2003 Honda Element Complaint Log

DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. THESE WERE ACTUALLY TWO EVENTS IN FEBRUARY, 2004. ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS APART. BOTH INVOLVE WHAT APPEAR TO BE STRESS FRACTURES OF WINDSHIELD. EACH EMANATES FROM THE VERY BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER COWL ON OUTER WINDSHIELD. BOTH RISE DIRECTLY VERTICAL UPWARD ABOUT THREE INCHES THEN VEER TOWARD SIDE PILLARS. BOTH NEAR CENTER OF WINDSHIELD. FIRST ONE WAS TOWARDS PASSEGER SIDE AND VEERED TO PASSENGER PILLAR. SECOND ONE WAS TOWARDS DRIVER SIDE AND VEERED TO DRIVER PILLAR. DEALER CLAIMS TINY FLECK IN EACH LINE NEAR BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD AND BEHIND WIPER ARM MECHANISM/BLADE IS ROCK HIT AND IS CAUSE AND WILL NOT WARRANTY. BOTH OF THESE HAPPENNED IN THE MOUNTAINS DURING FREEZING TEMPERATURES. I SUSPECTED THAT WINDHIELD WASHER FLUID WAS COLLECTING BETWEEN THE OUTER WIPER COWL AND BASE OF WINSHIELD AND FREEZING/EXPANDING AND CAUSING FRACTURE LINES. NO "STAR" EFFECT NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH ROCKHITS. MY SECOND SUSPICION IS THAT THE CURVE IN THE LOWER WINDHIELD IS IN OPPOSITION TO THE STAIGHTNESS OF THE UPPER WINDHIELD AND CAUSING STRESS ON BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD. IF THOSE ARE ROCK HITS AT THE BOTTOM (AND NOT FLAKEAGE FROM THE EFFECT OF THE CRACKS) THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER CAUSE THESE SIGNIFICANT FRACTURE LINES OR ANY CRACK AT ALL. IN FACT I NEVER HEARD A ROCK HIT AND THE SECOND CRACK HAPPENNED WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A SKI AREA PARKING LOT AND THE CRACK WAS NOT THERE WHEN I PARKED THE CAR BUT WAS FULLY 8-12 INCHES LONG WHEN I RETURNED. HONDA HAS EITHER A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OR PERHAPS THAT URETHANE RIMMING THE WINDOW HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. EITHER WAY THEY NEED TO WARRANTY LIFETIME FREE GLASS REPLACEMENT OR FIX THIS DEFECT. THIS IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN AFTER I REPLACE THIS WINDSHIELD. COMPEL HONDA TO RECTIFY THIS MATTER PLEASE.*AK

MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED AS EXPLAINED IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN 03-028. I KNOW TWO OTHER ELEMENT OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HEAR SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES FOR HONDA ARE LYING ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS MAYBE AT HONDA'S DIRECTION. WILL THIS HAVE TO TURN INTO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR HONDA TO TAKE CARE OF ITS CUSTOMERS? I'M TAKING MINE IN THIS FRIDAY 7/30/2004, I HOPE MY DEALER WILL BE HONEST ABOUT THIS. I PLAN TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE RESULTS NEXT WEEK.*AK

I HAVE A 2003 ELEMENT. I HAVE HAD TWO BROKEN WINDOWS ALREADY. THE MOST RECENT DOCUMENTED BELOW. *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

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 AS WELL. IT'S ALL A SCAM! THEY WANT YOU TO CLAIM IT ON YOUR INSURANCE SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THESE REPAIRS. THEN THEY TRY TO HOLD YOUR VEHICLE HOSTAGE IF YOU DON'T PAY THEM IMMEDIATELY. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THESE GESTAPO TACTICS. THEY KNOWINGLY SOLD ME A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE, AND NOW THEY WANT TO PASS THE BUCK TO WHOMEVER WILL PAY EXCLUDING THEMSELVES. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE NECK AND SPINAL INJURIES. *AK

WINDSHIED BROKE FOR NO APPARRENT REASON WHILE RIDING WITH MY WIFE, NICE WEATHER, NO TRAFFIC WINDSHIELD MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND THEN WE BOTH WATCHED AS THE CRACK SPREAD FROM JUST BELOW THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER ARM UPWARD ABOUT 12". *AK

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. THIS WAS ON A NEW VEHICLE. *JB

7 WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENTS SO FAR SINCE PURCHASE DATE ON 12/10/2003. THE FIRST 2 REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE BY THE HUNTINGTON HONDA DEALERSHIP. THE OTHER 5 REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE BY SAFELITE. THE MOST RECENT REPLACEMENT WAS DONE ON APRIL 13, 2005. *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

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

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

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 WINDSHIELDS. IN SOME CASES OWNER HAD ALREADY REPLACED THEIR WINDSHIELDS TWICE ($500.00 A POP). HONDA'S CURRENT POLICY IS TO SIDE STEP THE PROBLEM. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND HONDA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO STEP UP AND WORK TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I AM ALSO GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED BEFORE THE PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED AND SOLVED. THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS REPORTED ON THE WEB SITE NOTED ABOVE REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH IMPROPER INSTALLATION/FIT OF NEW WINDSHIELDS (SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, PERSISTENT RATTLES, & CRACKS) AFTER REPLACEMENT. IF HONDA ISN'T GOING TO STEP UP - SOMEONE ( HOPEFULLY NHTSA) WILL. ACCORDINGLY, I AM SURPRISED AT HONDA'S "HEAD IN THE SAND" ATTITUDE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM NHTSA ON THE EVOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM IF THAT IS WITHIN YOUR POLICY. *JB

SAND CRACKED WINDSHIELD BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE CORNER. *AK

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 NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR A WINDSHIELD. I LET STATE FARM KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THEY'RE LOOKING INTO IT. WE ARE REALLY DISAPPOINTED--NO, IRATE--WITH HONDA, AND NOT AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS TAKEN CARE OF FOR GOOD.*AK

I HAVE A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 2400 MILES ON IT. MY WINDSHIELD HAS A CRACK, APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES LONG, THAT BEGAN UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER AND CURLS TO THE RIGHT. *CB

CONSUMER HAD WINDSHIELD REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, BECAUSE IT MADE A HOWLING NOISE. *TS THE COMPANY THAT REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD BLAMED THE MANUFACTURER FOR NOT FIXING A BAD WELD. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THE CONSUMERS MODEL WAS PRONE TO BREAKAGE BECAUSE OF THE VERTICAL POSITION WHEN STRUCK BY EVEN THE SLIGHTEST IMPACT WITHIN THE BLACK AREA ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE GLASS, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER DISAGREED WITH THAT THEORY, STATING THERE HAD BEEN OTHER VEHICLE DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS THAT HAD THIS TYPE OF WINDSHIELD POSITIONING WITHOUT EXCESSIVE WINDSHIELD BREAKAGE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN IN THE SNOW 4-WHEEL DRIVE MECHANISM KICKED IN AUTOMATICALLY, VEHICLE SPUN OUT AND HIT A VENDER YARD POST.*AK

CRACKED WINDSHIELD TWICE IN 6 MONTHS TIME

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

WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN LOWER RIGHT CORNER. *LA

CONSUMER STATED IN LAST PAST THREE MONTHS DEALER HAD REPLACED WINDSHIELD TWICE. *AK CONSUMER TELEPHONED ODI AND REPORTED THAT THE LOWER-RIGHT CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE VEHICLE HAS A CRACK IN IT. THIRD TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. *MJJ (04-20-2005)

UNEXPLAINED PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, NO IMPACT APPARENT. WAS ABOUT 8" THE FIRST DAY, CONTINUES TO GROW.*AK

WINDSHIELD HAS A STRESS CRACK IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER. MANUFACTURER HAS AGREED TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT COST TO THE OWNER. *AK DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING AND IMPROPERLY FINISHED RIVETS IN THE LOWER SECTION OF THE WINDOW FRAME. *SC

I JUST BOUGHT A HONDA ELEMENT 2003 IN OCTOBER '03. THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE. THE CRACK GOES FROM THE BOTTOM AND SPREADS IN THE LINE OF MY DRIVING VISION. THERE IS A FLAW IN THE MANUFACTURING; HOWEVER, THE DEALER AND HONDA SAYS THAT ONLY THE EARLY MODELS HAS THIS PROBLEM AND MINE DOESN'T. I DISAGREE. I SUGGEST NO ONE BUY A HONDA ELEMENT 'CAUSE THEY ARE NOT FIXING THIS PROBLEM.

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

STRESS CRACK ON WINDSHIELD, DRIVER SIDE, STARTING AT BOTTOM EDGE TRAVELING TOWARDS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

CRACKED WINDSHIELD, FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DASH 5 INCHES GOING UPWARD ON THE DRIVER SIDE, WHILE VEHICLE WAS WARMING UP IN THE DRIVEWAY. *LA

WINDSHIELD CRACKED UNDER PASSENGER SIDE WIPER WHILE VEHICLE PARKED. LESS THEN 4000 MILES ON CAR, NO ROCK IMPACT CAUSED CRACK.*AK

ABLE TO REMOVE IGNITION KEY WHEN TRANSMISSION IN GEAR.*AK

WINDSHIELD PIYS AND CRACKS. I HAVE 2 CRACKS IN LESS THAT 1 MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. THE GLASS IS EASILY PITTED AS I HAVE DRIVEN MINE ON SANDED ROADS BRIEFLY AND HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED SMALL PITS, THIS IS FAR IN EXCESS OF ANY CAR OR TRUCK I HAVE OWNED IN OVER 30 YEARS OF THRIVING AND OWNERSHIP. THESE WINDSHIELD ARE STICKING POOR!!! *CB

WINDSHIELD CRACK OF ABOUT 3-4 INCHES FROM BOTTOM UNDER PASSENGER WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS "JUST THERE" IN THE MORNING AFTER HEAVY SNOWFALL AND MAJOR DEFROSTER USE. IN TWO DAYS, BEFORE I GOT TO DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED, IT HAD EXTENDED UPWARDS ABOUT 6 MORE INCHES, IN TWO MORE DAYS, ALL THE WAY ACROSS WINDSHIELD TO WITHIN 2 INCHED OF WINDSHIELD EDGE ON DRIVER'S SIDE. NOW EXTENDED TO LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE CORNER. THERE WAS COLD WEATHER THROUGH OUT. DEALER POINTED OUT MINISCULE PIT ON CRACK BELOW PASSENGER WINDSHIELD WIPER, SAID NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE CAUSE BY ROCK CHIP, ETC. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A MINOR IMPACT THERE, WHO IS TO SAY, BUT THE "EVIDENCE" NEARLY REQUIRES MAGNIFYING GLASS TO SEE&IN FACT I SCRAPED ICE AWAY ON WINDSHIELD THAT VERY MORNING. IN FACT THERE ARE MANY OTHER "PITS ON WINDSHIELD, INCLUDING OTHERS ON CRACK. A PIECE OF GRIT/TINY GRAVEL MAY HAVE IMPACTED, NEAR ORIGINAL AREA OF CRACK, BUT SHOULD NEVER HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE THAT ENSUED. THERE IS A MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE BULLETIN FOR WINDSHIELD CRACKS STARTING AT LOWER CORNERS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE STRESS DUE TO DESIGN OR INSTALLATION OF WINDSHIELD/FLANGES, HOWEVER MY VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE THE VIN RANGE FOR THAT BULLETIN. MY OBSERVATION OR BELIEF IS THAT EXCESSIVE STRESS MAY STILL A FACTOR, MAKING WINDSHIELD UNACCEPTABLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CRACKING DURING SCRAPING ICE OF WINDSHIELD AND/OR IF THERE ARE CHANCES OF EXTREMELY MINOR IMPACTS THAT WOULD IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS. *CB

WINDSHIELD CRACKED BELOW BOTH WIPERS. STARTED BELOW PLASTIC TRIM, BOTH WENT VERTICAL, AND FINALLY A HORIZONTAL CRACK CONNECTED THEM. WINDSHIELD HAS OTHER "STAR" CRACKS THAT HAVE REMAINED STATIC. DEALER IS REPLACING IS AS "GOODWILL," SAYS ITS NOT THE SAME AS LISTED IN THE HONDA TSB. *CB

CRACK WINDSHIELD ON HONDA ELEMENT. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX. CLAIMED IMPACT CAUSED, BUT ONLY POINTED OUT A SUBJECTIVE PINHEAD SIZED PIT AT START OF CRACK, CLAIMING IT WAS FROM AN IMPACT. BASED ON FREQUENT SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER ELEMNT OWNERS WITH IDENTICAL CRACKS IN IDENTICAL LOCATIONS, I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CRACK WAS FROM AN IMPACT. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CRACK APPEARED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED.

WINDSHIELD DEFECT. TOO MANY SIMILAR OCCURENCES HERE AND HONDA EVEN ISSUED A TSB. HOWEVER, TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSISTED THAT IS WAS IMPACT. THE MARK WAS JUST BELOW THE WIPER BLADE AND IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE HEAD OF A PIN. I CALLED FOR THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER TO HAVE A LOOK AND HE IDENTIFIED ANOTHER SMALL SPOT AS THE IMPACT POINT. HE OFFERED TO SPLIT THE COST WITH ME. DO I HAVE ANY OTHER OPTIONS?*AK

2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO STRESS. THERE IS NO VISIBLE IMPACT POINT. THE CRACK BEGAN NEAR THE LOWER PART WHICH IS BLACK, AND CONTINUES ABOVE THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER TOWARDS THE DRIVERS DOOR. AFTER REVIEWING OTHER COMPLAINTS BY ELEMENT OWNERS, IT IS CLEAR THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS MODELS WINDSHIELD AND STRESS CRACKS.*AK

WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT ABOUT 800 MILES ON ODOMETER, STARTING AT THE BOTTOM, IN THE CENTER OF THE PASSENGER SIDE, NO IMPACT BUT CRACK SPREAD UP WINDSHIELD. DEALER CLAIMS TINY IMPACT PIT BELOW WIPER BLADE CAUSED CRACK, BUT NO STAR IMPACT PATTERN, JUST A LONG CRACK STARTING AT BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD.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

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER SWERVED TO AVOID REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND HIT A PHONE POLE DEAD CENTER. UPON IMPACT, ONLY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS REINSTALLED BY THE DEALERSHIP. ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING A MOTORIST WHO PULLED IN FRONT OF HIM. . CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE SENSOR WAS SHOWING THAT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED.*AK

I AM IN THE PROCESS OF REQUESTING REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD IN MY HONDA ELEMENT (PURCHASED AT MAJESTIC/LINCOLN ON 08/08/03). IT IS OBVIOUS THAT NO IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD HAS OCCURRED AND THE CRACK (LOWER RIGHT, PASSENGER SIDEBENEATH THE WIPER) WAS FIRST NOTICED ON THE MORNING OF 12/18/03 WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR. ORIGINALLY ABOUT FIVE INCHES IN LENGTH, AND CRAWLING UP FROM THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THEN OVER TO THE RIGHT CORNER, THE CRACK ACTUALLY GREW ANOTHER THREE INCHES IN THE TEN MINUTES WE WERE IN THE CAR. I HAVE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED BY WAY OF THE HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN DATED MAY 6, 2003 ("TSB 03-028: WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED AT THE LOWER CORNERS" FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING URL: HTTP://WWW.ELEMENTOWNERSCLUB.COM/FORUMS/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?T=2212 THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AFFECTING THE ELEMENT WINDSHIELDS AND REPLACEMENT WOULD BE COVERED BY HONDA. IT APPEARS THAT MY VIN IS NOT AMONG THOSE FEATURED IN THE BULLETIN, BUT THE DAMAGE IS IDENTICAL TO THAT OF OTHER ELEMENT OWNERS WHO HAVE REGISTERED COMPLAINTS: NO SIGN OF IMPACT, AND A CRACK IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

CRACKED WINDSHIELD. DISCOVERED A CRACK IN WINSHIELD, JUST BELOW THE WIPER BLADE , DRIVERSIDE. NO REASON FOR THIS. EXCEPT FAULTY PRODUCT.*AK

WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON BOTTOM OF PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH NO IMPACT. *AK

THE HORN AND THE ALARM SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS BACK IN DEC. 15, 2003 AND NOW THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED, THE SOUND OF THE HORN DIMINISHED WHEN USED AND THE AUTO REMOTE WAS FAILING TO ACTIVATE THE ALARM SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB *MR

ROCK HIT AND CHIPPED WINDSHELD. *AK

SPONTANEOUS WINDSHIELD CRACK. *AK

2003 HONDA ELEMENT HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, JUST ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WIPER BLADE. THE CRACK EXTENDS UPWARD ABOUT FOUR INCHES AND IS NOW EXTENDING TO THE RIGHT ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2003 HONDA ELEMENT.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD ON A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. *MR CRACKS APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO APPARENT TRIGGER. (9 INCH CRACK APPEARED ON THE LOWER LEFT SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD) *SC *JB

CRACK ON LOWER LEFT SIDE OF WINDSHIELD. CRACK ON LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF WINDSHIELD. NO OBJECTS HIT THE WINDSHIELD. NHTSA BULLETIN SHOWED PROBLEMS WITH CRACKS ON WINDSHIELDS OF HONDA ELEMENTS WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE. WINDSHIELDS ARE APPARENTLY DEFECTIVE! *CB

TICKING IN WINDSHIELD AS SOON AS DROVE OFF LOT. DEALER REPLACED WITHIN WEEKS. NOW WINDOW MAKES TICKING NOISE ONLY AFTER DRIVING EXTENDED DISTANCES. WINDSHIELD CRACKED EARLY DECEMBER 2003. *AK