2003 HONDA ELEMENT Complaints

MY 2003 HONDA ELEMENT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES WITH REGARDS TO THE SAME COMPLAINT. THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED A INTERNAL PART AND THE OTHER TIMES I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST A LOOSE CALBE. THIS HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING FOR US. AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEB SITE I REALIZED THAT THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD WE HAVE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DUE TO A STONE BUT THAT THE HONDA ELEMENT HAS A DEFECT PROBLEM WITH THEIR WINDSHIELDS. HOW INTERESTING THAT THEY DO NOT RESPOND TO THE CONSUMER! EVERYONE SHOULD CONTINUE TO WRITE IN ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS.*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

WINDSHIELD CREAKING REPAIRED PER HONDA TSB 03-028 MAINTENANCE BULLETIN. 2 BULLS-EYE CHIPS REPAIRED, BUT WERE SOON FOLLOWED BY 3 MORE IN 4 MONTHS TIME. ALL WERE FROM SMALL PEBBLES. TODAY, A SMALL PEBBLE HIT THE EDGE OF THE WINDOW WHICH GREW TO 8-10 INCHES OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY. REPLACEMENT ESTIMATES RANGE FROM $550 - $800, BUT I DON'T WANT ANOTHER HONDA WINDSHIELD IF IT'S PREDISPOSED TO CRACKING. *JB

I WAS DRIVING WEST ON VA. STATE ROUTE 33 WHEN I NOTICED A SMALL DEER IN THE ROAD. AS I MANUVERED TO AVOID THE DEER, THE CAR WENT COMPLETETLY OUT OF CONTROL. CAR STRUCK EMBANKMENT AND ROLLED OVER. CAR LANDED RIGHT SIDE UP. ALL REAR WINDOWS BROKEN OUT.VEHICLE IS TOTAL LOST. I HAVE HAD TO AVOID DEER IN TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. IF THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF CAR, DRIVERS NEED TO BE NOTIFED.*AK

2003 HONDA ELEMENT CRACKED WINDSHIELD. SAME AS MANY OTHER OWNERS. DEFINITE DESIGN DEFECT, HONDA MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS EXPENSIVE, TROUBLING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION THEY CREATED. THEY JUST BLOW OFF MOST CONSUMERS SAYING "ROCK HIT IT." HOWEVER, MOST CRACKS ARE IN SAME SPOTS AND NO STAR BURST EVIDENCING A ROCK IMPACT. WAY TOO MANY COMPLAINTS TO CHALK UP TO ROAD DEBRIS IMPACT. DON'T JUST SIT ON YOUR DUFFS AND DO NOTHING. YOU HAVE OVER 100 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON A NEW VEHICLE THAT HAS ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR LESS THAN 2 YEARS. STATISTICALLY THAT IS HUGE. SO, DON'T JUST IGNORE THIS, SIT BACK AND DO THE TYPICAL GOVERNMENT THING, WORRY ABOUT YOUR TIME OFF, SICK DAYS, AND DO THE BEUROCRATIC IGNORANCE DANCE. COME DOWN ON HONDA WITH ALL YOUR MUSCLE AND PROTECT THE COMSUMER WHO HAS NO POWER AGAINST THIS HUGELY PROFITABLE GOLIATH.*AK

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 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, THERE APPEARS TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM. IS THIS WINDSHIELD GOING TO WITHSTAND AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND KEEP THE BAG IN THE VEHICLE TO CUSHION OCCUPANTS? CONSIDERING THE LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS SEEN IN FORUMS, HONDA MOTOR CO. NEEDS TO COME OUT OF DENIAL AND START ADDRESSING THE DESIGN FLAW IN THIS VEHICLE THAT CAUSES WINDSHIELDS TO FRACTURE UNDER NORMAL USE. *JB