2003 HONDA ELEMENT Visibilitywindshield Problems

1.SMALL PEBBLEW HIT WINDSHIELD 2.WINDSHIELD MOSTLY CHIPS, EXCEPT FOR CHIPS AT EDGE OF WINDSHIELD WHICH CRACKS PROPERGATE QUICKLY. 3.WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. *AK

MY 2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN BROKEN 3 TIMES. IT WAS HIT BY ROCKS ALL 3 TIMES. I WATCHED THE 2ND CRACK SPLINTER UP THE WINDSHIELD AS I DROVE TO THE DEALER. IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AND HAD TO PAY $400 TO REPLACE. I'M 52 AND HAVE HAD MANY, MANY CARS AND HAVEN'T HAD 3 BROKEN WINDSHIELDS IN THE LOT. I FEEL THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW OR SUB-STANDARD GLASS IS USED. *NM

DURING THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, THE WINDSHIELD ON MY HONDA ELEMENT 2003 (PURCHASED NEW ON 8/28/03)) HAS BEEN PITTED THREE TIMES AND HAS BEGINNING N 6/17/04 DEVELOPED A HAIRLINE CRACK BEGINNING ONTHE PASSENGER SIDE AND EXTENDING FIFTEEN INCHES TOWARDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE. AS OF 7/2/04, I HAVE MADE CONTACT WITRH THE DEALER (BARON HONDA IN PATCHOGUE, NY) AND AMERICAN HONDA MOTORS BY PHONE AND CERTIFIED MAIL. THE CONDITION IS STILL BEING DISPUTED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE WARRANTY APPLIES. *AK

2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CRACK IS ABOUT 7 INCHES LONG COMING UP FROM THE LOWER CORNER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND CURVING TO THE SIDE. THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO TELL ME THAT A ROCK HAD TO HAVE HIT THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE "THESE WINDSHIELDS DON'T CRACK." THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A PLACE WHERE THE ROCK HIT JUST BELOW THE WINDSHIELD WIPER THAT, WHILE YOU CAN'T SEE IT, YOU CAN FEEL IF YOUR RUN A PEN ALONG THE CRACK. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT (THAT I'VE HAD A PRIOR BAD EXPERIENCE WITH) SAID THE WARRANTY WOULDN'T COVER IT BUT MY INSURANCE SHOULD. I LEARNED VIA THE INTERNET THAT HONDA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THIS PROBLEM. I PURCHASED A FULL EXTENDED WARRANTEE, AND HONDA SHOULD BE FIXING THIS PROBLEM.*AK

2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE. CRACK APPEARED AFTER A LOUD POP WITH ~4,000 MILES. THE HONDA DEALER EXAMINED THE CRACK AND FOUND A SMALL CHIP FROM THE SURFACE OF THE GLASS. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT HONDA HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS, INSTRUCTING THEM TO ROLL A BALL POINT PEN ALONG THE CRACK SEARCHING FOR INDENTATIONS. IF ONE IS FOUND, A ROCK STRIKE IS DEEMED TO HAVE CAUSED THE CRACK. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HONDA WILL NOT WARRANTY WINDSHIELDS THAT HAVE EVIDENCE OF A ROCK STRIKE (NO MATTER HOW MINOR). HONDA WILL FIX WINDSHIELDS THAT MEET TSB03-028 WHICH ADDRESSES CRACKS IN THE LOWER CORNERS. THE FRAGILITY OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE HONDA ELEMENT IS UNUSUAL AND ABNORMAL. HONDA MOTOR CO. IS IN DENIAL AND IS COSTING CONSUMERS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES. IN 30 YRS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED WINDSHIELD FAILURES LIKE THIS....

2003 HONDA ELEMENT EXPERIENCE A SECOND WINDSHIELD FAILURE AT ~15000 MILES. FIRST FAILURE WAS REPORTED UNDER COMPLAINT 10078841. SIMILAR TO THE FIRST FAILURE, THE DEALER IDENTIFIED A SMALL ROCK STRIKE AND DENIED COVERAGE UNDER THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. THE CRACK IS 12 INCHES LONG, RUNNING DIAGONALLY FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE UPPER CORNER TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE CORNER. THE FRAGILITY OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE HONDA ELEMENT IS UNUSUAL AND ABNORMAL. HONDA MOTOR CO. IS IN DENIAL AND IS COSTING CONSUMERS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES. IN 30 YRS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED WINDSHIELD FAILURES LIKE THIS. THE BODY OF THIS VEHICLE IS QUITE FLEXIBLE. WARRANTY WORK HAS BEEN REQUIRED ON THE BODY TO ELIMINATE SQUEAKS CAUSED BY A RUBBING AT A WELDED SEAM UNDER THE WINDSHIELD COWLING. THE DEALER SPREAD THE SEAM (BETWEEN EACH WELD POINT) WITH A SCREWDRIVER AND FILLED THE CAVITY WITH A FLEXIBLE COMPOUND. THE SQUEAKS STOPPED, BUT,...

A CRACK APPEARED ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, AT THE TOP DRIVER SIDE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

LESS THAN THREE THOUSAND MILES INTO OWNING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. DEALER INSISTED THAT THE CRACK CAME FROM A ROCK, AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY COULD NOT CONFIRM THE ALLEGATION. DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD, BUT THE NEW WINDSHIELD HAD A CRACK ALSO. *AK

WINDSHIELD CRACKED. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE THE DAY IT HAPPEN I HAD BEEN IN MY CAR ALL DAY LONG. I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD OR ANYTHING. WHEN I DISCOVERED THE CRACK, I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD PINPOINT THAT CAUSE IT TO CRACK. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED IT YET B/C I AM HOPING HONDA WILL DO A RECALL OF THESE WINDSHIELDS!! *AK

1) UNDER NORMAL DRIVING WINDSHIELD IN VEHICLE CRACKED..IMPACT QUESTIONABLE...LOOKS STRESS RELATED 2) CAUSED VISIBILITY PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING 3) HONDA HAS NOT OFFERED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM AS OF YET. *JB

WITHIN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF GETTING MY BRAND NEW 2003 HONDA ELEMENT, I HAD A CRACK AND STAR CHIP IN THE VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD. WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, IT ACQUIRED YET ANOTHER CHIP. AS A RESULT OF THE ELEMENT'S WINDSHIELD'S UNPRECEDENTED VULNERABILITY, I QUESTION ITS SAFETY. AT THE VERY LEAST, IT REPRESENTS INFERIOR QUALITY OF MATERIALS AND/OR DESIGN, WHICH IS COSTING DRIVERS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY FOR REPAIR COSTS. SO FAR, AMERICAN HONDA AND THE DEALERSHIP INSIST THAT THERE IS NO INHERENT FLAW IN MATERIALS, DESIGN, OR INSTALLATION, AND WANT TO ATTRIBUTE THE CHIPS AND CRACK TO BAD LUCK. HOWEVER, HONDA OWNERS ARE DOCUMENTING THIS PROBLEM IN DROVES ON WWW.HONDAELEMENT.ORG, AND ON WWW.EPINIONS. COM. HONDA MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS AT THEIR COST, AND RE-SPEC THE ELEMENT'S WINDSHIELD.*AK

I HAVE HAD MY ELEMENT LESS THAN 1 YEAR, AT 1000 MI I DEVELOPED A STRESS CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT DEALER SAID WAS FROM A "ROCK", BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT IT - THEY DID AFTER PROTEST REPLACE IT "ONE" TIME. AT 10000 MI I NOW HAVE ANOTHER CRACK IN ALMOST THE SAME PLACE THAT SEEMED TO COME ON WITH OUT ANY IMPACT - WE ARE IN THE NEGOTIATING STAGES. *AK

THE WINDSHIELD CHIPS VERY EASILY. WE INCURRED THREE CHIPS IN JUST ONE DAY, ONE OF WHICH QUICKLY TURNED INTO A TWELVE INCH CRACK.

I BOUGHT A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT IN DECEMBER OF 2003. A FEW DAYS AFTER PICKING UP THE BRAND NEW CAR, I DISCOVERED A 4" CRACK ON MY WINDSHIELD. THE CRACKED STARTED FROM A VERY SMALL PINPOINT SPECK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE BLACK AREA. I CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT THEY SAID IT'S NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY SINCE THE CRACK WAS CAUSED BY ROAD DEBRIS, REGARDLESS OF HOW SMALL THAT DEBRIS MAY BE. TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT, I DISCOVERED A 3" CRACK ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. AGAIN, THE CRACKED STARTED WITH A PINPOINT ON THE BLACK AREA OF THE WINDSHIELD. I CALLED THE WINDSHIELD EXPERTS IN MY AREA, WHO INFORMED ME THAT THEY'VE BEEN REPLACING AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF WINDSHIELDS ON HONDA ELEMENTS. ARMED WITH THIS INFORMATION, I CONTACTED HONDA CUSTOMER RELATIONS. THE REPRESENTATIVE DENIED ANY ISSUES WITH WINDSHIELDS ON THE ELEMENTS AND REFUSED...

STRESS CRACK APPEARED AFTER NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD. CRACK STARTS BELOW THE DRIVERS SIDE WINSHIELD WIPER AND CURVES TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, STOPPING ABOUT 15" LATER. SERVICE MANAGER AT HONDA CALLS A HOLE THE SIZE OF A PIN HEAD JUST ABOVE THE WIPER A "POINT OF IMPACT." HOW CAN A ROCK EVER HIT THERE?

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A WINDSHIELD PROBLEM. THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO IMPACT MARK ON THE WINDSHIELD. HOWEVER, DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS AN IMPACT MARK, AND REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. *AK

WINDSHIELD CRACK NUMBER 2. *LA

STARTING BACK IN FEBRUARY 2004, MY WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN CRACKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. ON 4/3/04, I HAD MY 5TH WINDSHIELD INSTALLED DUE TO A MICROSCOPIC 'IMPACT' RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE WIPER BLADE. FOUR CRACKS IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATION IS FAR MORE THEN COINCIDENCE. *JB

WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT 6901 MILES WHEN THERE WERE NO OTHER AUTOMOBILES ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN IT OCCURRED. NOW AT 7101 MILES WE HAVE A 12 INCH CRACK STARTING FROM THE SIDE OF THE WINDSCREEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. APPEARS TO BE DUE TO THE WINDSHIELD DESIGN AND STRESS ON THE GLASS. *JB

2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED THREE TIMES WITHIN 12,000 MILES. FIRST CRACK APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, STARTING FROM THE LOWER EDGE APPROXIMATELY CENTERED WITH THE WIPER BLADE STRAIGHT UP SIX INCHES WITH A SHARP TURN OUTWARDS TO THE RIGHT. WENT TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT (METRO HONDA, JOHNSTON RI) REPRESENTATIVE SAID CRACK WAS CAUSED BY STONE OR FOREIGN OBJECT AND WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF IMPACT. REPRESENTATIVE, UNDER VERY CLOSE INSPECTION FOUND THE SMALLEST SPECK WITHIN CRACK. IT IS TINY, I'D SAY THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SALT. ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER THE SECOND CRACK APPEARED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FROM THE LOWER EDGE CENTERED WITHIN THE WIPER BLADE. AFTER CLOSE INSPECTION, I FOUND AN IDENTICAL SALT GRAIN SIZE SPEC WITHIN THE CRACK. THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY IMPACT! I KNEW THIS WINDSHIELD WAS DEFECTED AND RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET. THERE...

2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED THREE TIMES WITHIN 12,000 MILES. FIRST CRACK APPEARED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, STARTING FROM LOWER EDGE APPROXIMATELY CENTERED WITH WIPER BLADE STRAIGHT UP SIX INCHES WITH A SHARP TURN TO THE RIGHT. WENT TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT (METRO HONDA, JOHNSTON RI) REPRESENTATIVE SAID CRACK WAS CAUSED BY STONE OR FOREIGN OBJECT AND WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF IMPACT. REPRESENTATIVE UNDER CLOSE INSPECTION FOUND THE SMALLEST SPEC WITHIN CRACK. IT IS TINY, I'D SAY THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SALT. ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER THE SECOND CRACK APPEARED STARTING FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE, DIRECTLY CENTERED WITH THE WIPER BLADE. AFTER CLOSE INSPECTION, I FOUND AN IDENTICAL SALT GRAIN SIZE SPEC WITHIN THE CRACK. THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY IMPACT! I KNEW THIS WINDSHIELD WAS DEFECTED. THAT'S WHEN I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THIS IS AN...

2003 HONDA ELEMENT - WINDSHIELD CRACKS DUE TO APPARENT DESIGN FLAW. *AK

MORNING: PARKED VEHICLE OUTSIDE IN LOW TEMPERATURES. SUN CAME OUT DURING DAY AND WHEN I RETURNED TO VEHICLE IN THE AFTERNOON THERE WAS A 5 INCH CRACK THAT STARTED IN LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF FRONT WINDSHIELD. NO IMPACT TO WINDSHIELD.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT AN IMPACT IN IT'S LOWER PART. KNOWING THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT RESOLVED, SINCE THIS IS A REALLY NICE VEHICLE OTHERWISE.*AK

CRACK IN WINDSHIELD ON 2003 HONDA ELEMENT AFTER OWNING FOR ONLY 1 MONTH. RACK ONLY APPEARED NO OBVIOUS IMPACT FROM ROCK OR OTHER OBJECTS. *AK

CRACKED WINDSHIELD ORIGNIATING FROM BOTTOM OF PASSENGER SIDE. APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SMALL PIT (SAND SIZE) VISIBLE.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A WINDSHIELD PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAD AN AIR BUBBLE IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. WHEN ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD, SUCH AS A SMALL STONE, IT CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

ON FRIDAY MARCH 12, 2004 I WENT TO LUNCH AND RETURNED TO MY CAR THREE HOURS LATER TO GO HOME FOR THE DAY. UPON ENTERING MY HONDA ELEMENT I NOTICED A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD THAT WAS NOT THERE THREE HOURS EARLIER WHEN I HAD GONE TO LUNCH. HONDA ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN BACK IN MAY 2003 FOR THE 2003 ELEMENT IN CERTIAN VIN #'S (OF WHICH MY ELEMENT FALLS IN) ABOUT STRESS FROM THE FLANGE ON THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING IT TO CRACK. UPON TAKING MY ELEMENT TO STEPHEN VINCEL HONDA IN ELLISVILLE, MO FOR INSPECTION THEY HAVE CLAIMED THAT IT WAS HIT BY A ROCK THAT CAUSED IT TO CRACK. THIS IS THE SECOND WINDSHIELD I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IN AN 8 MONTH TIME FRAME. THE FIRST WAS CAUSED BY A ROCK THROWN FROM A SEMI, THE SECOND WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK (ACCORDING...

PIN-PRICK SIZE ROCK IMPACT RESULTED IN A 12 INCH CRACK IN 24 HOURS. OTHER HONDA MODELS AS WELL AS OTHER MANUFACTURES DO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. COMPARE THE NUMBER OF VISIBLITY COMPLAINTS WITH THE ELEMENT TO OTHER MAKES AND MODELS. *AK *TR

SPONTANEOUS STREES CRACK IN LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF WINDSHEILD. NO CHIPPING OR OTHER DAMAGE FROM ROAD DEBRIS.

WINDSHIELD CRACKS VERY EASILY. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (NO SURROUNDING TRAFFIC) WE HEARD A POP AN A CRACK APPEARED JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE REARVIEW MIRROR, ORIGINATING FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS NOW GROWN TO ABOUT 6".*AK UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I CANNOT LOCATE ANY POINT OF IMPACT. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS SIMPLY A STRESS CRACK.

2003 HONDA ELEMENT EX 4WD - WINDSHEILD CRACKED AT APPROX 6000 MILES. NO SIGN OF IMPACT. CRACK ORIGINATED ON DRIVER'S SIDE OF WINDSHIELD. *AK

WINDSHILED CRACK. ORIGION OF CRACK IS BOTTOM OF PASSENGER SIDE OF WINDSHILED. WINDSHIELD HAD BEEN REPLACED 2 MONTHS PRIOR DUE TO IDENTICAL CRACK IN IDENTICAL LOCATION.*AK

DEFECT IN WINDSHIELD ON 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. CRACK APPEARS IN BOTTOM MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD AND THEN MOVES UPWARD AND THE ACROSS TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE.*AK HONDA DEALER SAID IT WAS A ROCK IMPACT, HOWEVER, IT IS NOT PITTED.

DROVE VEHICLE HOME SATURDAY NIGHT NO PROBLEM. SUNDAY MORNING DISCOVERED 8 INCH CRACK IN WINDSHIELD ORIGINATING UNDER DRIVER SIDE WINDSHILD WIPER AND TRAVELING UPWARDS TO THE LEFT. DEALER CLAIMS IT IS AN IMPACT CRACK NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY, BUT I AM SURE THERE WAS NO IMPACT SATURDAY NIGHT. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET OF OTHERS HAVING THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM.*AK

CRACKED WINDSHIELD: CONSISTENT WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER HONDA ELEMENT OWNERS, ON ONE PARTICULARLY COLD (BY CA STDS. ANYWAY) MORNING, I TURNED ON MY DEFROSTER AND THE WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING FROM THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER. THE CRACK HAS TRAVELED ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS IN A PATTERN THAT MIRRORS THAT OF THE DEFROSTER OUTLETS. *JB

THE WINDSHIELD HAS CHIPPED AND CRACKED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE 9 MONTHS WE HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. IT WAS BRAND NEW AND THERE IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT THE DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE.*AK

SAND CRACKED WINDSHIELD BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE CORNER. *AK

ELEMENT BOUGHT JULY 2003. I DRIVE ALOT OF HIGHWAY MILES, ALLREADY 28,000 MILES. I HAVE PROBABLY DROVE CLOSE TO 800,000 MILES IN MY 25 YEARS OF DRIVING. ONCE THAT I KNOW OFF DID A WINDSHIELD CRACK.....MAYBE TWICE. I HAVE FOUR INCIDENTS OF ROCK CHIPS ALLREADY. ONE OF THE CRACKS SPANS THE WIDTH OF THE WINDOW. AS A STATISTICAL MANAGER FOR MY JOB, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A PURCHASING MESS UP WITH SUB-STANDARD GLASS QUALITY. THERE HAS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS WINDSHIELD TO AN UPGRADED QUALITY OF GLASS. IT IS NOT SO MUCH THE SAFETY FACTOR AS IT IS THE $500 REPLACEMENT AND INSURANCE COSTS. SOMEBODY MADE A MAJOR MISTAKE IN A VENDOR AND MOST LIKELY IS NOT SUPPLYING WINDSHIELDS TO HONDA ANYMORE AND IS PROBABLY OUT OF BUSINESS OR CHANGED THEIR NAME FOR LIABILITY SAKE. THIS ISSUE WILL NOT GO AWAY!! *AK

CRACKED WINDSHIELD.....AGAIN. 2ND CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN TWO MONTHS. TOLD THIS WAS IMPACT DAMAGE FROM DEALER. DEALER POINTED OUT MICROSCOPIC "CHIP" AT THE SEAL LINE. 20+ YEARS OF DRIVING NEVER HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD NOW HAVE TWO. *JB

WHILE SITTING IN A HOSPITAL PARKING RAMP MY WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING AND SPREAD UNTIL IT WENT FROM DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS UP ABOUT FOUR INCHES AND ACROSS TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BACK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS. BETWEEN MY WIFE AND MYSELF WE HAVE OWNED CLOSE TO TWENTY VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. *JB

AFTER A LOT OF COMPLAINING, TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, I FINALLY HAD MY WINDSHIELD REPLACED AFTER A 12" CRACK APPEARED FROM UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER BLADE ONE NIGHT IN JUNE 03. IT TOOK UNTIL DECEMBER 03 TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE (800 NUMBER) WAS TERRIBLE AND AFTER A WHILE THEY JUST KEPT REPEATING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. MY DEALERSHIP STEPPED UP AFTER I COMPLAINED TO THE SALES MANAGER AND LET HIM KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THE CAR AND EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO START TELLING THEM-THAT WE WERE GETTING TREATED POORLY BY HONDA. THEY REPLACED IT UNDER "GOODWILL". A FEW WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A SMALL DING IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, NO STAR, AND WE TURNED ON THE DEFROST AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM CORNER TO CORNER BEFORE OUR EYES. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS TOTALLY...

A CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE LOWER CORNER AT THE BASE BEHIND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER THAT EVENTUALLY SPREAD UP 8 INCHES AND ACROSS 8 INCHES AND BACK DOWN TO THE BASE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY TYPE OF EVIDENCE OF ANY TYPE OF ROCK CHIPPING OR DAMAGE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ASSURED ME THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. THE DAY IT WAS TO BE REPLACED THEY CALLED AND SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM. NOW THERE IS EVIDENCE OF SOME MAGIC "ROCK CHIP" AND THEY WENT AHEAD AND INSTALLED THE NEW WINDSHIELD ANYWAY WITHOUT MY CONSENT. NOW THEY WANT THEIR $553.00. GO FIGURE. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH CRACK IN UNDER 7 MONTHS OF OWNING MY HONDA ELEMENT. MY VIN FALLS UNDER THE HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN # 03-028 AS HAVING THE DEFECTIVE...

WINDSHIELD ON 2003 HONDA ELEMENT FOUND IN GARAGE WITH A CRACK NEAR THE BOTTOM CORNER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE HONDA DEALER AND REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO DAMAGE FROM ANY IMPACT. THIS HAS BECOME A GROWING PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THESE VEHICLES WHICH HONDA HAS THUSFAR NOT TAKEN CARE OF. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT IN OCT-03 AND CURRENTLY HAVE 4400 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ON 1-24-04 A VERY SMALL PEBBLE "NICKED" MY WINDSHIELD ( NO STAR) AT THE BASE ( JUST UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE) CAUSING A WINDSHIELD CRACK THAT HAS GROWN TO ABOUT 12 INCHES IN LENGTH. I HAVE DRIVEN VEHICLES OVER 35 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH SUCH A MINOR PEBBLE HIT. I CHECKED THE HONDA WEBSITE - SEE TECH ADVISORY( 03-028) BUT HONDA AUTHORIZATIONS ARE ONLY FOR WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF IMPACT. I DON'T BUY HONDA'S EXPLANATION. GLASS STRESS IS JUST THAT & STRESS ON GLASS THAT IS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED, FITTED, OR DESIGNED WILL LEAD TO CRACKS FROM MINOR IMPACTS AT A HIGHER RATE. I VISITED THE HTTP://WWW.HONDAELEMENT.ORG/SHOWTHREAD.PHP WEBSITE AND NOTED THAT 25 TO 30 % OF NEW ELEMENT OWNER COMPLAINTS HAD TO DO WITH CRACKED...

ON 1/24/04, I NOTICED A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD WHILE PARKED. THE CRACK IS IN THE LOWER RIGHT PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD, BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES FROM THE BOTTOM, EXTENDS 2 INCHES TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, THEN MAKES A 90 DEGREE BEND STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BASED ON THE TSB REGARDING THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF WINDSHIELDS ON '03 HONDA ELEMENTS. THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION CREATES UNDUE STRESS THAT RESULTS IN CRACKING. THE SERVICE MANAGER IDENTIFIED A PINHEAD SIZE IMPACT MARK UNDER THE SIDE MOLDING STRIP THAT HE SAYS CAUSED THE DAMAGE. EVEN WITH THE TSB THAT I BELIEVE CAUSED THE CRACK TO SPREAD BEYOND REPAIR, THE DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE THE GLASS AND REPAIR THE DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

12-INCH CRACK IN WINDSHIELD ORIGINATING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE COWL BRANCHING UPWARDS. A COPY OF HONDA TSB 03-028, INDICATING THAT THE WINDSHIELD MAY CRACK IN THE LOWER CORNERS, WAS SHOWN TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE TSB AND STATED THAT A GRAIN-SIZED "PIT" IN THE GLASS UNDER THE WIPER BLADE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CRACK. AS MY AUTO FALLS WITHIN THE VIN # RANGE OF AFFECTED VEHICLES, THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT MY SUV IS SUCEPTIBLE TO WINDSHIELD CRACKING. I CAN UNDERSTAND IF A LARGE ROCK CAUSED THE DAMAGE, BUT THE "PIT" IN THE WINDSHIELD WAS NO LARGER THAN THE PERIOD AT THE END OF THIS SENTENCE. THIS WINDSHIELD APPEARS WEAKER THAN THE INDUSTRY NORM AND CANNOT HANDLE EVEN MINUTE STRESSES. HONDA NEEDS TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, NOT KEEP HAVING THEIR CUSTOMERS CONTINUALLY PAY FOR NEW WINDSHIELDS.*AK

SPONTANEOUS WINDSHIELD CRACK. *AK

LESS THAN A 1000 MILES ON THE CAR - CRACKED WINDSHIELD PASSENGER SIDE BOTTOM CORNER- DID NOT PASS THE "PEN" TEST DONE AT A DEALER. NO COVERAGE SO WE REPLACED WINDSHIELD AT OUR OWN COST- *AK

WINDSHIELD CRACKED UNDER WIPER ON RIGHT HAND SIDE. MY DEALER SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRINTY, SAID THERE IS A SMALL PIT IN CRACK FROM ROCK. THE WINDSHIELD IS FULL OF SMALL PITS. THERE IS SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE ELEMENT MESSAGE BOARDS ABOUT CRACKED WINDSHIELDS MORE THAN ANY THING ELSE THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DESIGN.*AK