NHTSA Complaint #10191405 — 2006 HONDA ELEMENT

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED 2006 HONDA ELEMENT EX-P IN MARCH OF 2007 FROM HONDA OF FAYETTEVILLE, AR. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO SPRINGFIELD, MO AND PARKED IT IN A GARAGE. THE NEXT MORNING I FOUND A 4 INCH CRACK IN THE TOP MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. IN A DAY OR TWO THE CRACK BECAME SO BAD THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO APPARENT ROCK STRIKE OR OTHER DAMAGE OTHER THAN THE CRACK. AT THE TIME I DID NOT KNOW THAT HONDA HAD SETTLED A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ALLEGING DESIGN DEFECTS WITH 2003 AN 2004 HONDA ELEMENTS. I DID NOT REPORT THE DAMAGE TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE. I HAD THE OEM WINDSHIELD REPLACED WITH A PPG WINDSHIELD AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO OUR HOME IN JUNEAU, ALASKA AND ARRIVED LAST WEEK. THIS AFTERNOON WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED ANOTHER CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD, THIS ONE STARTING AT THE TOP AT THE EXTREME RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE. THIS CRACK IS NOW ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG, AND WILL SOON BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. HONDA DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO REPLACE THIS WINDSHIELD BECAUSE ONLY 2003 AND 2004 HONDA ELEMENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DESIGN OR ENGINEERING FLAW IN ALL ELEMENTS, NOT JUST THE 2003 AN 2004 MODEL YEARS. IN CHECKING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AFFECTING THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ELEMENTS. WHEN I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED IN SPRINGFIELD, MO., I WAS TOLD THAT HONDA ELEMENTS CONSTITUTE A LARGE PORTION OF THEIR WORKLOAD, AND THAT SOME ELEMENT OWNERS HAVE REPLACED THEIR WINDSHIELDS FIVE OR SIX TIMES! HONDA HAS A REAL PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO RECALL AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM COMMON TO ALL ELEMENTS. AK