does it need a new element?

Not necessarily - but it might.

What it really needs is diagnosis. An element is often the weakest link -but it needs to be tested to see if it has gone open circuit - a break in the heating wire inside.

When my deep fryer failed recently I thought at first that the element had failed but it was just a safety switch inside - easily & cheaply fixed.

Good luck...

Peccavi
February 2013