Honda Element Best and Worst Years by Owner Complaints
We rank Honda Element model years by the number of owner complaints filed with NHTSA, from fewest to most. Complaint counts aren't failure rates: years that sold more cars, or that are older, can show more reports. We rank only model years at least five years old, because newer ones are still collecting reports. Among settled years shown, the 2011 drew the fewest (11) and the 2003 the most (423).
Complaints filed by model year
Every year compared
| Most-reported component | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Among the fewest complaints |
11 | 10 | Air bags | — | 20–22 |
| 2009 Among the fewest complaints |
30 | 8 | Service brakes | — | 20–22 |
| 2010 Among the fewest complaints |
30 | 10 | Air bags | — | 20–22 |
| 2007 | 112 | 10 | Air bags | — | 20–22 |
| 2008 | 113 | 12 | Service brakes | — | 20–22 |
| 2006 | 122 | 9 | Air bags | — | 20–21 |
| 2005 Among the most complaints |
159 | 7 | Air bags | — | 20–21 |
| 2004 Among the most complaints |
281 | 9 | Visibility | — | 20–21 |
| 2003 Among the most complaints |
423 | 10 | Visibility | — | 20–21 |
Sources: NHTSA ODI complaints, NHTSA recalls, NHTSA NCAP, EPA; retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
What owners reported in the Honda Element years with the most complaints
These settled model years drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA. The share in brackets is the part of that year’s complaints that names each component; one complaint can name several.
2003 Honda Element: 423 complaints
Most-reported: Visibility 226 (53%); Air bags 49 (12%); Electrical system 35 (8%).
Reports mention 28 crashes, 4 fires, 23 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 25,000 miles. 10 recall campaigns listed.
2004 Honda Element: 281 complaints
Most-reported: Visibility 106 (38%); Air bags 73 (26%); Seats 26 (9%).
Reports mention 16 crashes, 3 fires, 19 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 47,000 miles. 9 recall campaigns listed.
2005 Honda Element: 159 complaints
Most-reported: Air bags 76 (48%); Electrical system 16 (10%); Suspension 13 (8%).
Reports mention 13 crashes, 5 fires, 19 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 70,000 miles. 7 recall campaigns listed.
The Honda Element years with the fewest complaints
2011 Honda Element: 11 complaints
Most-reported: Air bags 6 (55%); Visibility 2 (18%); Power train 1 (9%).
Reports mention 1 crash. 10 recall campaigns listed.
2009 Honda Element: 30 complaints
Most-reported: Service brakes 8 (27%); Suspension 7 (23%); Air bags 5 (17%).
Reports mention 4 crashes, 2 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 40,000 miles. 8 recall campaigns listed.
2010 Honda Element: 30 complaints
Most-reported: Air bags 7 (23%); Suspension 6 (20%); Service brakes 5 (17%).
Reports mention 2 crashes, 5 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 46,400 miles. 10 recall campaigns listed.
Crashes, fires and injuries in Honda Element owner reports
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Typical miles at filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 46,400 |
| 2009 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40,000 |
| 2008 | 113 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29,000 |
| 2007 | 112 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 71,400 |
| 2006 | 122 | 17 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 69,786 |
| 2005 | 159 | 13 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 70,000 |
| 2004 | 281 | 16 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 47,000 |
| 2003 | 423 | 28 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 25,000 |
Owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA. “Typical miles” is the median odometer reading in complaints that gave one (shown when at least 10 did). Source: NHTSA ODI complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Largest Honda Element recalls
- Driver's Frontal Air Bag May Rupture (2003–2011 model years; 6,281,043 vehicles across all models; filed May 2015; 15V320000)
- Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture (2003 model year; 3,498,481 vehicles across all models; filed Jun 2015; 15V370000)
- Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture (2003–2011 model years; 1,790,894 vehicles across all models; filed May 2016; 16V344000)
- Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode (2003–2011 model years; 1,657,752 vehicles across all models; filed Jun 2019; 19V501000)
- AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE SOFTWARE (2005–2008 model years; 1,512,107 vehicles across all models; filed Aug 2011; 11V395000)
All 20 Honda Element recall campaigns · Honda Element problems, recalls and mpg by year · Used car inspection checklist
What the numbers can't tell you
- Sales volume. NHTSA publishes no sales figures with complaints, so a popular year draws more reports even if each car is no worse.
- Recent years are under-counted. Owners file reports for years after purchase; the newest model years will keep growing.
- The individual car. Maintenance, mileage and repairs matter more for one used car than any model-year average. Get a pre-purchase inspection and check open recalls by VIN.
Honda Element years FAQ
Which Honda Element year has the fewest complaints?
Among the model years shown whose counts have settled, the 2011 has the fewest owner complaints filed with NHTSA (11). That is a count of reports, not a measure of reliability.
Does fewer complaints mean a more reliable car?
Not necessarily. Complaint counts depend on how many cars were sold, how old they are and how many owners file reports. Use them to spot patterns worth asking about, alongside recalls, crash tests and a pre-purchase inspection.
Are there Honda Element years to avoid?
No model year is officially one to avoid. By owner complaints to NHTSA, the settled years with the most reports are the 2003, 2004 and 2005 models, and across all years the most-reported problem area is the visibility. Compare those years with the ones that drew the fewest reports, then check any specific car for open recalls by VIN and get a pre-purchase inspection.
What is the most common Honda Element problem?
Across the model years shown, owners most often report problems with the visibility (374 of 1,281 complaints list it). Each model-year report breaks the complaints down by component.
How many recalls does the Honda Element have?
NHTSA lists 20 recall campaigns covering the Honda Element. See every one, with official wording and repair rates, on the Honda Element recall page.
Why are newer years left out of fewest and most?
Owners keep filing complaints for years after a car is sold. We mark the two newest model years as still collecting reports, and we only rank years that are at least five years old.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.