Honda Element Complaints

1,283 consumer complaints on file.

#10055423February 26, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD HAS A STRESS CRACK IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER. MANUFACTURER HAS AGREED TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT COST TO THE OWNER. *AK DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING AND IMPROPERLY FINISHED RIVETS IN THE LOWER SECTION OF THE WINDOW FRAME. *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058933February 25, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
DEFECT IN WINDSHIELD ON 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. CRACK APPEARS IN BOTTOM MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD AND THEN MOVES UPWARD AND THE ACROSS TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE.*AK HONDA DEALER SAID IT WAS A ROCK IMPACT, HOWEVER, IT IS NOT PITTED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058916February 24, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
DROVE VEHICLE HOME SATURDAY NIGHT NO PROBLEM. SUNDAY MORNING DISCOVERED 8 INCH CRACK IN WINDSHIELD ORIGINATING UNDER DRIVER SIDE WINDSHILD WIPER AND TRAVELING UPWARDS TO THE LEFT. DEALER CLAIMS IT IS AN IMPACT CRACK NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY, BUT I AM SURE THERE WAS NO IMPACT SATURDAY NIGHT. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET OF OTHERS HAVING THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058797February 23, 2004
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
I HAVE A 2003 ELEMENT. I HAVE HAD TWO BROKEN WINDOWS ALREADY. THE MOST RECENT DOCUMENTED BELOW. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058709February 22, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
CRACKED WINDSHIELD: CONSISTENT WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER HONDA ELEMENT OWNERS, ON ONE PARTICULARLY COLD (BY CA STDS. ANYWAY) MORNING, I TURNED ON MY DEFROSTER AND THE WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING FROM THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER. THE CRACK HAS TRAVELED ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS IN A PATTERN THAT MIRRORS THAT OF THE DEFROSTER OUTLETS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10059459February 19, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
SERVICE MANAGER DISCREDITED CONSUMER'S CLAIM THAT TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OR WARRANTY TO CORRECT CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. (NAR) *LA *CB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058297February 16, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
DEFECT IN WINSHIELD AFTER 500 MILES (CRACKED). *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10059125February 13, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD, AND CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES VERY HARD IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058122February 13, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THE WINDSHIELD HAS CHIPPED AND CRACKED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE 9 MONTHS WE HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. IT WAS BRAND NEW AND THERE IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT THE DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058132February 13, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD ON 2004 HONDA ELEMENT SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. STARTED BELOW DRIVERS SIDE WIPER BLADE AND HEADED STRAIGHT UP. NO ROCK OR SAND PITS. THE HONDA ELEMENT OWNER CLUB WEBSITE HAS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH MIXED RESPONSES FROM HONDA AND THEIR DEALERS. EVEN IF COVERED BY WARRANTY WHAT DO WE DO WHEN IT EXPIRES? DRIVE AROUND WITH CRACKS ALL OVER OUR WINDSHIELDS? DEALER SAID THERE ARE NO TSBS ON THIS BUT OWNERS CLUB WEBSITE HAS THEM. DEALER DID SAY ON PHONE THAT IF A STRESS FRACTURE THEY WILL REPLACE BUT WARNED IF THERE IS ANY SIGN OF A ROCK THEY WON'T AND THAT IT IS OBVIOUS IF IT IS A ROCK. NO SIGN OF ANY PIT AT ALL. IF YOU READ THE OWNER'S CLUB WEBSITE YOU SEE MUCH DISCUSSION ON WHAT IS A VERY OBVIOUS PROBLEM THAT HONDA HAS THAT THYE AREN'T REALLY DEALING WITH VERY OPENLY. THANKS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056749February 7, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
SAND CRACKED WINDSHIELD BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE CORNER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056647February 6, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
ELEMENT BOUGHT JULY 2003. I DRIVE ALOT OF HIGHWAY MILES, ALLREADY 28,000 MILES. I HAVE PROBABLY DROVE CLOSE TO 800,000 MILES IN MY 25 YEARS OF DRIVING. ONCE THAT I KNOW OFF DID A WINDSHIELD CRACK.....MAYBE TWICE. I HAVE FOUR INCIDENTS OF ROCK CHIPS ALLREADY. ONE OF THE CRACKS SPANS THE WIDTH OF THE WINDOW. AS A STATISTICAL MANAGER FOR MY JOB, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A PURCHASING MESS UP WITH SUB-STANDARD GLASS QUALITY. THERE HAS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS WINDSHIELD TO AN UPGRADED QUALITY OF GLASS. IT IS NOT SO MUCH THE SAFETY FACTOR AS IT IS THE $500 REPLACEMENT AND INSURANCE COSTS. SOMEBODY MADE A MAJOR MISTAKE IN A VENDOR AND MOST LIKELY IS NOT SUPPLYING WINDSHIELDS TO HONDA ANYMORE AND IS PROBABLY OUT OF BUSINESS OR CHANGED THEIR NAME FOR LIABILITY SAKE. THIS ISSUE WILL NOT GO AWAY!! *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056569February 5, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
CRACKED WINDSHIELD.....AGAIN. 2ND CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN TWO MONTHS. TOLD THIS WAS IMPACT DAMAGE FROM DEALER. DEALER POINTED OUT MICROSCOPIC "CHIP" AT THE SEAL LINE. 20+ YEARS OF DRIVING NEVER HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD NOW HAVE TWO. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056633February 5, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WHILE SITTING IN A HOSPITAL PARKING RAMP MY WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING AND SPREAD UNTIL IT WENT FROM DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS UP ABOUT FOUR INCHES AND ACROSS TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BACK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS. BETWEEN MY WIFE AND MYSELF WE HAVE OWNED CLOSE TO TWENTY VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056469February 3, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
AFTER A LOT OF COMPLAINING, TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, I FINALLY HAD MY WINDSHIELD REPLACED AFTER A 12" CRACK APPEARED FROM UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER BLADE ONE NIGHT IN JUNE 03. IT TOOK UNTIL DECEMBER 03 TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE (800 NUMBER) WAS TERRIBLE AND AFTER A WHILE THEY JUST KEPT REPEATING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. MY DEALERSHIP STEPPED UP AFTER I COMPLAINED TO THE SALES MANAGER AND LET HIM KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THE CAR AND EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO START TELLING THEM-THAT WE WERE GETTING TREATED POORLY BY HONDA. THEY REPLACED IT UNDER "GOODWILL". A FEW WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A SMALL DING IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, NO STAR, AND WE TURNED ON THE DEFROST AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM CORNER TO CORNER BEFORE OUR EYES. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS TOTALLY NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR A WINDSHIELD. I LET STATE FARM KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THEY'RE LOOKING INTO IT. WE ARE REALLY DISAPPOINTED--NO, IRATE--WITH HONDA, AND NOT AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS TAKEN CARE OF FOR GOOD.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056338February 2, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
A CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE LOWER CORNER AT THE BASE BEHIND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER THAT EVENTUALLY SPREAD UP 8 INCHES AND ACROSS 8 INCHES AND BACK DOWN TO THE BASE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY TYPE OF EVIDENCE OF ANY TYPE OF ROCK CHIPPING OR DAMAGE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ASSURED ME THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. THE DAY IT WAS TO BE REPLACED THEY CALLED AND SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM. NOW THERE IS EVIDENCE OF SOME MAGIC "ROCK CHIP" AND THEY WENT AHEAD AND INSTALLED THE NEW WINDSHIELD ANYWAY WITHOUT MY CONSENT. NOW THEY WANT THEIR $553.00. GO FIGURE. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH CRACK IN UNDER 7 MONTHS OF OWNING MY HONDA ELEMENT. MY VIN FALLS UNDER THE HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN # 03-028 AS HAVING THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD AS WELL. IT'S ALL A SCAM! THEY WANT YOU TO CLAIM IT ON YOUR INSURANCE SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THESE REPAIRS. THEN THEY TRY TO HOLD YOUR VEHICLE HOSTAGE IF YOU DON'T PAY THEM IMMEDIATELY. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THESE GESTAPO TACTICS. THEY KNOWINGLY SOLD ME A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE, AND NOW THEY WANT TO PASS THE BUCK TO WHOMEVER WILL PAY EXCLUDING THEMSELVES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056281February 1, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD ON 2003 HONDA ELEMENT FOUND IN GARAGE WITH A CRACK NEAR THE BOTTOM CORNER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE HONDA DEALER AND REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO DAMAGE FROM ANY IMPACT. THIS HAS BECOME A GROWING PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THESE VEHICLES WHICH HONDA HAS THUSFAR NOT TAKEN CARE OF. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056234January 31, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
I PURCHASED A 2003 HONDA ELEMENT IN OCT-03 AND CURRENTLY HAVE 4400 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ON 1-24-04 A VERY SMALL PEBBLE "NICKED" MY WINDSHIELD ( NO STAR) AT THE BASE ( JUST UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE) CAUSING A WINDSHIELD CRACK THAT HAS GROWN TO ABOUT 12 INCHES IN LENGTH. I HAVE DRIVEN VEHICLES OVER 35 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH SUCH A MINOR PEBBLE HIT. I CHECKED THE HONDA WEBSITE - SEE TECH ADVISORY( 03-028) BUT HONDA AUTHORIZATIONS ARE ONLY FOR WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF IMPACT. I DON'T BUY HONDA'S EXPLANATION. GLASS STRESS IS JUST THAT & STRESS ON GLASS THAT IS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED, FITTED, OR DESIGNED WILL LEAD TO CRACKS FROM MINOR IMPACTS AT A HIGHER RATE. I VISITED THE HTTP://WWW.HONDAELEMENT.ORG/SHOWTHREAD.PHP WEBSITE AND NOTED THAT 25 TO 30 % OF NEW ELEMENT OWNER COMPLAINTS HAD TO DO WITH CRACKED WINDSHIELDS. IN SOME CASES OWNER HAD ALREADY REPLACED THEIR WINDSHIELDS TWICE ($500.00 A POP). HONDA'S CURRENT POLICY IS TO SIDE STEP THE PROBLEM. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND HONDA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO STEP UP AND WORK TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I AM ALSO GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED BEFORE THE PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED AND SOLVED. THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS REPORTED ON THE WEB SITE NOTED ABOVE REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH IMPROPER INSTALLATION/FIT OF NEW WINDSHIELDS (SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, PERSISTENT RATTLES, & CRACKS) AFTER REPLACEMENT. IF HONDA ISN'T GOING TO STEP UP - SOMEONE ( HOPEFULLY NHTSA) WILL. ACCORDINGLY, I AM SURPRISED AT HONDA'S "HEAD IN THE SAND" ATTITUDE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM NHTSA ON THE EVOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM IF THAT IS WITHIN YOUR POLICY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10055144January 29, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
ON 1/24/04, I NOTICED A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD WHILE PARKED. THE CRACK IS IN THE LOWER RIGHT PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD, BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES FROM THE BOTTOM, EXTENDS 2 INCHES TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, THEN MAKES A 90 DEGREE BEND STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BASED ON THE TSB REGARDING THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF WINDSHIELDS ON '03 HONDA ELEMENTS. THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION CREATES UNDUE STRESS THAT RESULTS IN CRACKING. THE SERVICE MANAGER IDENTIFIED A PINHEAD SIZE IMPACT MARK UNDER THE SIDE MOLDING STRIP THAT HE SAYS CAUSED THE DAMAGE. EVEN WITH THE TSB THAT I BELIEVE CAUSED THE CRACK TO SPREAD BEYOND REPAIR, THE DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE THE GLASS AND REPAIR THE DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10056123January 29, 2004
WHEELS
THE STEEL WHEELS CAN'T BE BALANCED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE BOUNCES ALL OVER THE ROAD. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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