2003 HONDA ELEMENT Complaints

This car was recalled in the past for a faulty ignition switch. I had the recall done, then paid for one from the dealer a second time as it happened again, and now I am having the issue a third.time. I believe the replacements are also faulty.

Rear trailing arm mounts rusted out and the arms dropped out from under the car I had almost 3 thousand dollars worth of repair done to it this summer And I really don’t feel the car is safe It has 92k on it and it hasn’t been driven on the road in years since this happened I finally found someone who would even attempt to fix it Why are the cars being replaced and repaired in Canada but not here??

I turned onto Davie Blvd from SE 32nd heading West. I heard a “pop” & suddenly car was out of control-feeling like sliding. I pulled off to side street as I thought flat tire due to “pop” noise. All tires seemed fine so tried to drive again slowly but still felt no control/sliding effect. I slowly drove on side road watching back driver tire when I noticed it was facing outward as I steered straight. I learned from tow driver the sway bar/support snapped off from frame. I had car towed to where I was staying & researched on internet and was shocked to see many other Honda elements with same exact issue - and recall but now I see no recall (only in Canada where his Honda was repaired at no cost to him just in April of 2021 for 2003 Honda Element. I am upset as this was suppose to be my long term car after I had invested over $1700.00 just in past months to assure long future use. Engine works perfectly.

Airbag lights keeps turning on and off and has now stayed on permanently. This is a safety issue if airbags fail to deploy.

The rear trailing arm of the car came off while driving. The part of the frame where the suspension connects rusted through. I looked up related cases and it seams that there is a recall only in Canada and not in the US. This is dangerous and almost sent me off the road with no warning. Everything else on the car works wonderfully and the car rand and drove great until this happened.

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.

THE SUBFRAME IS RUSTED NEAR THE REAR CONTROL ARM, THERE IS A DANGER OF THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATING WHICH CAN RESULT IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN I DISCOVERED THIS AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO JACK THE CAR UP TO CHANGE A TIRE.

THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS FOR THE DRIVER/PASSENGER/TAILGATE WILL NOT ACCEPT A KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE LOCKS ARE IMMOVABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE, REQUIRING A LOCKSMITH TO OPEN THE DOORS OR COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THE DOORS TO SAFELY ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE KEY, WHEN INSERTED INTO THE LOCK IN ATTEMPT TO ENTER THE VEHICLE, OFTEN WILL NOT RELEASE FROM THE SEIZED LOCK CYLINDER RESULTING IN THE KEY FIRMLY LODGED IN THE LOCK OF THE DOOR, RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE THEN TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE ABOVE MENTIONED CYLINDER LOCKS ARE SAFETY HAZARDS FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: CHILDREN AND ADULTS ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE MAY BE PRONE TO INJURY FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC DUE TO DOOR CYLINDER LOCKS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY AND CAUSING THE DOOR TO JAM REQUIRING FORCEFUL PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED FROM THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR THE DOOR TO OPEN. INFANTS AND ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS INCAPABLE OF THE MOTOR SKILLS NECESSARY TO OPEN DOORS AND LOCKS MAY BE LOCKED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH UNCONTROLLABLE IN CABIN TEMPERATURES RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE HEAT/COLD FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME THAT COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH. QUICK AND SAFE ENTRY AND EXIT TO AND FROM THE VEHICLE IS IMPOSSIBLE, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE OF THE PROBABLE INSTANCES OF THEFT OR DAMAGE TO PERSONS/PROPERTY ATTEMPTING TO ENTER/EXIT THE VEHICLE IN LESS THAN PERFECTLY SAFE CONDITIONS. THE FEE INVOLVED WITH SERVICING THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS DOOR LOCK CYLINDER IS EXORBITANT. A QUOTE FROM THE DEALERSHIP PUT ME AT $200.00 JUST FOR THEM TO OPEN THE DOOR PANEL AND LOOK AT IT. TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER AND RE-KEY IT WOULD COST UPWARDS OF $400.00 MORE. $600.00 TO REPLACE A CYLINDER LOCK ON A CAR DOOR. THERE ARE MANY OTHER 2003 HONDA ELEMENT OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AS WELL, OFTEN PAYING THE MONEY TO HAVE THE CYLINDERS REPLACED, ONLY TO HAVE THEM FAIL AGAIN A YEAR LATER.

2003 HONDA ELEMENT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND IGNITION SWITCH SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IMPROPERLY REPAIRED DURING THE RECALL REPAIR PROCESS. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE.*JS *JS

GOING ALONG HIGHWAY I90 AT 65MPH AND I DECIDED TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL SETTING ON MY 2003 HONDA ELEMENT . WHEN TRAFFIC BECAME TOO CONGESTED I DECIDED TO SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL , ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT NOW I COULDN'T ACCELERATE. IT SEEMS THIS ISSUE HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A FAULTY THROTTLE CABLE . EITHER WAY THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY .