NHTSA Complaint #10381105 — 2010 HONDA ELEMENT

2/27/10 PURCHASED NEW HONDA ELEMENT, DELIVERED WITH WINDSHIELD CHIPS, DEALER SUBCONTRACTED. NEW WINDSHIELD INSTALL & GAVE GUARANTEE OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. TOOK DELIVERY 3/8/10, NOTED EXCESSIVE DASH/WINDSHIELD RATTLE. CALLED DEALER NEXT DAY-WAS ASKED TO 'MONITOR THROUGH SUMMER MOS. AS RATTLE WOULD 'SETTLE'. IT ONLY GOT WORSE. CONTACTED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES OVER SUMMER & WAS ASSURED IF PROBLEM PERSISTED THEY WOULD 'STAND BEHIND IT UNTIL IT WAS DONE RIGHT'. RETURNED. TO DEALER FOR 'REPAIR' 3 TIMES 11/15/10, 12/7/10, 12/29/10 (CAR WAS REPAIRED THREE SEPARATE TIMES DURING THIS VISIT (KEPT AT DEALERSHIP 12/29-1/10/11). BROKEN WINDSHIELD CLIPS FOUND/REPLACED ON 11/15/10 & 12/29/10 VISIT, RE-PADDED DASH ON 12/7/10 VISIT. RATTLE STILL PERSISTENT. CONTACTED HONDA CORP. CUSTOMER SERVICE & WAS TOLD ALL ELEMENTS HAVE DASH/WINDSHIELD RATTLES IN COLD WEATHER...HONDA CONSIDERS THIS 'NORMAL'...DEALERSHIP NOW STATING THEY HAVE 'DONE ALL THEY CAN'. CAR HAD LESS THAN 3500 MI. AT LAST SERVICE DATE. PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN CORRECTED AND DEALER STATES THEY ARE UNSURE IF PROBLEM IS IN THE DASH, WINDSHIELD OR BOTH AREAS. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE STATES ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE IS TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND 'KEEP TRYING' TO SEE IF ANOTHER DEALER IS WILLING TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR