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EnginePart report

2004 Honda Element Engine Problems

Complaints
3about this part
Share
1%of 281 total for the year
Median mileage
101,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the engine of the 2004 Honda Element, 1% of the 281 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 101,000 miles.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“The car shut down while driving and came to an instant stop. The first time this happened the vehicle shut down completely while pulling into a business. Thankfully there was no one behind me. It has been maybe a year from the first incident and now the car will flash off and on within a nano second while driving at different speeds and also while coming to a stop and turning corners. The headlights also dim at different times while driving. This is very scary and will eventually cause an accident. I will be making an appointment with the local dealer asap. …”

NHTSA complaint #10661522, filed 2014-12, 101,000 miles

“Took a well maintained 1994 Element we had owned since new to the Honda dealer for maintenance and was informed that the block was cracked and had been seeping coolant for a long time. This cracked block was undoubtedly a hazardous manufacturing defect requiring expensive repair and replacement.”

NHTSA complaint #10639105, filed 2014-09, 101,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2010310%
200811%
200776%
200632%
200543%
200431%
200351%

Other parts of the 2004 Honda Element

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
107 complaints
Air bags
73 complaints
Seats
26 complaints
Electrical system
18 complaints
Suspension
16 complaints
Seat belts
15 complaints
Body and structure
13 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
10 complaints
Other or unknown
6 complaints
Steering
6 complaints
Vehicle speed control
6 complaints
Brakes
5 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2004 Honda Element

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology