NHTSA Complaint #10146630 — 2004 HONDA ELEMENT

I OWN A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT EX. IN APPROXIMATELY DECEMBER 2004, THE WINDSHIELD SUFFERED THREE LINEAR CRACKS WITHIN A TWO WEEK PERIOD OF TIME. I DID NOT OBSERVE OR HEAR ANY ROAD DEBRIS STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD OR CAUSE THESE CRACKS. ONE CRACK EMANATED FROM THE LOWER CORNER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, ONE FROM APPROXIMATELY MID-POINT ON A-PILLAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND ONE FROM THE LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE CORNER. A SERVICE MANAGER REVIEWED THE CRACKS AND DETERMINED THAT TWO OF THE CRACKS WERE CAUSED BY ROAD DEBRIS BECAUSE OF A MINUTE PIT IN EACH OF THE TWO CRACKS. HE DID NOT OBSERVE A PIT IN THE THIRD CRACK AND REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD UNDER WARRANTY. IN APPROXIMATELY DECEMBER 2005 THE WINDSHIELD SUFFERED FOUR CRACKS WITHIN A THREE WEEK PERIOD OF TIME. THE CRACKS OCCURRED AT SEPARATE TIMES AND AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. THREE OF THE FOUR CRACKS WERE STARBURST CRACKS AND HAVE NOT SPREAD. ONE OF THE STARBURST CRACKS OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND I OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE SMALL STONE CAUSE THE CRACK. I HEARD THE SUBSEQUENT TWO STARBURST CRACKS OCCUR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE FOURTH CRACK IS A LINEAR CRACK EMANATING FROM THE UPPER CORNER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. IT INCREASES IN SIZE BY APPROXIMATELY 1/4 INCH OVERNIGHT, AS IT IS LONGER EACH MORNING WHEN I GET IN THE CAR. THE CRACK HAS TRAVELED INTO THE DRIVER'S LINE OF VISION. THERE IS A HONDA TSB FOR 2003 HONDA ELEMENTS NOTING POSSIBLE STRESS FRACTURES IN THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I AM NOT AWARE OF A SIMILAR NOTICE FOR 2004 MODEL YEAR, NOR AM I AWARE OF ANY RECALL NOTICE FOR ANY MODEL YEAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE A DEFECT IN THE MOUNTING SURFACE OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT MAY RESULT IN SUCH STRESS FRACTURES. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT QUALITY OF GLASS USED FOR THE WINDSHIELD NOT SUFFICIENT FOR ROAD USE. THE INHERENT RISK CAUSED BY THIS APPARENT DEFECT WARRANTS INVESTIGATION AND/OR REMEDY. *JB