NHTSA Complaint #10152165 — 2004 HONDA ELEMENT

A STRESS CRACK APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. CRACK BEGAN FROM BELOW THE PLASTIC MOLDING AND BELOW THE LEFT WINDSHIELD WIPER. THERE WAS NO IMPACT POINT FROM A ROCK OR OTHER OBJECT. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO BLAME IT ON A SMALL CHIP IN THE AREA OF THE CRACK--CHIP WAS 1/2 MM IN DIAMETER AND 1/4 OF A MM IN DEPTH. I HAVE NUMEROUS SMALL CHIPS LIKE THIS AND NONE HAVE CAUSED A CRACK. THE DEALER AT FIRST CLAIMED THE CRACK WAS CAUSED BY THE SMALL CHIP. AFTER I POINTED OUT OTHER CHIPS AND ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE 2003 SERVICE BULLETIN AND CURRENT LAWSUIT, THE MANAGER CALLED THE HONDA REP. THE HONDA REP SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE IT AS A ONE TIME GOOD WILL GESTURE--THUS, RELIEVING THEMSELVES OF ANY LIABILITY. *JB