NHTSA Complaint #10097931 — 2004 HONDA ELEMENT

THE OTHER DAY I WAS LEAVING FROM WORK, AND UPON ENTERING MY HONDA ELEMENT I NOTICED A 4"-6" CRACK ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD, STRETCHING FROM JUST BELOW THE WIPER BLADE TO APPROXIMATELY 4" UP THE PILLAR. UPON NOTICING THIS I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE ELEMENT. THE SERVICE MANAGER CAME OUT AND DID THE "PEN TEST" AND THE "PEN TEST FOUND A SMALL PIT ALONG THE CRACK." THE SERVICE MANAGER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THIS PIT WAS CAUSED FROM POSSIBLY A ROCK THAT HIT THE WINDSHIELD JUST ON THE EDGE OF THE WEATHER STRIPING. WITH THIS ANSWER SEEMING A LITTLE STRANGE TO ME I DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET I FOUND A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. EVEN MY COWORKER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT HE DIDN'T THINK TWICE ABOUT THE HONDA ELEMENT, TRUSTING THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS CORRECT HE TURNED IT INTO HIS INSURANCE. I ALSO CAME ACROSS A CLASS ACTION SUIT THAT WAS FILED AUGUST. 04, 2004 AGAINST HONDA SITTING THE SAME PROBLEMS. ON TOP OF THIS FINDING I ALSO NOTICED THAT MAY 6TH, 2003 (ONLY SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THE ELEMENT WAS ON THE MARKET FOR THE PUBLIC) HONDA ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN SITTING THE SAME PROBLEM IN ONLY A SELECT FEW OF THE ELEMENTS. I FEEL THAT HONDA SHOULD BE BACKING THERE PRODUCT WHETHER IT BE A DESIGN FLAW, WEAK GLASS, OR A ROCK THAT DAMAGED MY WINDSHIELD DUE TO UN UNSEEN AMOUNT OF STRESS. *AK