Honda Element Complaints (2004)

281 consumer complaints on file.

#10121960May 23, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO STRESS AT THE BOTTOM EDGE ON 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. DEALERSHIP AND HONDA USA DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND REFUSE TO REPAIR IT. CRACK DOES NOT ORIGINATE FROM A ROCK IMPACT BUT HONDA USA POLICY IS TO RULE ALL CRACKS AS RESULTING FROM ROCK IMPACT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118303April 23, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD OF MY HONDA ELEMENT. THE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD IS ABOUT 4 WEEKS OLD; IT HAD STARTED OVERNIGHT - IT WASN'T THERE WHEN I PARKED IT, BUT WAS THERE THE NEXT MORNING. I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH A SMALL CRACK, BUT DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON PROBLEMS WITH THE HONDA ELEMENT AND FOUND SEVERAL INCIDENCES OF A CRACK IN THE WINDOW STARTING IN THE SAME PLACE. I EVEN FOUND A HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB 03-028) THAT ADDRESSED THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I PURCHASED MY 04 HONDA ELEMENT IN MID-DECEMBER OF 2004, AND AT THE TIME OF THE CRACK THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. I HAVE READ THAT IF THERE WAS AN IMPACT POINT THAT CAUSED THE CRACK, THAT IMPACT POINTS ALWAYS HAVE A STAR CRACK PATTERN AROUND THEM. MINE HAS NO CRACK PATTERN EXCEPT THE LARGER CRACK THAT MOVED UPWARD AND THEN TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHIELD - NO STAR SHAPE. I HAVE ALSO READ ABOUT THE SURFACE OF THE WINDSHIELD BEING UNEVEN AND THAT A HIGH SPOT APPLIES UNEVEN PRESSURE TO THE GLASS CAUSING A STRESS CRACK. FURTHER, THAT A STRESS CRACK IS IDENTIFIED BY A HORIZONTAL CRACKS ORIGINATING IN THE LOWER CORNERS OF THE AND RADIATING TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS IS EXACTLY MY PROBLEM. I REPEAT, THE PIT WAS SMALLER THAN THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SALT AND LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDER THE WIPER BLADE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND WAS TURNED AWAY WHEN I TRIED TO HAVE MY WINDOW REPAIRED. THIS SITUATION IS NOT UNIQUE TO MY HONDA ELEMENT. THERE ARE MANY OTHER ELEMENT OWNERS THAT HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD CRACKING UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. HONDA HAS SYSTEMATICALLY ?FOUND? THAT THESE CRACKS WERE CAUSED BY ROCKS, ALTHOUGH ADMITTING IN A SERVICE BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS THAT THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF HONDA ELEMENTS, AND THAT IT IS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE WINDSHIELD FLANGE SURFACE BEING UNEVEN. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118959April 19, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WHILE PARKED IN A SECURED PARKING LOT WINDSHIELD CRACKED OVERNIGHT. THE CRACK WAS IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS ADVISED TO BUY ANOTHER. OWNER LATER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO FIX THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD WHICH IS UNDER WARRANTY. MANUFACTURER BELIEVED THAT ROAD DEBRIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CRACK. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10117227April 1, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN TECHNICAL SERVIC EBULLETIN 100929. A LONG CRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD APPEARED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10115944March 28, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER NO APPARENT IMPACT. IT WAS A COLD MORNING/AFTERNOON. CAR WAS GARAGED AT HOME AND AT WORK. THE CRACK WAS NOTICED UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE AFTER WORK. CRACK STARTED 12-14 INCHES FROM LOWER EDGE OF PASSENGER SIDE. EXTENDED FROM BENEATH WINDOW SEAL VERTICALLY FOR 5-6 INCHES AND TURNED ABRUPTLY TOWARD PASSENGER SIDE EDGE FOR 6-8 INCHES. DEALER IDENTIFIED IT AS A STRESS RELATED CRACK WITH NO APPARENT IMPACT POINT. REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10114593March 24, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FIRE OCCURRED IN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF 2004 HONDA ELEMENT WHILE IT WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN THE DRIVEWAY. FRONT UPPER QUARTER OF DOOR COMPLETELY BURNED/MELTED AWAY, DOWN TO BARE EXTERIOR METAL. EXTENSIVE SMOKE DAMAGE TO INTERIOR. VEHICLE WAS IN CONSUMER'S POSSESSION FOR ONLY 12 DAYS AND HAS FEWER THAN 300 MILES ON ODOMETER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE IT IS STILL UNDER EXAMINATION. NO EXPLANATION OR RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10113947March 11, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
A CRACK STARTED ON THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD JUST LIKE OTHER ELEMENTS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112647March 7, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
2004 HONDA ELEMENT - DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY (NO GRAVEL) IN LIGHT-SUNDAY TRAFFIC AND HEARD A "POP". NEXT DAY, NOTICED A CRACK EMERGING FROM THE BOTTOM, PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT ARCED ABOUT A FOOT ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD WITHIN TWO DAYS. JOE MARINA HONDA SAID IT WAS AN IMPACT ISSUE AND REFUSED TO REPAIR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112567March 5, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
2004 HONDA ELEMENT, AFTER ABOUT 2 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP A CRACK IN WINDOW STARTED FROM LOWER RIGHT CORNER. DEALER CLAIMED A SMALL PEBBLE MUST HAVE STRUCK IT AND REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. HAD INSURANCE REPLACE IT.*AK NEXT DAY A SECOND PEBBLE STRIKES WINDSHIELD AND A STAR CRACK FORMS NON MY NEW WINSHIELD. TWO WEEKS LATER AND I HEAR A NOISE AND ANOTHER CRACK STARTS AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD AND GROWS ABOUT 12 INCHES IN AN HOUR. HOW MANY WINDSHIELDS WILL I NEED IN A YEAR?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112336March 1, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
I OWN A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. AS WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, I HAVE A STRESS CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO DISCERNIBLE CAUSE. HONDA REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN ACCIDENT NOR IS THERE A ROAD STONE INCIDENT. THE CRACK GOES FROM JUST UNDER THE LEFT SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER, UP AND TO THE LEFT TO THE SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT HAS A VERTICAL COMPONENT OF APPROX. 6 INCHES AND THEN A HORIZONTAL COMPONENT OF 3 INCHES. THE CRACK CANNOT BE FELT ON THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112171February 25, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
I AM AN OWNER OF A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. LIKE MANY OTHER ELEMENT OWNERS, I'VE JUST HAD MY FIRST CRACKED WINDSHIELD, 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. I'VE ALSO HAD MY FIRST EXPERIENCE TRYING TO GET HONDA TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD IN THIS VEHICLE. THERE IS NO IMPACT MARK, BUT A CRACK RUNNING FROM UNDER THE RUBBER SEAL , UP AND ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS VERY SURE THAT AN IMPACT MUST HAVE CAUSED THIS, EVEN THOUGH HE COULD NOT FIND A SPECIFIC MARK USING THE IMFAMOUS "PEN TEST". I'VE READ NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND OTHERS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WHEN IS THE NHTSA GOING TO FORCE HONDA TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A DESIGN PROBLEM?!? *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112108February 24, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
CRACKED WINDSHIELD. SAME COMPLAINT AS EVERYONE ELSE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN THE GARAGE AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE SEAM HALF WAY UP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DEALER INSISTED THIS WAS NOT A FLAW OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS DUE TO A ROCK HITTING THE SEAM THOUGH THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE OF THIS. IN THE MEANTIME, THE LEFT SIDE HAS DONE THE EXACT SAME THING. THE WINDSHIELD IS ON BACK ORDER FOR OVER A MONTH. AFTER SEEING ALL OF THE LISTINGS HERE I CAN SEE WHY THERE AREN'T ANY LEFT. THIS IS CLEARLY A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE FOR MANY OWNERS. SPOKE TO HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AGAIN TODAY AND THEY STILL DENY THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND CLAIMED THEY'VE NOT HEARD OF THIS BEING A COMMON PROBLEM. VERY DISAPPOINTING. THIS IS MY 4TH HONDA AND AS A RESULT OF ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE (THIS IS MINOR IN COMPARISON) I WON'T BE BUYING ANOTHER HONDA AGAIN AND WILL BE GETTING RID OF THIS ONE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112109February 24, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM THE DEALER. IT BEGAN TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WITH THE COMPLAINT. THEY SAID THEY'D TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME. THEY CLAIMED IT COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE LEAKING AND ANY FLUID I SAW WAS CONDENSATION FROM THE AC. THE GAVE IT BACK TO ME IN A FEW HOURS CLAIMING IT WAS FINE AND AGAIN SAID THE FLUID WAS CONDENSATION. I ARGUED AND SAID IT WAS OILY. THEY CLAIMED THIS WAS BECAUSE MY GARAGE FLOOR WAS OILY. THE RESPONSE TO ME WAS: "I'M SO CONFIDENT IT IS WATER I'LL COME OVER AND LICK OF THE GARAGE FLOOR. NEW CARS DON'T LEAK." WELL, IT DID LEAK AND LOADS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. I HAD TO MOP UP THE FLUID AND RETURN WITH THE SOAKED RAG AND THE VEHICLE TO GET THEM TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. I HAD TO HAVE AN ENTIRELY NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. THIS IS MY 4TH HONDA. I'VE NEVER HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH A VEHICLE AS I'VE HAD WITH THIS ELEMENT. I'VE ONLY HAD IT 3 MONTHS NOW. VERY DISAPPOINTING. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112121February 24, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
I HAVE A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. IT HAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON IT. THE WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED BUT NOTHING EVER HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK STARTS UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER GOES UP ABOUT 6-8 INCHES AND THEN SPREADS TOWARD THE DRIVER'S SIDE ABOUT 12 INCHES. THIS IS A DEFECT AND HONDA SHOULD STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF IT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS THIS CRACK WAS NOT THERE LAST NIGHT WHEN I PARKED MY CAR, BUT WAS THERE THIS MORNING WHEN I GOT BACK IN MY CAR. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10113006February 24, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THE WINDSHIELD IS EXPERIENCING MAJOR CRACKS WITHOUT ANY CAUSE, WHICH CAN AT ANYTIME BREAK. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY CONSUMER. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10111988February 22, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
I OWN A 2004 HONDA ELEMENT. IT WAS SUBJECT A CRACKED WINDSHIELD DUE TO THE FACT THAT HONDA HAS A DESIGN FLAW WITH ITS WINDSHIELD INSTALLATION. THERE ARE STRESS POINTS WHICH CAUSE CRACKS IN THE BOTTOM CORNERS OF THE GLASS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THE ELEMENT AS HONDA HAS RELEASED A SERVICE REPORT FOR ITS DEALERS, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10110665February 17, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
2ND OCCURRENCE OF WINDSHIELD CRACK. 1ST EVENT ON 12-05-04. OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE PARKED-VERTICAL CRACK FROM UNDER TRIM BELOW DRIVER SIDE WIPER; TEE'D AT 6" AND WENT SIDE TO SIDE HORIZONTALLY. DEALER REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT CRACK. WINDSHIELD REPLACED ON 12-10-04. 2ND OCCURRENCE ON 02-15-05 WHILE VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE. VERTICAL CRACK FROM UNDER TRIM BELOW DRIVER SIDE WIPER FOR 3" THEN TEE'D AND WENT FROM SIDE TO SIDE HORIZONTALLY. CONTACTED DEALER BY PHONE - AGAIN TOTAL LACK OF INTEREST. BOTH EVENTS SHOWED PINHEAD SIZED PIT JUST BELOW WIPER. JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10111579February 15, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED TWICE, DRIVER DROVE TO THE DEALER ON THE LAST INCIDENT, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10110504February 14, 2005
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
2004 HONDA ELEMENT. WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR LESS THAN 1 YEAR AND ALREADY THERE ARE 2 IMPACT CRACKS AND ONE IN-EXPLICABLE CRACK WHICH COMES FROM THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND CURVES UP ABOUT 12 INCHES. DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THERE IS AN IMPACT ON THE CRACK RUNNING FROM LOWER PASSENGER SIDE (SAID THAT RAN A RAZOR OVER CRACK WHICH TELLS THEM THERE IS AN IMPACT). AM WRITING A LETTER TO HONDA AND COPYING NHTSA.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10111354February 11, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE CONSUMER NOTICED OIL RUNNING OUT OF HER VEHICLE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE CONSUMERS SON INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE OIL PLUG WAS MISSING. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALER AND WAITED ON THE TOW TRUCK TO TRANSPORT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Honda Element