Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2003 Honda Element
NHTSA data on file today
The 2003 Honda Element has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns and 424 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #19V499000 Driver Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V501000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V182000 Driver Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V268000 Improperly Installed Passenger Air Bag NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V344000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V370000 Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V320000 Driver's Frontal Air Bag May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V700000 Passenger Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V353000 Passenger Side Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10V364000 IGNITION INTERLOCK NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E025000 FMVSS 108/REPLACEMENT HEADLAMPS/AMBER REFLECTOR NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Visibility 226 complaints
- Air Bags 49 complaints
- Electrical System 35 complaints
- Structure 33 complaints
- Latches/Locks/Linkages 27 complaints
- Suspension 25 complaints
Of the 424 complaints on file, 28 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 424 complaints, owners report 23 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2003 Honda Element has several concerns. Airbag issues dominate the recalls, and visibility concerns are frequent among owners. The data is substantial, and coupled with recalls, raises concerns regarding reliability. Electrical and structure-related complaints are also notable.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | Unknown | $400–$1,200 | common |
| Ignition system | 80,000–110,000 miles | $200–$600 | occasional |
| Visibility components | 60,000–100,000 miles | $150–$400 | very common |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Tire rotations
- Spark plug replacement
- Air filter replacement
- Transmission fluid service
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning lights
- Ignition key issues
- Wiper failure
- Headlight dimming or flickering
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2003 Honda Element at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.