This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Bought 2004 Honda Element ex in Feb 2004. Since then have had 2 stone chips and now have a crack along the lower passenger side edge of the windshield. The car only has 6,000 miles on it. I've had cars that have lasted 100,000 miles with less damage.
The other day I was leaving from work, and upon entering my Honda Element I noticed a 4"-6" crack on the passengers side of the windshield, stretching from just below the wiper blade to approximately 4" up the pillar. Upon noticing this I immediately took my car to the dealership where I had purchased the Element. The service manager came out and did the "pen test" and the "pen test found a small pit along the crack." The service manager explained to me that this pit was caused from possibly a rock that hit the windshield just on the edge of the weather striping. With this answer seeming a little strange to me I decided to investigate further. In searching the internet I found a large number of people complaining about the same problem. Even my coworker had the same problem but he didn't think twice about the Honda Element, trusting that the service manager was correct he turned it into his insurance. I also came across a class action suit that was filed August. 04, 2004 against Honda sitting the same problems. On top of this finding I also noticed that May 6th, 2003 (only several months after the Element was on the market for the public) Honda issued a service bulletin sitting the same problem in only a select few of the Elements. I feel that Honda should be backing there product whether it be a design flaw, weak glass, or a rock that damaged my windshield due to un unseen amount of stress.
First day of our vacation, we made our first stop for gas. I went in to bathroom while my husband filed tank. When we got back in car, we noticed 5" crack coming up from under trim strip, left of center near wiper attachment. Nothing had impacted windshield during 2hr drive from home to this point. The car was parked under a canapy & my husband or I were with car the entire time it was at the station. During the rest of our 5,000 mile trip, the crack spread slowly. We took it to the dealer we purchased it from. They say it was caused by impact of rock or bug. We searched internet & found a service bulletin from Honda sent out in 2003 for on how to fix windshields in 03 models as they were having problems w/stress cracks in same place ours cracked. We informed our dealer of this-still no word on repair/repacement of ours.
Driving on the road and again my windshield cracked. This will be my fourth windshield in 12K miles. Obvious a design flaw since I have been driving for over 30 years and during that time only one windshield needed to be replace. Honda states that the windshield is upright and cannot deflect road hazzard like a car can I gues I need to replace a windshield every 3K miles or not drive it on the highways. This is a dangerous situation and Honda needs to take respsibilty for thier design flaw.
Windshield damage. Honda case number #N012004092702375 (complain filed 9/12/04). Driving on the highway when my windshield got a ding bottom left then immediately the glass cracked about 12 inches. Honda 2004 Element with less than 3,700 miles.
I was driving on the parkway with no one in front of me, heard a pop and a 5" crack appeared on my windshield(drivers side). The crack has grown an additional 3-4 inches in the past week. There is "no evidence" of road or rock debris having hit it. The dealership refused warranty coverage although a service bulletin was issued for this problem.
Crack in windshield begins under driver's side windshield wiper grows upward and the flares off in direction of passenger wiper. No impact, crack appears while car is parked. Car 3 weeks old with 1100 miles. After much discussion with service department, windshield replaced but said it would be a one time only replacemment basis as a good will gesture.
The windshield on my Element cracked as I was driving down the street. As there were few cars on the road and none in front of me for perhaps a 1/4 mile, I am confident that there was no road debris or anything else which hit the windshield. Over the course of the next 30 minutes I watched as the crack expanded an additional 3 inches, totalling about 7 inches. This is troubling since there are reports of this being a problem with Honda Elements and Honda denies that there is a problem.
Today, I found an 8 inch crack on my windshield of my 2004 Honda Element. I don't recall anything hitting my windshield recently and there is no star or chipping on the windshield, indicating an impact. I have another car that had windshield damage, but that was due to a bolt that came flying at the car. The crack seems to start on the edge (under the rubber seal) about 6 inches above the bottom and extends up in a "J" shape. I believe this is due to the defective windshield problem I have read about.
Recurring cracks and chips in windshield of Honda Element... had windshield replaced after 1 week of owning vehicle... multi-chips in windshield again... many Element owners have reported the same... there is even a website called elementcracks.com where owners have reported the same problems.
Parked the car in the garage and there was no issue. I got in the car the next morning to find a 2" crack in the windshield starting at the top with no sign of impact. Crack has since grown to almost the entire windshield height with no extreme changes in temperature or light (I have been out of the country for the last few weeks and the car has been in my garage.
Honda Element 2004 - had for about 3 weeks, crack developed under windshield wiper, driver side. Started from bottom, came up about 3 inches, miniscule starburst, then another ten or so inches. Honda dealer refused to repair under warranty or goodwill claim.
Windshield cracked (in 2 separate places!?!) with no apparent rock chip or damage. I have owned the car less than 6 months when this happens. Apparently a defect that many others have complained about. No cooperation from the dealership I purchased at. Won't make my next car a Honda because of thier failure to acknowledge the problem.
Crack in windshield that starts at corner, passenger side, and continues at 45 degree angle (approx) 16". no identifiable impact point. Obvious stress failure due to windshield or mounting flange defect. Have not yet contacted purchaseing dealer. Car is 3 months old with 12,000 miles.
My windshield cracked on the lower passenger side area around the wiper. Nothing hit the windshield and it appears to be a pressure crack. We only have around 1400 miles on the Element. It is the 2004 model.
The windshield of a 2004 Honda Element I've had for about a month developed a crack while parked in the driveway. The crack appears to have started at the base of the windshield. It goes up and then curves out toward the left side of the car (facing forward outside the car).
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Lafayette, CO, USA