2003 Honda Element Visibility Problems

WINDSHIELD LEAKED WATER, DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX. WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND WAS CITED BY POLICE OFFICER FOR NOT FIXING, DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX. UPON REPLACEMENT THE REPAIR GUYS JUST LAUGHED AND SAID THAT THAT GLASS WAS SEATED IMPROPERLY AND ASKED WHO HAD REPLACED IT. I RESPONDED THAT IT WAS THE ORIGINAL, THEY TOLD ME NOT TO BUY ANY MORE HONDAS. KEY WOULD NO LONGER WORK IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. REPLACED SOMETHING AT DEALERSHIP FOR $800 AS WELL AS THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW AS IT STOPPED MOVING DUE TO THE MOTOR DYING AT AROUND 60,000 MILES. NOW THE KEYS DON'T WORK IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE NOR DOES THE WINDOW. IN ANOTHER INCIDENT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AFTER FULLY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 5-10 MPH AND DRIFTING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING MODERATE DAMAGE. HONDA HAS NOT RESPONDED TO ANY INQUIRES MADE BY CONSUMER. NOR HAS DEALERSHIP. I STILL OWE 10,000 DOLLARS ON THIS CAR, HAVE SPENT OVER 3000 IN REPAIRS AND AT THIS POINT WANT TO DRIVE IT INTO A TREE AT A HIGH SPEED. *KB

NHTSA ID

10446217

Incident

Jul 12, 2011

Mileage

700,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO FUNCTION WHEN THEY WERE ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE SIMILAR DEFECT PERTAINING TO THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD AND THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS 08V169000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE MALFUNCTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10444029

Incident

Jan 15, 2012

Mileage

140,000 mi

2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT BOTTOM OF PASSENGER SIDE WHILE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SO I HAD IT REPLACED. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER CRACKED SAME LOCATION AND EVENTUALLY SPLIT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD BLOCKING VIEW. CALLED MFG AND WAS TOLD DUE TO BEING OVER 60,000 MILES I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. WHAT DOES THE MILEAGE HAVE TO DO WITH THE WINDSHIELD. MY VEHICLE HAD 63,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME, WHICH WAS 2008. NOW I FIND THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE TO BEING WITHIN THE 6 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES BUT THEY WITHHELD THAT INFORMATION. HONDA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THESE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS!! WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WHY IS HONDA NOT GIVING ALL THE DETAILS? DO WE NEED TO HIRE A LAWYER TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION? *TR

NHTSA ID

10320491

Incident

Jan 11, 2008

Mileage

63,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILS WITH LOUD BANG AND WINDOW FALLS INTO DOOR WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE TWICE, ONCE IN APRIL 2008 AND AGAIN FEBRUARY 2010. ON-LINE RESEARCH WITH "ELEMENT OWNERS CLUB" INDICATES THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10305675

Incident

Feb 3, 2010

Mileage

88,574 mi

STRESS CRACKS ON FRONT WINDSHIELD ON 2003 HONDA ELEMENT AS DESCRIBED BY OTHER HONDA OWNERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10241053

Incident

Sep 1, 2008

Mileage

70,000 mi

POOR HEATING DUE TO RESTRICTED HEATER CORE. AN IDENTICAL PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE 2004,AND 2005 ELEMENT (REF. HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN 07-076 DATED 11/28/2007) AND THE HEATER CORE IS THUS REPLACED UNDER THE NORMAL WARRANTY. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM BEGAN ON MY 2003 ELEMENT IN 2006 AND THE VEHICLE IS STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, HONDA SERVICE PERSONNEL REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE THE TROUBLE AS A FACTORY DEFECT AND WILL CHARGE IN EXCESS OF $1,500 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED A TSB HAD BEEN ISSUED REGARDING CONTAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COOLANT WHICH COULD CAUSE RESTRICTIONS IN THE HEATER CORE AND RADIATOR AND SOMETIMES CORROSION. UPDATED 03/05/09. *JB

NHTSA ID

10214316

Incident

Jan 9, 2008

Mileage

50,000 mi

HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE WINDSHEILD ONCE. IT CURRENTLY HAS 3 SEPERATE CRACKS AT THE MOMENT THAT WERE NOT FROM ANYTHING HITTING PLUS ONE THAT IS. THAT IS A TOTAL OF 4. *TR

NHTSA ID

10210197

Incident

Nov 1, 2007

I PURCHASED MY CAR IN AUGUST 2003, AND THIS HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACK OCCURRED IN AUGUST OF 2004 FROM NO OBVIOUS REASONS SUCH AS SOMETHING HITTING MY WINDSHIELD. I WAS HAVING OTHER ISSUES WITH THE ELEMENT AND I ASKED MY HONDA ADVISOR ABOUT THE CRACK AND SHE TOLD ME THAT HONDA WOULD NOT REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AND THAT IT WOULD BE OUT OF POCKET FOR ME. NOW I HAVE FOUND A HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN FROM MAY 6, 2003 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD AND IT WAS TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR IS 118,000 MILES NOW AND I AM SO LIVID THAT MY HONDA ADVISOR REFUSED TO FIX THIS CRACK WHICH HAS GROWN TO MORE THAN 4 INCHES. PLEASE HELP. *JB

NHTSA ID

10204427

Incident

Aug 1, 2004

Mileage

28,000 mi

MY 2003 ELEMENT DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR AFTER I BOUGHT IT NEW (I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DATE EXACTLY). *JB

NHTSA ID

10201873

Incident

May 1, 2004

2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHEILD. THIS WILL BE THE 3RD WINDSHIELD THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ON THE IS VEHICLE. EACH TIME IT CRACKS IN THE LOCATION THAT HONDA SAYS THERE IS A PROBLEM. I'VE HAD TO PAY FOR THE WINDSHIELD REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID

10191613

Incident

May 10, 2006

Mileage

51,000 mi

CRACKED WINDSHIELD...DRIVER'S SIDE...JUST SHOWED UP ONE AFTERNOON LIKE AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR...*JB

NHTSA ID

10185105

Incident

Jan 8, 2007

MY 2003 HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH NO APPARENT REASON. THE CRACK STARTS BELOW THE RUBBER STRIP NEAR THE PIVOT OF THE DRIVER WINDSHIELD WIPER. THE CRACK IS MIGRATING UPWARDS INTO MY VIEWING AREA. *JB

NHTSA ID

10183307

Incident

Feb 20, 2007

Mileage

27,950 mi

WE BOUGHT OUR 2003 HONDA ELEMENT 7/03 NEW AND SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD CRACKS FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD IN 2003. RECENTLY 8/06 WE HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER REPLACEMENT AND HAD TO TAKE IT BACK FOR LEAKS AND THE REPAIR SHOP TRIED TO FIX IN 10/06. WINDSHIELD WAS STILL LEAKING SO THE SAME REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD 11/06 AGAIN AND NOW THERE ARE MORE LEAKAGE. I DON'T SEE HOW HONDA CAN JUSTIFY THIS WITH ANOTHER WINDSHIELD WHEN THE REAL PROBLEM EXISTS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE 2003-2004 MODELS. THE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT THAT IS GOING ON ONLY STATES THE REPAIR AND REIMBURSEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD(S) NOT THE DEFECT ITSELF. SO WE HAVE A VEHICLE THAT LEAKS, NOT WORTH THE AMOUNT WE STILL OWE ON IT AND CANNOT SEE AN END TO THIS WINDSHIELD PROBLEM WITHOUT FIXING THE ORIGINAL DEFECT PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174685

Incident

Jul 30, 2003

WINDSHIELD ON MY ELEMENT 2003, DEVELOPPED A CRACK. DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NO SIGN OF HIT BY ROCK OR OTHER. WAS PARKED AT WORK ALL DAY THEN WHEN LEAVING WORK NOTICED THAT CRACK? *NM

NHTSA ID

10170359

Incident

Feb 1, 2005

2003 HONDA ELEMENT DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. EASILY CRACKS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10169751

Incident

Oct 16, 2005

MY HONDA ELEMENT HAD A STRESS FRACTURE IN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10165722

Incident

Feb 14, 2006

Mileage

37,000 mi

CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN MY 2003 HONDA ELEMENT STEMMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE BOTTOM CORNER. BURNS HONDA IN CHERRY HILL, NJ SAYS IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND WILL NOT FIX IT FREE OF CHARGE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10162390

Incident

Jul 14, 2006

Mileage

72,000 mi

MY 2003 ELEMENT WITH 30,000 MILES WAS PARKED FOR 3 WEEKS IN AN INDOOR PARKING STRUCTURE NEAR THE AIRPORT. I RETURNED FROM MY TRIP TO FIND THE SAME KIND OF CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT OTHERS ON THIS SITE HAVE DESCRIBED. IT STARTED FROM THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AND WENT UP ABOUT 12 INCHES. I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF ANY STONES HAVING HIT THE WINDSHIELD PRIOR TO LEAVING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10162132

Incident

Jul 10, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELDS CRACKED TWICE. BOTH WINDSHIELDS CRACKED WITHIN THE SAME SPOT ON THE LOWER LEVEL PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDOW. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THANKSGIVING OF 2005 AT 50000 MILES. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALER IN JANUARY OF 2006. AND AT 4000 MILES AFTER THE REPLACEMENT IN APRIL OF 2006, THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD SUFFERED THE SAME DAMAGE. THE COLORADO REGIONAL DEALER MANAGER CAME OUT ON 06/21/06 AND INSPECTED THE WINDSHIELD. THE MANAGER DETERMINED THE WINDSHIELD LOOKED LIKE A ROCK CRACK. THERE WERE NO TOOLS OR EQUIPMENT UTILIZED BY THE MANAGER TO DETERMINE THE FINAL DECISION. THE FINAL DECISION WAS THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WINDSHIELD. ON JUNE 12TH, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACK WAS WORSE. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THE WINDSHIELDS (FILED IN LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA SUPERIOR COURT CASE # BC319600, FILED IN 2004, NO VERDICT YET).

NHTSA ID

10160389

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

Mileage

54,000 mi

MY HONDA ELEMENT 2003 HAS NOW HAD 3 CRACKED WINDOWS UNDER A YEAR. THIS SEEMS VERY EXCESSIVE AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES. I FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ONLINE. PLEASE ADVISE. THANKS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10159779

Incident

Jun 12, 2006

HELLO, I PURCHASED A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT WITH A CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN FEBRUARY, 2006. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND NOW IT IS CRACKED ONCE AGAIN IN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PLACE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10157124

Incident

Aug 15, 2005

Mileage

28,500 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING OUT, A CRACK FORMED IN THE CORNER OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS PRESENT THAT CAUSED THE CRACK. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE CRACK WAS CAUSED BY STRESS FROM THE VEHICLE'S STRUCTURE. THERE WERE TWO TSB FOR THE WINDSHIELD, NHTSA ITEM NUMBERS 10009029 AND 10001628. THE VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER TSB BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE.

NHTSA ID

10151056

Incident

Feb 7, 2006

Mileage

26,000 mi

ONE MORNING I GOT INTO CAR AND WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED TOP CENTER. THE CAR IS ALWAYS GARAGED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147123

Incident

Dec 26, 2005

2003 HONDA ELEMENT...FRONT WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER...WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR A 2ND REPLACEMENT...BOUGHT THE CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2003...1ST WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT APRIL 2004...2ND REPLACEMENT DECEMBER 2005. *JB

NHTSA ID

10145657

Incident

Dec 2, 2005

WINDSHIELD ON 2003 HONDA ELEMENT DEVELOPED A CRACK (WITHOUT ANY IMPACT) WHICH ORIGINATED FROM LOWER EDGE (BELOW WIPER, DRIVERS SIDE) AND WITHIN 24 HOURS HAD SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144859

Incident

Dec 4, 2005