2004 Ford Explorer vs 2004 Honda Element
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2004 Ford Explorer | 2004 Honda Element |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,304 | 281 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 9 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 109 | 136 |
| Investigations | 4 | 4 |
| Crash reports | 58 | 16 |
| Fire reports | 15 | 3 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 15–16 | 20–21 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 65,000 mi | 53,328 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Honda Element |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 460 | 10 |
| Structure | 426 | 13 |
| Visibility | 100 | 106 |
| Air Bags | 39 | 73 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 76 | 6 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 71 | 4 |
| Electrical System | 55 | 18 |
| Suspension | 37 | 16 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Hesitation / surging | 107 | 0 |
| Stalling | 103 | 9 |
| Shifting problems | 61 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 57 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 35 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 33 | 13 |
| Check engine light | 14 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 13 | 0 |
2004 Ford Explorer
2004 Honda Element
Compare all Ford Explorer vs Honda Element years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.