The front bushing bracket on the left (driver's side) rear trailing arm may have an improper weld and could separate from the arm. I am noticing some rust in this area. I have rustproofed the vehicle to help prolong the life and to avoid a separated bracket which can release the lower portion of the wheel hub and damage the brake system, leading to a loss of vehicle control and an increased risk of a crash.
2008 Honda Element suspension problems
24 complaints (21% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 130,000.
- owner complaints
- 24
- of this car's complaints
- 21%
- typical mileage
- 130,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Honda Element suspension problems in other years
Related recalls
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- Honda is recalling 241 my 2008 element vehicles. The front bushing bracket of the left trailing arm of the rear suspension may have been improperly welded and could separate from the trailing arm.
- Risk
- A separated bushing bracket could cause the suspension to release the lower portion of the wheel hub, causing a loss of control and damage to the brake system which could lead to a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners will be contacted by phone and advised to stop driving their vehicles until they have taken their vehicle to a dealer for inspection. Dealers will inspect the left rear trailing arm and, if necessary, replace it free of charge. The recall began on july 25, 2008. Owners may contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009.
Recall number 08V349000 · Recall details
What 2008 Honda Element owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Rotted and rusted out trailing arms
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Element. The contact stated that while reversing out of a parking spot, the driver’s side rear trailing arm fractured. There were no warning lights illuminated. Upon researching the failure, the contact linked the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 08V349000 (Suspension). The vehicle was towed to the husband's place of employment. The contact called the local dealer, who confirmed there was no recall coverage on the VIN for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
My mechanic informed me that this car will no longer pass NYS inspection due to body rust/corrosion holes where the rear trailing arms attach to the car's body. Honda has issued a recall for the same model year CR-V, which has a nearly identical trailing arm attachment design, due to the risk of losing control of the vehicle if the trailing arm mount separates from the body.
The driver side rear trail arm broke off bending the strut with the tire hanging, it happened in my apartment parking lot, I could have lost my life if this had happened at high speeds or killed somebody else. I’m very lucky to be alive!! Currently it is not inspectable due to the damage. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer or an independent service centre. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone or manufacturer. No warning light were present before the failure.
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Element. The contact stated while driving 20-30 MPH over a bump, the vehicle started fish tailing. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that he noticed that the rear driver's side tire was sideways. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 08V349000 (Suspension) because the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.
I took my very well maintained Honda Element into the shop for routine maintenance and a pre-spring/summer driving check. They indicated that the driver's side subframe where it meets the rear trailing arm has a dangerous hole and that I should not drive this car any more. We live in Michigan where snow/salt are factors. This specific area has been known to fail in Elements and CR-V's and there was a recall on this specific issue for Honda Elements in Canada and CR-V owners in the US and Canada: "The 2007-2011 Honda CR-V is being recalled because the rear trailing arm can fall off due to excessive corrosion, the federal safety agency disclosed Thursday. In some cases, the rear frame may be so corroded that Honda will offer to buy the vehicle back from owners to get the safety hazards off the road." Why have the US Elements not been recalled when this is a known safety hazard and the exact same issue as the CR-V's? I am in numerous online forums of Element owners and have seen photographs where this caused life-threatening issues while people were driving. Thankfully, we caught it before that happened to us, but now my loved daily driver is out of commission for a known safety hazard. No one in our family was harmed, but this could have been life threatening if it had not been discovered. The area has not been inspected by police or insurance. Only by our mechanic who specializes in servicing Hondas, Toyotas and Subarus. There were no warning lamps or other warning signs. It just happened to be discovered during routine inspection/service.
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Element. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle and pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the rear driver’s side tire was leaning outward from the vehicle. The contact called a friend with a trailer and had the vehicle towed to a friend's residence. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that the front mounting bracket on the rear trailer arm had become severely corroded which led to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle, but offered no further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
Was just about to drive on a 55mph road when the drivers side rear trailing arm fell off from the frame, no prior indication of failure as it passed inspection the previous year. Had checked by my mechanic and says it is not repairable. Excessive corrosion into frame. Searched internet and found recall in Canada for this specific issue. We are lucky it happened when it did otherwise it would have been fatal.
The rear trailing arms are rusting faster than anything else on my beloved Honda. Honda has recalled the Elements of similar model years in Canada for this problem, and the CRV of similar model years in US for this exact problem. This suspension issue could cause a catastrophic failure if left unrepaired. My family and I need this vehicle, but it feels unsafe to operate. Why hasn't Honda recalled the Honda Element for this known issue?
Questions about the 2008 Honda Element suspension
Does the 2008 Honda Element have suspension problems?
Owners have filed 24 complaints about the suspension of the 2008 Honda Element, 21% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2008 Honda Element suspension problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 130,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Honda Element suspension?
Yes, 1 recall: 08V349000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Honda Element have bad suspension?
The Honda Element model years with the most suspension complaints are 2003 (25 complaints), 2008 (24 complaints) and 2004 (16 complaints).
Other 2008 Honda Element problems
Brakes 34Airbags 24Body 14Electrical 6Visibility 6Tires 4Transmission 4Driver assistance 2Lights 2Seat belts 2Acceleration 1Engine 1Steering 1Wheels 1
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