NHTSA Complaint #11253091 — 2018 HONDA CR-V

MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE JUST ABOVE ONE OF THE AIR VENTS (IN MARCH 2019) OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT TO MY APARTMENT COMPLEX. NO OTHER CARS WERE NEAR IT FOR THE CRACK TO OCCUR, AND THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF IMPACT. I TOOK IT INTO HONDA (HONDA OF LISLE) THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE THEM INSPECT IT AND THE DEALERSHIP DEEMED IT "NON-IMPACT" CAUSED BASED ON THEIR INVESTIGATION. HOWEVER, SINCE IT WAS WINDSHIELD DAMAGE, THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO SUBMIT IT TO THEIR REGIONAL DIRECTOR WHO WOULD MAKE THE FINAL CALL AND DETERMINE WHETHER IT WOULD BE COVERED BY THE HONDA AS A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE UNDER THE WARRANTEE (THE CAR WAS ONLY TWO MONTHS OLD). AFTER SUBMITTING IT TO HIM, CUSTOMER RELATIONS INFORMED ME, SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THAT THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR DEEMED THE CRACK "IMPACT CAUSED" BASED ON HIS VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE PICTURES THAT THE HONDA DEALERSHIP HAD SENT HIM, CONTRADICTING THEIR DECISION. I APPEALED AND GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM SAFELITE, WHO DEEMED THE CRACK NON-IMPACT CAUSED AS WELL. AMERICAN HONDA REJECTED MY APPEAL. I ALSO DISCOVERED A FORUM DISCUSSING SIMILAR CRACKS OCCURRING ON THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. I RELAYED THIS INFORMATION AND HONDA STILL REFUSED TO COVER THE WINDSHIELD UNDER THE WARRANTEE. I WROTE A LETTER TO CORPORATE, AND HONDA AGAIN, REFUSED. I ASKED CUSTOMER RELATIONS UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS HONDA WOULD COVER WINDSHIELD DAMAGE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALERSHIP ALONE WOULD HAVE TO RULE IT A DEFECT. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DEEM THE CRACK A DEFECT BECAUSE IT WAS GLASS RELATED, AND REQUIRED UPPER MANAGEMENT APPROVAL. AFTER SPEAKING WITH HONDA REPRESENTATIVES AT OTHER DEALERSHIPS, THEY INFORMED ME THAT WHEN IT CAME TO GLASS AND SIMILAR NON-STANDARD WARRANTY CLAIM, THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE WARRANTY AND REVIEW PROCESS THAT PUT OTHER CUSTOMERS IN SIMILAR POSITION AS ME