Honda Element Trailer Hitch Buyer’s Guide (Canada)
A hitch turns your Element into the one that takes a bike rack, a cargo carrier, a utility trailer or a small boat. CURT builds two hitches for the Honda Element from 2003 to 2011, Class 1 to Class 3, rated 2,000 lb to 3,500 lb, from $325.41 CAD with free shipping anywhere in Canada.
Your year decides the part. Find it in the table, open the year page for the exact hitch, price and wiring, and you're done in a few minutes.
2003 through 2011 Element, not Sc$359.49 CADSee the hitch →
Which hitch fits your Element, by year
| Years | Hitch | Class, receiver, rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
2003 through 2011 Element |
CURT 13574 not Sc |
Class 3, 2-inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 350 lb tongue | $359.49 CAD |
 |
2003 through 2004 and 2007 through 2010 Element | CURT 11700 | Class 1, 1-1/4 inch receiver, 2,000 lb / 200 lb tongue | $325.41 CAD |
Pick your Element year
Each year page has the hitch, the harness and the ball mount that go together, with the price of each.
Class 1 or Class 3 on an Element?
Class 1 is the lighter one, with a 1-1/4 inch receiver and 2,000 lb of trailer. It's plenty for a bike rack or a small cargo carrier. Class 3 moves you to a 2-inch receiver and 3,500 lb, which is what you want for a bike rack, a cargo carrier, a utility trailer or a small boat, and it takes the common 2-inch racks and carriers without an adapter. Either way the Element's own tow rating in the owner's manual is the ceiling, and the lower number wins.
CURT parts for the Honda Element
Wiring, ball mount and the rest
A bike rack needs nothing but the hitch. A trailer needs lights, and CURT 55336 ($50.32 CAD) is the four-flat harness that plugs into the Element's factory connector for 2003 through 2004. No cutting, no scotch-locks. Other years have their own harness; the year page shows the right one.
Then a ball mount sized to the receiver: CURT 45836 ($41.70 CAD) drops straight into a 2-inch receiver. Pick the drop or rise that keeps the trailer level, and match the ball to the coupler. The ball mount guide covers both in two minutes.
Canadian winters eat hitch hardware. Salt and brine get into the receiver and the trailer plug, so a smear of grease on the pin, a cap on the receiver and a rinse under the bumper in spring keep a CURT hitch looking new for years. The rust and salt care guide has the full routine.
Honda Element hitch questions
Which CURT hitch fits my Honda Element?
It depends on the year. CURT 13574 is the newest, for 2003 through 2011, and the table above matches every other year to its part. Open your year page and the exact hitch, price and wiring are on it.
Can I put a bike rack on an Element with this hitch?
Yes. The 2-inch receiver takes any 2-inch rack, and a loaded rack counts against the hitch's tongue weight (350 lb on CURT 13574), so a four-bike platform rack with bikes on it is well inside the limit.
Can I install the hitch myself?
Most owners do. CURT rates CURT 13574 a novice install, about 30 minutes with hand tools and a jack. The install video above is the real job, uncut.
How much can an Element tow with a CURT hitch?
The hitch is rated from 2,000 lb to 3,500 lb depending on the part, but the Element's own tow rating in the owner's manual is the ceiling. The lower of the two numbers is your limit, every time.
