2003 HONDA ELEMENT Complaints

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. 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

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

TRAVELING WEST ON RESIDENTIAL ROAD AT APROX. 15 MPH. WAS STRUCK IN REAR PASSENGER PANEL BY A 4 DOOR SEDAN WHO WAS STOPPED ON ROAD TO THE NORTH WAITING TO TURN EAST. MY HONDA ELEMENT SKID UNTIL FACING NORTH AND PROCEDED TO ROLL AND SLIDE ON DRIVERS SIDE, BECAME AIRBORN LANDED ON PASSENGER FRONT ROOF CORNER, THEN ONTO PASSENGER SIDE AND COMMING TO A REST IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. I WAS DRIVING. TWO YEAR OLD SON IN CAR SEAT BEHIND ME. SEVEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN REAR PASSANGER SEAT. ALL BUCKLED SAFELY. INJURIES CONSIST OF SOFT TISSUE/CONNECTIVE TISSUE DAMAGE THUS FAR. CHILDREN EXPERIENCED NAUSSEA AND VOMMITING FOR SEVERAL DAYS AFTER. THE ELEMENT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHER ELEMENT DRIVERS. *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

PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD, CD PLAYER, HORN AND ALARM.*MR THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER A SMALL PIECE OF DEBRIS HIT IT. THE CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING AFTER IT HAD BEEN PLAYING FOR 5 HOURS. THE RIGHT SIDE BUMPER FELL OFF. *NM

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

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MATERIAL/ITS STRUCTURE OR BOTH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO HAVE SEVERE BACK PAINS. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE SEAT WAS POORLY STRUCTURED. CONSUMER SPOKE TO 5 OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND THEY ALL ARE EXPERIENCED THE SAME BACK PAINS. *AK *LA