Honda - Element :: 2003 Engine Dies Inconsistently / Idle Is Lower
Mar 27, 2014
I have a 2003 Element in very good condition. I have religiously taken it to my local Honda Service and the car is maintained in accordance to the manufacturer's guidelines. My Element has 113,000 miles and has not had any problems until recently. On numerous, but inconsistent occasions when I turn on the engine, cold and warm, the idle is lower and the engine quieter than normal (almost feels like the engine is not on). When I begin to drive, it doesn't bolt out and gradually moves slowly. I could drive for several blocks and it appears normal until I come to a stop; the engine dies and I have to restart. This does not happen all the time, but when it does, it's only the when I turn the ignition and the engine turns on and the idle is lower than normal. When the engine is turned on and the idling is higher, I don't have this problem. I have taken this to my Honda service on two occasions and they could not find anything abnormal. I asked them to check the fuel line; they said they did (don't know if they actually did or just told me they did).
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I have a 2003 Honda Element with 124,000 miles and it runs like a gem. I purchased it at 99,000! It has slowly developed a dull thunking sound in the left rear (seems to be left rear). I hear this sound when traveling at lower speeds on bumpy surfaces. I don't hear the sound at highway speeds nor do I hear it when my brother (who is a mechanic) stand on the back bumper and jumps up and down really hard after removing everything from the inside of the car. We have had it up on the lift to look at everything underneath and there is nothing thunky when wiggled.
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Honda Element 2003 187K miles ... The problem started awhile ago when I went out of town for 4 days and came back and the care would not start. It has been getting worse now to the point that it is less than a day and I have trouble starting it up. I will have to jump the battery to get the car going. The Honda service center has checked the battery and alternator several times and they are good. I keep thinking it is an electric problem but i can turn everything off and it still happens.I really can not afford a car note and I have kept up with all my on schedule maintenance for the car. I have had to redo the motor mounts before, brakes, and fuel gauge switch in the last year. The dealer is suggesting to replace the alternator anyway but why if their test says it is ok. The battery has been replace in 2010 also.
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About a year and half ago I purchased a 2003 Honda Element and while it's a good car it has one noticeable issue. Whenever I'm driving between 50-70 mph there is a very noticeable vibrating sound throughout the car. More specifically the sound and vibrating seems to come from the the front and rear wheels. Also when I go over bumps or potholes there are prominent clunks up front as well. Would this have to do with my tire rods, CV boots or even struts?
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I recently brought it in for the air bag recall. They replaced both front airbags.
Now they say I need a controller module. Does that mean the air bags won't deploy in a crash?
Are the deployed on impact electrically or mechanically?
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Yesterday I had to replace two right side engine mounts on my 2WD 2004 Honda Element w/ 63K (most short drives in a hilly city). The mechanic saved the old parts for me and sure enough they were really torn up. The lower left side control arm also needed to be replaced and they think the Lower right control arm will need replacing in about 3-4K.
This seems to be a fairly short life for such vital items. I've owned front wheel drive cars before and hadn't had this happen. What gives ( besides the rubber)?
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My 2003 Honda Element's radio has been messed up for several years. The speakers are fine but the radio must be disconnected from the antenna because it is impossible to stay in tune. How difficult is it to lift off the face plates on the dash and try to reconnect the radio. Additionally, the lights on the speedometer appear to be getting ready to burn out.
The light behind the defroster dial has been out for a while and now the light behind the heater dial needs a few good taps for at light to appear. Can my husband and I repair these things or should we take it to the dealer or some kind of car radio and dashboard expert. Will it cost a fortune or will it cause further damage if we try to do it ourselves?
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So I have a 95 Legacy sedan, FWD. It's been a kind of problematic car, and the engine was replaced about 5 years ago (I assume with an old unit, but I'm not sure though because though I was in the family I wasn't driving it then). But, it's held up and has continued to be at least roadworthy. But recently, it's developed an issue where the engine will just randomly die while I'm on the road. All/most of the dash indicator lights come on, but if I shift it into neutral and turn the key, it'll come right back up. Occasionally it'll die again almost immediately, but usually it'll be fine for at least a while. And anecdotally, It seems to happen more frequently at lower revs such as idling at a red light (though will occasionally happen while I'm moving), and when the engine is cold - generally once I've driven around for a while, it's not a problem anymore.
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I have a '03 Civic DX 5 speed. It has 128000 miles on it. I've notice now that it is getting colder, my engine ticks when it is warm - I can hear it at idle and low rpms, but not at higher rpms. It sounds perfect when it's cold, but once it is warm, it has a "tic-a-tic-a-tic-a-tica..." sound. Tom and Ray talked about a Dodge Dakota that made the same sound when the engine was cold (about 8 episodes ago). So what does it mean if it only does it when warm?
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The "D" on my 2004 Honda Element has been flashing lately. It has been happening occasionally for the past couple of days. Most of the time when I notice it, I stop, restart the car, and then it stops flashing. The flashing also continues even when it's in park or reverse. Most people on other forums say that it is a transmission issue so what specific transmission issue it is most likely.
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I put my Honda Element in storage for 6 months while traveling. Upon my return I found the battery was dead (expected that) and have that fixed, But, the big problem is the engine light is on steadily, and the car hardly drives. It "pulses" , or wants to go, even with brake on. I have to put it in neutral at stop lights, as I am afraid it may take off. When idling, it pulses. I accelerated while in neutral and the highest i could get it to go was 5k, pulsing the entire time. Someone suggested I put a product into gas tank called Heat.
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I have a 2004 Honda Element with 115,000 miles. The transmission is going. Is it worth it to put another transmission in it? How long does a rebuilt transmission last?
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Three times this winter my car failed to start on cold mornings after sitting in the garage all night. When I return later, it starts perfectly. I have all the interior light turned off. Even though my battery and alternator checked out OK, I went ahead and replaced the battery. The connectors were cleaned and scuffed up for better connection. I had my brake pads replaced last week and once again they said the electrical system and battery were good. This is such a mystery as it only fails to start 1 out of 100 times.
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Whenever I am on wet pavement, and even on a slight incline, my Honda Element shudders a bit before grabbing the pavement. I have the original tires that came with the - used - car, which I bought three years ago. It's not a big problem, but is a slight irritant. Is it a problem with the tires or something more serious?
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I have a 2003 f250 with a 6.0l that at random will only build 11 psi of boost and throws a low boost input code. The egr is disconnected but not removed. Ive checked the map sensor line and tube and replaced the sensor itself. The truck also has an air raid intake. Other than that it's stock. Seriously sometimes it runs perfect for a week than will be back to only 11 psi for a day. I'm not sure if it matters but it seems that it more commonly has the issue when I'm running the air conditioning.
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No problems and then at 82000 with no warning, the clutch froze and wouldn't go into gear. I coasted into the dealer and learned, after analysis, that one spring had broken. The clutch still had 40% on it, but one spring had snapped. I saw it. They replaced with a Honda Clutch disk with new pilot bushing, throw-out bearing, rear main seal, pressure plate, and manual transmission fluid. This description is taken from the invoice.
So, my question is, could my driving have caused this? A friend, the other day, said I am waiting too long to shift to 2nd and it could cause the problem, he thought. I usual shift around 3000, but now am shifting from 1st to 2nd at 15mph per manual. I thought the only problem with delaying shifting was poor gas mileage, as long as I didn't go into red, which I don't. I want to prolong the life of this new clutch and want to make sure I am treating it gently.
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My 2008, standard transmission, Honda Element just turned over 100,000 miles recently. Over a year ago the engine started making a "hurrr hurrr hurrr hurrr hurrr" noise and shaking the whole car while I'm sitting at a light or stop sign without touching the gas pedal. If I turn the air on it will stop, but starts up again if I turn the air back off. It doesn't do it all the time, and of course didn't do it when I took it to a mechanic to have it checked out in June. They hooked it up to check for engine codes, and got nothing, so they weren't really sure what to fix since they couldn't make the engine do what I was describing. They did bring a whining noise the engine is making to my attention, and suggested replacing the alternator and 2 associated belts in the engine. While they were in there fixing things, they noticed the lubrication looked contaminated - like water had somehow gotten inside - but couldn't say how.
Unfortunately, my car is pretty much right where it was before visiting the mechanic - only now I notice the constant whining that gets louder when I press the gas pedal, as well as the occasional shaking and "hurrr hurrr hurrr hurrr hurrr." People who ride with me notice the whining too, and whenever the engine starts shaking they think I should have it looked at. to which I reply, "yes, I have. fat lot of good it did me."
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Cylinder 2 Change plugs, change injector, change Cat and Change OX senor, check compression 165 psi Still can't get this misfire engine light problem to go a way.
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Had battery replaced by shop. No power to radio at all. Power door locks don't work unless key is in run position, remote doesn't work at all. Dome light works only when key is on. The radio fuse is good.
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I've had an ongoing issue with my fuel gauge reading incorrectly, and now I'm trying to fix it! Basically, it will change all over the place while I'm driving (not erratically, but definitely moves occasionally). I recently fixed my overhead display, but the "miles to empty" display doesn't seem to be very consistent. It will read 450 miles to empty, and then the next time I look at it, it will have dropped 100 miles or something (after minimal driving).
So I'm wondering where I need to begin looking to fix this problem. I've replaced the dash cluster using Circuit Board Medics, so I'm fairly confident that's not the issue. I've read that it can be the fuel pump or the fuel tank sender, but how to check if these are actually the problem or how much time it will take. Luckily, I've never run out of fuel and been stranded, but I need to fix this or it's only a matter of time!
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I have a 2007 Honda Element and she'll be rolling over 200K miles later this year. Ellie runs great except for one odd little quirk and she's done it since I bought her, a year and a half ago.
As I am accelerating, if I steady my speed around two certain spots, (25ish mph and 40ish mph), my car sometimes stutters. It's almost as if she is trying to figure out what gear to be in and is bouncing between the two. Could it be something as simple as a sensor? I don't know where to start with this one.
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