If this happened on a busy highway it would have caused a multi car accident. Honda is aware of this issue in canada but has done nothing to address it here in the united states. The vehicle is available for inspection for now. I can't have a vehicle sitting in my driveway that's inoperable due to city codes. The safety of the driver, passengers, pedestrians walking and other vehicles on the road are in danger. This is a very top heavy vehicle that could easily flip and roll over causing seriously injury even death. I had the vehicle towed from where it broke, the tow truck driver is a mechanic who looked at it. He said what broke. I had another mechanic stop and look because he is a welder and said it can't be repaired at this point. There were no warning lights or signs of this happening. Unless you live in canada where they sent owners a recall in the mail as long as they live in areas that have high salt usage on their roads. . . . . . . Not sure why that just pertains to canada because, michigan, new york, vermont, new hampshire, maine all get bad winters where salt is used. A vehicle should not disintegrate and fall apart like the Hondas are. They are a danger on the road right now. This is the recall for this exact same problem in canada https://wwwapps. Tc. Gc. Ca/saf-sec-sur/7/vrdb-bdrv/search-recherche/detail. Aspx?lang=eng&mk=1954!4785!35936!42257!39379&mkname=Honda&MD=element&fy=2003&ty=2003&ft=&LS=0&sy=0&syname=all%20systems&all=0&rn=2021024&cf=searchresult&pg=0.
I'm concerned with the amount of rust under the vehicle. My Element is from pennsylvania and they do use salt on the streets in the winter. Took car to mechanic and was told the car was very rusted underneath. Changing parts under the car is a difficult task due to the rest. Mechanic said it was cause car was driven in pennsylvania the cause is to how the roads are salted. I did read this is a serious problem in canada and other places and very dangerous but in America not as much. I'm wondering how I get this looked at by Honda and the problem be fixed like other Elements are being fixed or to see if it passes to have the unforced bracket put on.
I have replaced everything possible that would control the headlights. As I drive or after the car heats up while parked, whether on dim or bright the lights dim and brighten themselves causing it hard to see sometimes. I myself and other people that have talked about this online are having problems with the key fob. It stopped working and then it starts working again but the driver door lock wont work after that.
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.
Drivers side door would not open with key. Had to use passenger's side. Since that time, all of the door keys (including back) have become difficult to open. Have to move key up and down to get it to slide in. Now the ignition is also becoming problematic.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Element. While parked, the contact inserted the key into the front driver's side door to unlock the door but the key would not turn. The contact unlocked the front passenger side door and entered the vehicle. After some time, the front passenger side door failed to unlock intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
The consumer has had consistent problems with the vehicle's factory installed horn and alarm. The dealer was unable to remedy the communication system. Other problems were; the bumper cover would pop out intermittently, the right side corner piece was loose, the horn sound was abnormal and anti-freeze was leaking.