Thinking of picking up an Element lately? Understandable. These are the most common Honda Element problems to be aware of in your research. Even though this Honda hasn’t been on the market for over 10 years, there are plenty of resources out there to get your Element up and running.
Some of the common Honda Element problems reported by owners
It has some of the common Honda Element problems reported by owners. The problem with most owners reporting is that the door lock doesn’t work after a while. Honda only made the SUV from 2002 to 2011, so most Elements on the road are at least 10 years old or older.
had the most complaints filed by landlords. YouTube is a good source of information for anyone who wants to tackle a project at home instead of going to the dealership.
Is the Honda Element a reliable vehicle?
RepairPal gave the Element a four-stay reliability rating, placing it in the middle of the compact SUV league table. The average annual cost of repairs is $491, but not all repairs are major. RepairPal suggests that owners could visit the repair shop more frequently with this SUV, but the problems are less severe.
The next most common Honda Element problem reported by owners is related to the illumination of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) light. This light relates to the airbags and can go off by mistake due to faulty wiring. Drivers should be able to fix the wiring to fix the problem. SRS light was most common from 2003 to 2006, averaging about 121,595 miles. Some owners report on the odometer, so there is hope.
On Honda Elements with all-wheel drive, some owners have complained of loud whining noises from the rear differential. This noise was prevalent when cornering and can be caused by differential fluid failure. Rear differential maintenance can fix the problem.
Don’t overlook the Takata airbag recall
It also has some comments from the owners. Looking at the site for the 2011 Honda Element has a few complaints about the airbags, steering and suspension.
Many of the complaints are about the ongoing Takata airbag recall. If you are unsure whether the item is affected by this recall, please use NHTSA’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) lookup. This is one of the largest and most important recalls in recent history, so make sure it’s done on any item you may be looking at. This has impacted more than 34 million vehicles, including 2003-2011 Honda Elements.
While these are some of the most common Honda Element problems, it doesn’t mean that all vehicles will have the same problems. Keeping up with routine maintenance such as oil changes and coolant flushes can also help find any minor problems that may be occurring. If you’re looking at a specific vehicle, you can always check the VIN on the NHTSA website to make sure it doesn’t have open recalls.
