2003 Honda Element problems
NHTSA has received 482 complaints about the 2003 Honda Element, and 47% of them involve wipers, windshield & visibility. After that come air bags (10%) and electrical system (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 482 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Wipers, windshield & visibility 47% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 37 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 33 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 27,000 miles 304 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 138 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 35 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 26 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 15 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 28 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 12 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 10 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 10 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 7 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 12 |
| 200k+ miles | 11 |
What the data shows
Among the 304 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 27,000 miles. For wipers, windshield & visibility specifically, the median reported mileage is about 9,000 miles (155 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 37 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 33 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Honda Element with enough data (290 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 10 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Traveling west on residential road at aprox. 15 MPH. Was struck in rear passenger panel by a 4 door sedan who was stopped on road to the north waiting to turn east. My honda element skid until facing north and proceded to roll and slide on drivers side, became airborn landed on passenger front roof corner, then onto passenger side and comming to a rest in the upright position. I was driving. Two year old son in car seat behind me. Seven year old daughter in rear passanger seat. All buckled safely.
While driving 30 MPH vehicle was involved in a head on collision. Upon impact, dual airbags did not deploy. The driver sustained severe neck and spinal injuries.
I own a 2003 honda element and was involved in an accident where I hit a pickup truck and both vehicles were total losses. The drivers side airbag did not deploy even though it was a frontal impact which pushed the front of the vehicle in by 24 inches and bent the frame - the passenger airbag did deploy even though no other passengers were in the vehicle. I reported the problem twice to honda america but they are refusing to acknowledge a problem exists.
Windshiled crack. Origion of crack is bottom of passenger side of windshiled. Windshield had been replaced 2 months prior due to identical crack in identical location.
2003 honda element with a windshield that has starting cracking for no reason and it is starting to travel into my driving view. There is a major defect with these windshields.