Selling a junk Honda Element
Any Element sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Honda Element
NHTSA has 1,537 owner complaints on file for the Honda Element, model years 2003 to 2011, the 224th-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are visibility and wipers (378, 25%), air bags (324, 21%), suspension (117, 8%). 123 complaints involved a crash, 15 a fire, and 40 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 60,000 miles. The 2003 model year has the most complaints (482). Data as of 2026-10-12.
The guides below explain how each kind of fault changes what a buyer pays.
Honda Element by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 482 | Visibility and wipers | 37 | 4 | 12 | 30,000 |
| 2004 | 329 | Visibility and wipers | 20 | 3 | 11 | 66,500 |
| 2005 | 204 | Air bags | 16 | 7 | 10 | 80,962 |
| 2006 | 154 | Air bags | 26 | 1 | 0 | 76,500 |
| 2007 | 142 | Air bags | 10 | 0 | 12 | 72,000 |
| 2008 | 131 | Brakes | 5 | 0 | 13 | 48,944 |
| 2009 | 41 | Brakes | 5 | 0 | 9 | 55,000 |
| 2010 | 39 | Air bags | 2 | 0 | 11 | — |
| 2011 | 15 | Air bags | 2 | 0 | 11 | — |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Honda Element recalls
NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for air bags (12), lights (2), electrical system (2). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 2007 model year, speed control (campaign 19E068000, Oct 2019): Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda Accord,…
- 2003 model year, air bags (campaign 19V499000, Jun 2019): Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 E…
- 2003 model year, air bags (campaign 19V501000, Jun 2019): Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-20…
- 2003 model year, air bags (campaign 19V182000, Mar 2019): Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 20…
- 2010 model year, air bags (campaign 18V662000, Sep 2018): Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Ridgeline vehicles nationwide. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2012 Acura RL, 2011 Honda Element and 2011-2013 Ridgeline vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas…
What a Honda Element is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk Element on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
How to sell a car that doesn't run 
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Catalytic converters and junk cars 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them Other Honda models
- Honda Accord 29,877
- Honda CR-V 19,697
- Honda Civic 18,726
- Honda Odyssey 16,438
- Honda Pilot 12,570
- Honda Fit 2,757
- Honda Ridgeline 2,393
- Honda Passport 2,072
Questions people ask
- What is a junk Honda Element worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same Element gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Honda Element that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Honda Element?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Honda Element numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.