NHTSA Complaint #10054388 — 2003 HONDA ELEMENT

WINDSHIELD CRACK OF ABOUT 3-4 INCHES FROM BOTTOM UNDER PASSENGER WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS "JUST THERE" IN THE MORNING AFTER HEAVY SNOWFALL AND MAJOR DEFROSTER USE. IN TWO DAYS, BEFORE I GOT TO DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED, IT HAD EXTENDED UPWARDS ABOUT 6 MORE INCHES, IN TWO MORE DAYS, ALL THE WAY ACROSS WINDSHIELD TO WITHIN 2 INCHED OF WINDSHIELD EDGE ON DRIVER'S SIDE. NOW EXTENDED TO LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE CORNER. THERE WAS COLD WEATHER THROUGH OUT. DEALER POINTED OUT MINISCULE PIT ON CRACK BELOW PASSENGER WINDSHIELD WIPER, SAID NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE CAUSE BY ROCK CHIP, ETC. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A MINOR IMPACT THERE, WHO IS TO SAY, BUT THE "EVIDENCE" NEARLY REQUIRES MAGNIFYING GLASS TO SEE&IN FACT I SCRAPED ICE AWAY ON WINDSHIELD THAT VERY MORNING. IN FACT THERE ARE MANY OTHER "PITS ON WINDSHIELD, INCLUDING OTHERS ON CRACK. A PIECE OF GRIT/TINY GRAVEL MAY HAVE IMPACTED, NEAR ORIGINAL AREA OF CRACK, BUT SHOULD NEVER HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE THAT ENSUED. THERE IS A MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE BULLETIN FOR WINDSHIELD CRACKS STARTING AT LOWER CORNERS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE STRESS DUE TO DESIGN OR INSTALLATION OF WINDSHIELD/FLANGES, HOWEVER MY VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE THE VIN RANGE FOR THAT BULLETIN. MY OBSERVATION OR BELIEF IS THAT EXCESSIVE STRESS MAY STILL A FACTOR, MAKING WINDSHIELD UNACCEPTABLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CRACKING DURING SCRAPING ICE OF WINDSHIELD AND/OR IF THERE ARE CHANCES OF EXTREMELY MINOR IMPACTS THAT WOULD IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS. *CB