NHTSA Complaint #10047379 — 2003 HONDA ELEMENT

MY 2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER 4000 MILES, THE CRACK STARTED BELOW THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER AND EXPANDED UPWARD, MOST LIKELY THE RESULT OF A SMALL ROCK IMPACT BUT NEVER HEARD ANY NOISE. TALKED TO HONDA AMERICA AND THE CSR SAID I SHOULD CONTACT LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND SEE. TOOK THE CAR TO THE HONDA OF LISLE (ILLINOIS) DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE ELEMENT FROM, AND SEVERAL SERVICE MANAGERS LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT CAN NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS A ROCK CHIP. AT LEAST TWO SERVICE MANAGERS CLAIMED THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY WINDSHIELD PROBLEM WITH ELEMENT. PAYING $100 INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND CAN HAUNT THE CONSUMERS BY REPLACING WINDSHIELD ON A VERY FREQUENT BASIS. DOES HONDA AMERICA STANDS BY ITS PRODUCT AND WARRANTY RATHER THAN REPEATED DENIALS? DOES HONDA WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS BEFORE ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITIES AND TAKING CONCRETE ACTIONS? THIS IS NOT THE HONDA I KNOW. I HAD A 84 HONDA CIVIC DX AND PUT 100+K ON IT WITH NO MAJOR PROBLEM WHATSOEVER. *LA