The car was being driven at a low speed across a school parking lot when there was a loud bang, the car dropped in the back and stopped movong. The rear trailing arm came apart from the body causing it to be inoperable. If I the car wasn't in a school zone and traveling at a high rate of speed this could have been a very serious accident. If there was a vehicle behind they would have rear ended the honda. If this happens on going down a hill it would have rolled over. If this happened on a busy highway it would have caused a multi car accident. Honda is aware of this issue in Canada but has done nothing to address it here in the United States. The vehicle is available for inspection for now. I can't have a vehicle sitting in my driveway that's inoperable due to city codes. The safety of the driver, passengers, pedestrians walking and other vehicles on the road are in danger. This is a very top heavy vehicle that could easily flip and roll over causing seriously injury even death. I had the vehicle towed from where it broke, the tow truck driver is a mechanic who looked at it. He said what broke. I had another mechanic stop and look because he is a welder and said it can't be repaired at this point. There were no warning lights or signs of this happening. Unless you live in Canada where they sent owners a recall in the mail as long as they live in areas that have high salt usage on their roads.......not sure why that just pertains to Canada because, Michigan, New York, Vermont, new hampshire, Maine all get bad winters where salt is used. A vehicle should not disintegrate and fall apart like the hondas are. They are a danger on the road right now. This is the recall for this exact same problem in Canada https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/VRDB-BDRV/search-recherche/detail.aspx?lang=eng&mk=1954!4785!35936!42257!39379&mkName=HONDA&md=ELEMENT&fy=2003&ty=2003&ft=&ls=0&sy=0&syName=All%20Systems&all=0&rn=2021024&cf=SearchResult&pg=0

- Gloversville, NY, USA

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.

- Monte Vista, CO, USA

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 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 more. $600 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.

- Blaine, WA, USA

I have replaced everything possible that would control the headlights. As I drive or after the car heats up while parked, whether on dim or bright the lights dim and brighten themselves causing it hard to see sometimes. I myself and other people that have talked about this online are having problems with the key fob. It stopped working and then it starts working again but the driver door lock wont work after that.

- Sharps Chapel, TN, USA

I was traveling North on nc hwy 12 on my way to work, alone, and I rear ended another vehicle traveling between 35-40 mph, when I glanced down to scratch my leg and when I glanced back down, the car in front of me was at a dead stop and I rear ended it. My passenger airbag deployed, however I had no passenger with me, my drivers side airbag failed. Luckily I was wearing my seatbelt and only received minor injuries.

- Frisco, NC, USA

Drivers side door would not open with key. Had to use passenger's side. Since that time, all of the door keys (including back) have become difficult to open. Have to move key up and down to get it to slide in. Now the ignition is also becoming problematic.

- Durango, CO, USA

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Element. While parked, the contact inserted the key into the front driver's side door to unlock the door but the key would not turn. The contact unlocked the front passenger side door and entered the vehicle. After some time, the front passenger side door failed to unlock intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

- Allyn, WA, USA

The consumer has had consistent problems with the vehicle's factory installed horn and alarm. The dealer was unable to remedy the communication system. Other problems were; the bumper cover would pop out intermittently, the right side corner piece was loose, the horn sound was abnormal and anti-freeze was leaking.

- Cerritos, CA, USA