2007 Honda Element Suspension Problems

Rear Trailing Arm Rusted Out, Car Can not be repaired per two citified mechanics.

NHTSA ID

11666910

Incident

Jun 9, 2025

While driving up my driveway on the way home the left swing arm seperated from the unibody allowing the left rear wheel to move aft jamming the left rear tire into the rear inside fender effectively locking that wheel at about a 20 degree angle.

NHTSA ID

11612430

Incident

Sep 3, 2024

The rest frame has rusted from the inside out, frame actually broke when going in for repairs. Was raised on lift for basic brake repair and the frame separated on the rear driver side. Same exact issue that was recalled in crvs of same year.

NHTSA ID

11608187

Incident

Nov 1, 2023

Left rear trailing arm completely broke off while I was on the highway. Very unsafe. This Element needs to be recalled, like the CRV. It was recalled in Canada. This is absolutely dangerous and I could have died.

NHTSA ID

11604942

Incident

Jul 12, 2024

The contact owns a 2007 Honda Element. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the rear end of the vehicle became unstable and the rear driver's side wheel failed rendering the vehicle undrivable. The vehicle was towed to a friend's home and later examined by a local mechanic who diagnosed that the rear driver's side suspension swing arm had fractured due to severe rusting and corrosion of the vehicle's subframe. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 169,000.

NHTSA ID

11549609

Incident

Oct 10, 2023

Mileage

169,000 mi

I was driving with my family to the local fair a few miles from home. When the steering got loose around a sharp bend at 35-40 mph. I was able to keep control and slow to where I could safely look at issues. Thankfully I was going slow. The mount for the rear trailing arm pulled out of the mounting location on the driver side.

NHTSA ID

11545322

Incident

Sep 16, 2023

We are trying to sell our 2007 Honda Element and have found there is extensive rust under the car, likely due to the NY road salt. We have older cars in the family / area without this problem. We found out Canada has issued a recall over this matter. I have lost confidence that our car is safe to drive, well before the expected end of serviceable life. Can you have Honda remedy this situation

NHTSA ID

11543459

Incident

Sep 7, 2023

Rusted detached rear trailing arm. This is the same part involved in the Honda CR-V recall. This recall should be extended to the Honda Element which is on the same platform.

NHTSA ID

11520604

Incident

May 4, 2023

The left rear trailing arm mount is very rusty as is the inner rocker. This is a problem with both the CRV and Element ,it's a safety issue because the mount can detach and cause a accident. This vehicle has had a yearly inspection in my state and has passed I am concerned it won't in the future because of trailing arm rust. The element are built on the same platform as the CRV witch is being recalled for this problem. The elements are being recalled in Canada for this problem.

NHTSA ID

11516442

Incident

Jan 9, 2023

Rear suspension failure due to excessive corrosion. Fortunately failure occurred at low speed. Total loss of control would have happened at high speed. Independent body shops confirm this damage is not repairable. Please note that there is a recall for Honda Elements in Canada for the same defect. I called American Honda and they deny any knowledge of this defect in the U.S.

NHTSA ID

11485878

Incident

Sep 18, 2022

REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE CHASSIS COROSION. FORTUNATELY FAILURE OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED. TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL WOULD RESULT AT HIGH SPEED. INDEPENDENT BODY SHOPS CONFIRM THIS DEFECT IS NOT REAIRABLE. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR HONDA ELEMENTS IN CANADA FOR THIS SAME DEFECT. I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY DENY ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS DEFECT IN THE U.S.

NHTSA ID

11485834

Incident

Sep 18, 2022

While driving, without notice at all, the drivers side rear suspension ,wheel, and all the holds it together became dislocated/disassembled from the car while going about 40mph. Upon further investigation, I found the whole frame mount for the rear suspension had completely rotted away and caused this whole issue. NO PRIOR WARNING AT ALL!! This is a potentiality deadly issue.. I had just come off the highway doin 70 mph... if this would of happened there...it would of been a completely different outcome. The year/make/model of my vehicle has already been recalled for this issue.. BUT my vin # wasn't included?.?.?. THIS IS WRONG!! THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NO AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE WILL STOP!!

NHTSA ID

11434972

Incident

Sep 11, 2021

The contact owns a 2007 Honda Element. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the contact drove over a pothole and noticed that the driver’s side control arm on the rear axle fractured and detached from the vehicle, causing the rear driver’s side tire to stick out from underneath the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was inspected and diagnosed. The contact was informed that rust and corrosion on the rear axle had caused the failure and that the axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

NHTSA ID

11431078

Incident

Aug 28, 2021

Mileage

102,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 HONDA ELEMENT "CS", JUST AFTER ENTERING A FREEWAY SOUTHBOUND, WHILE GETTING UP TO FREEWAY SPEED, A LOUD NOISE BEGAN TO COME FROM REAR OF VEHICLE AS IF A TIRE OR TIRES WERE COMING LOOSE. ONCE HITTING 55MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE SOMEWHAT, YET STILL CONTROLLABLE. I PULLED OVER & INSPECTED THE TIRES & WHEELS AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. CONTINUED INTO NEXT CITY TO DEALERSHIP WHERE A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS DONE & ALL TIRES ROTATED. NOW WHILE ON CROSS COUNTRY TRIP ON 20 MAY 2012, THIS SAME ISSUE HAS OCCURRED ONCE AGAIN ON A SET OF NEW TIRES. THE CAMBERS CANNOT BE ADJUSTED ON THIS MODEL & YEAR VEHICLE. HONDA HAS MADE NO EFFORT TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. IT WAS CORRECTED IN THE 2008 MODELS & SUBSEQUENT MODELS. THE TIRES WEAR UNEVENLY & "CUP" & COULD CAUSE THE TIRES TO BLOW, EITHER AT THE SAME TIME, ONE AT A TIME OR EVEN JUST ONE LEAVING DRIVER IN A POSITION OF BEING UNABLE TO CONTROL CAR FROM RAPID DEFLATION OF EXPLODING TIRE. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY ELEMENT CS & HE TOLD ME HONDA IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS. I SPOKE WITH HONDA AMERICA & WAS TOLD THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS & THEY DID NOT THINK "... THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE." THIS ISSUE IS WITH THE HONDA ELEMENT CS ONLY THAT I AM AWARE OF. *JS

NHTSA ID

10464090

Incident

Jul 31, 2009

Mileage

32,846 mi