2004 Honda Element ex from North America - Comments

Cracked windsheild.

Today I became an offecial element owner with my first cracked windsheild! I was only going about 40 miles an hour so no way should this have cracked!! I see the dealrship in a few days, but I don, t think they will be of any help! was wondering if a hood deflector might help?

It is a design flaw!!! Honda issued a service order on the 2003's for cracked windshields-if you replace it will do the same thing. See hondaelementscrack. com for more info.

I had purchase my 2004 Element in January. In February my windshield broke in an empty parking lot. Honda ha replace 3 since than and now I am on my 4th within 13,000 miles and 10 months. Honda will not admit to the design flaws even with all the complaints out there. I am suing them because of the lemon law of North Carolina. Basiclly American Honda said go ahead and the dealer said that the windshield is up and down and it has a better chance to break than a car does. I cannot afford the time and money to replace the windshield every 3000 miles.

I was in my BRAND NEW 6 day old Element (purchased Monday November 22nd 2004), driving to the movie theater when it happened. I heard a crack, but did not see anything, so I thought nothing of it.

(Mind you, I have had my Honda Courtesy Calls, the first time was Day 2 of owning the car, and I kid you not, I mentioned the windshield cracking issue and asked her if this problem was fixed, and I told the Honda Customer Service Rep that I had read multiple posts online, including the ones on www.hondaelementscrack.com. She said she'd check into it and call me back, not even finishing the survey. Day 4, I get the call again and it is a different Honda Customer Service Rep and I complete the survey, and gave Honda all 100% thumbs up, then she ask me if I had any questions, and I again told her the windshield issues I read about. I told her I went to Google and typed in "HONDA ELEMENT COMPLAINTS" and that was how I found out about the windsheild issues. She said that someone would call me back. This is all true, now back to the main story)

So today is Wednesday December 1st 2004, and BAM, out of no where, I see a 6 inch crack in the center of the windshield.

Again, like EVERYONE elses stories, it also has a "impact" type pin size hole, no stars effect. (sound familiar anyone?!?!?)

So, I immediately panic and call my salesman from Gillman Honda of Houston. He told me to come by so that can see if it is covered under warranty.

I arrive and they say that it looks like there was an "impact". I know there was NO IMPACT. So, they denied my 9 DAY OLD Element a new windshield. I was pissed. So I asked how much would it cost to fix. They said ball park figure was $450. I was thinking great, my insurance deductible is $500. So I sent in a claim to my insurance and in the mean time to see if they can work around it. I am going to call Honda of America and speak with the Customer Service Rep.

Does Anyone know if the windshield issue has been addressed in the 2005 models of the element? I am waiting for my element to come in and am worried about this windshield issue.

Angel.

I was driving my (new-to-me) '04 with 60k and heard a very loud BANG (sounded like a .22 firing) but saw no rock or chip. It almost sounded like the windshield suddenly expanded as the sound seemed to come from the upper right corner. I would have seen the rock if it was a rock due to the angle of the windshield... it will absorb most or all of the energy in the projectile whereas a more sloped ws would allow the projectile to glance upwards and away and retain energy. So I am waiting for a crack to develop!!! otherwise this is far and away the best vehicle I have ever owned, love everything about it. A lot of bad mis-info out there on this vehicle.. take with a grain of salt.

I baught my honda new: it's an 04 ex. I am a courier and have replaced my windshield 8 times. note to everyone out there honda has no fix for this problem unless you want to spend $4000 and have the top chopped and raked back 3 inches then order a custom windshield. I'm callin Nascar to get one made of lexan. This is still the best car I have ever owned.