What are the most common problems with the 2007 Honda Element?

Owners name the air bags group most often, then the electrical system and brakes. See the problems section above.

Does the 2007 Honda Element have recalls?

Yes. Recalls exist for this year. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.

What gas mileage does the 2007 Honda Element get?

See the fuel economy section of this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2007 Honda Element reliable?

NHTSA has 112 complaints on file for this year. Counts are not adjusted for sales, so read the problem groups and the Recalls section before you decide.

Is 2007 the best year for the Honda Element?

See the by-year comparison on this page to weigh 2007 against other years.

2007 Honda Element Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 112 owner complaints on file for the 2007 Honda Element^[1]. The air bags group is the largest one^[2].

112owner complaints^[1]

10recalls^[3]

20–22MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the stories we read, biggest first.

Air Bags. 27 complaints^[2]. Owners describe bags that went off at low speed with no hard impact, and one owner says they stayed closed in a real crash.
Electrical System. 22 complaints^[5]. Owners describe dash needles dropping off after a bump, leaving a harsh glare and gauges that are hard to read. Others report a speedometer that shows the wrong speed.
Brakes. 18 complaints^[6]. Owners describe a soft, spongy pedal and rear pads that wore down early.
Suspension. 14 complaints^[7]. Owners describe rear suspension parts coming loose after the mounts rotted away.
Visibility. 7 complaints^[8].
Engine. 7 complaints^[9].
Unknown or other. 7 complaints^[10].
Structure. 6 complaints^[11].

These are unverified reports sent to NHTSA, and one complaint can name more than one part.

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2007 Element is necessarily included.

Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module (19V499), June 2019. About 3,947 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[12]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (19V501), June 2019. About 1,657,752 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module (19V182), March 2019. About 1,101,534 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (18V268), April 2018. About 1,335 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, stalling, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (17V029), January 2017. About 308,884 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (16V344), May 2016. About 1,790,894 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[17]
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module (15V320), May 2015. About 6,281,043 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, death, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[18]
Trailer Hitches (12V436), September 2012. About 5,216 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[19]
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) (11V395), August 2011. About 1,512,107 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[20]
Service Brakes, Air (10V098), March 2010. About 412,000 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[21]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Element 2WD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	20 / 25 / 22	$3,050
Element 2WD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[22]	18 / 23 / 20	$3,350
Element 4WD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[23]	19 / 24 / 21	$3,200
Element 4WD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[24]	18 / 23 / 20	$3,350

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD/FWD^[25]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	20.4%

Engine and size

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
ELEMENT 4DR SUV 4WD LX/EX-P/SC^[26]	169 in	72 in	74 in	102 in	3,596 lb
ELEMENT 4DR SUV FWD LX/EX-P/SC^[27]	169 in	72 in	70 in	102 in	3,384 lb

How 2007 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Element model year. The 2007 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2003	423	10
2004	281	9
2005	159	7
2006	122	9
2007	112	10
2008	113	12
2009	31	8
2010	30	10
2011	11	10

NHTSA's counts for the Element show 112 complaints and 10 recalls for 2007^[3]. Among the 9 model years listed, 3 have fewer complaints than 2007 and 5 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2011 (11) and the most are for 2003 (423)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2007 Element?

The 2007 Element has 112 complaints on file^[1]. Air bags lead the list^[2], followed by the electrical system^[5] and brakes^[6]. Suspension also shows up in owner stories^[7], and counts are not adjusted for sales. Check the Recalls section on this page, since recalls exist for this year^[3]. A pre-purchase inspection that looks at the brakes, the dash and the rear suspension mounts is a sensible step.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Honda Element?: Owners name the air bags group most often^[2], then the electrical system^[5] and brakes^[6]. See the problems section above.
Does the 2007 Honda Element have recalls?: Yes. Recalls exist for this year^[3]. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.
What gas mileage does the 2007 Honda Element get?: See the fuel economy section of this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2007 Honda Element reliable?: NHTSA has 112 complaints on file for this year^[1]. Counts are not adjusted for sales, so read the problem groups and the Recalls section before you decide.
Is 2007 the best year for the Honda Element?: See the by-year comparison on this page to weigh 2007 against other years.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Honda Element

2003 423 complaints, 10 recalls
2005 159 complaints, 7 recalls
2006 122 complaints, 9 recalls
2007 this page
2008 113 complaints, 12 recalls
2010 30 complaints, 10 recalls
2011 11 complaints, 10 recalls

Compare all model years of the Honda Element

Other Honda models from 2007

2007 Honda Accord 525 complaints, 9 recalls
2007 Honda Fit 370 complaints, 11 recalls
2007 Honda Odyssey 830 complaints, 4 recalls
2007 Honda Ridgeline 160 complaints, 8 recalls

All Honda models

Similar cars from 2007: suvs

2007 Nissan Murano 676 complaints, 2 recalls
2007 Nissan Xterra 557 complaints, 1 recall
2007 Subaru Tribeca 30 complaints, 8 recalls
2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser 593 complaints, 8 recalls
2007 Toyota Land Cruiser 3 complaints, 1 recall
2007 Toyota Sequoia 136 complaints, 7 recalls

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 112 owner complaints on file for the 2007 Honda Element (6 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 6 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
27 complaints name the air bags component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 86,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Honda Element model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Element 2WD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 25 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
22 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 98,700). NHTSA vehicle records
18 complaints name the brakes component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 22,000). NHTSA vehicle records
14 complaints name the suspension component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the visibility component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the engine component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 126,000). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
6 complaints name the structure component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 19V499, filed June 27, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V501, filed June 27, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V182, filed March 6, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V268, filed April 26, 2018: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V029, filed January 10, 2017: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V344, filed May 23, 2016: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V320, filed May 28, 2015: Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 12V436, filed September 5, 2012: Trailer Hitches. NHTSA recall database
Recall 11V395, filed August 4, 2011: Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (Tcm / Pcm / Tecm). NHTSA recall database
Recall 10V098, filed March 16, 2010: Service Brakes, Air. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Element 2WD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 23 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Element 4WD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 24 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Element 4WD, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 23 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR AWD/FWD: rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 20.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ELEMENT 4DR SUV 4WD LX/EX-P/SC: length 169 in, width 72 in, height 74 in, wheelbase 102 in, curb weight 3,596 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ELEMENT 4DR SUV FWD LX/EX-P/SC: length 169 in, width 72 in, height 70 in, wheelbase 102 in, curb weight 3,384 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2007 Honda Element: problems, recalls and fuel economy