Honda just issued a service bulletin #03-028 about windshield breakage. Evidently it says that the glass is cracking from an uneven flange which needs to be ground down and the glass replaced. I read about this on the following web:

http://www.hondaelement.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1780

if i goto my dealer and ask for to read a copy of service bulletin #03-028
is that cool? do y'all think they will show it to me?

MT

[quote:e9d6727018="MicroTone"]if i goto my dealer and ask for to read a copy of service bulletin #03-028
is that cool? do y'all think they will show it to me?

MT[/quote:e9d6727018]

I am not sure if they will show it to you or not. However, being an informed and educated car owner can only help if you are having this windshield problem. I am not sure how the service departments will handle this situation. Certainly they will not simply change all of the windshields since not everyone is having a problem. Maybe you should call ahead and make reference to the service bulletin and see what they say.

Most likely, if you have a crack in the glass, they will have to look at it and decide if it was caused from the defect or not.

[quote:8486e2559c="jayharley"]Honda just issued a service bulletin #03-028 about windshield breakage. Evidently it says that the glass is cracking from an uneven flange which needs to be ground down and the glass replaced. I read about this on the following web:

http://www.hondaelement.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1780[/quote:8486e2559c]

Do they intend to fix the flange problem on the new elements that are going to be produced. I wonder if there is a way I can find this out. My new Element is schedule to be built between May 15 & 18th and I would think if Honda knows this is a problem now they would remedy this situation beforehand.

LittleDogBox
Arlington, Va.

well, i just spoke with the service dept. at the dealership from which i purchased my vehicle. i made an initial enquiry about the windshield issue and the release of any service bulletins relating to this and i was promptly told that 'honda does not release that information". this was also accompanied by a GREAT DEAL of attitude.

i don't know if they are experiencing a lot of heat on this or if this guy just had a lot of monday attitude. i politely requested that he check into it and offered the honda bulletin number as provided. with resignation he told me he would look into it and get back to me.

i must say, i am NOT/NOT impressed with the service dept. of my dealership. if this continues i plan to escalate to managment before i start tossin' attitude back their way. with EVERY dealer installed option these has been a problem and with every second communication there has been attitude. it is like i am lucky to just own a honda. well i am, and i have for over seven years, just never a new honda that i had to deal with the dealership.

for anyone else in the ottawa area ( probably not a lot of you ) you might want to consider another dealreship for service work. hunt club honda is apearing to be not/not up to the task.

[quote:d27da54a2d="hambone"]well, i just spoke with the service dept. at the dealership from which i purchased my vehicle. i made an initial enquiry about the windshield issue and the release of any service bulletins relating to this and i was promptly told that 'honda does not release that information". this was also accompanied by a GREAT DEAL of attitude.
[/quote:d27da54a2d]

Well, well. You should make sure to tell the dealer that he is living in the past. With the internet most of us are able to get this information, and it is readily available. Dealers hate the fact that we, as consumers, can be quite up to date on what used to be considered "inside information".

As a matter of fact, use the following site as an example of another service bulletin that was issued. Honda does release this info.

http://www.hondaelement.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1625

thanks for the reference to the other bulletin. i am getting quite concerned by my dealership's service dept. for every accessory they have installed they have either scratched the panels associated or just plain done a sloppy job. to this point i have been rather nice about things as i am VERY pleased with the vehicle itself.

however, if i continue to get the same responses and attitude i have experienced i think i will seriously look at escalating this.

i have read on another area regarding othre's experiences with dealership sales people but my guy was good. a bit of a problem at pickup ime, but throughout the proces we were both very clear on our expectations and he delivered!

According to my dealer, you can't have the work done preemptively under warranty unless a crack actually appears based on this particular defect, but if you want a copy of the bulletin for your records just right-click here (http://www.arothman.com/temp/03-028.PDF) and choose "Save As" to download it in Adobe Acrobat format.

:)

Drew (http://www.arothman.com)

nothing at your link?

and they said the bulletin was dated May 6th, which of course is tomorrow.

He did not want to give me too many specifications of the bulletin but did ask if my vehicle was 2wd or awd. I told him my E was a 2wd and he said the vin#s that were affected were 5J6YH1...3L000001 thru 5J6YH1...3L009372. He also told me that the windshields that are covered have cracks that start from the bottom corner of the windshield. My crack starts about a foot from the corner but I am bringing it in anyway.

Way to go Honda, your not quite there but your headed in the right direction!!!!

http://locash.ca/~bri/element/03-028.pdf was the link posted at http://www.hondaelement.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1805

It is indeed dated 5/6/03 and shows potential issues at both lower windshield corners. Curiously, it may also fit in with a comment posted elsewhere that a dealer claimed to have found the infamous A pillar dash rattle that was supposedly caused by a part of the metal frame tapping against the windshield - perhaps these problems are therefore connected.

Can anyone post the Vin numbers for the involved EX 4WD models also. I am having trouble downloading this service bulletin #03-028. I originally mentioned the bulletin, and now I can't even read it!!!!

thanks jayharley & za9ra22, keep your fingers crossed!!

[quote:ed1a78eaed="earlweaver"]nothing at your link?[/quote:ed1a78eaed]

Aaaahhh! I hate UNIX servers and their damn caps-sensitive file systems!

The link is fixed now. :)

Drew

I just got home from the dealership and "GUESS WHO'S GETTING A NEW WINDSHIELD???" MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

I am absolutely pumped about this. Thanks for everyone input so Honda was made aware of the problem. I am sooooo happy I am even going to use one of these stupid little emoticons. :lol:

:lol:

[quote:0cbb9467a2="OkieBug"]I just got home from the dealership and "GUESS WHO'S GETTING A NEW WINDSHIELD???" MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

I am absolutely pumped about this. Thanks for everyone input so Honda was made aware of the problem. I am sooooo happy I am even going to use one of these stupid little emoticons. :lol: [/quote:0cbb9467a2]

Okiebug, would you mind telling us about the specifics about your crack? Was there any audible sound of a pebble hitting the glass or sign of chip near the crack? I ask because my crack is about a foot in and I heard the pebble hit then a HUGE crack. So, I know the instigator was the pebble. I quoted the service bulletin # to my service dept , they acknowleded it but, because of the pebble, said they would do nothing to check for the flange, even though my 4WD EX is in the VIN # range of the sevice bulletin. I am scheduled to pay for a windshield installation tommorrow. I asked if they would even chcek for flawed flange while the window was out and they refused. What shoul I do?


MT

I got my Element in January. My windsheild crack the first week I had it. The crack started from the bottom of the windshield and goes across the whole thing and now it's starting to go upward. I know a rock didn't hit it, but the dealer said it was hit by a rock. I'm bring in into the dealrer to get fix tomorrow, $525.00. THAT"S CRAZY.

I will bring up the issues with the dealer tomorrow. Let's see what he has to say.

MT, the crack that I have starts from the left bottom and is about 8 inches from the corner and it runs into the left corner. Just like Zeronines post, it cracked a week after I purchased it and the first time I put on my defroster (it was early March). I took it to the dealership and they said it look like it was hit by a small rock but I told them I didn't hear a rock hit it. Before I left I told them it was VERY STRANGE that I have my first windshield crack in 25 years of driving and it was the first week I had the car. I also told them that I bet other people will have the same problem.

I have been checking in with the dealership on a periodic basis and monitoring this forum (okay, I have been obsessing) and when the Service Bulletin came out it made my version of the crack seem plausible. My crack is close enough to the specs on the bulletin that they accepted the responsibility.

Good luck, I hope this helps!

I had windshield #3 installed Today. Found out about the new service bulitin yesterday. This is not a problem that just popped up! Honda lied up until now. I will never buy another Honda product EVER!!!!!!!!!! I still Love My Element. Too bad Honda sucks. Don't give them a penny for a windshield! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

My windshield cracked after 2 weeks about a foot in from the ride side bottom. And my dealer also says it was a rock. it cracked while it was sitting in the driveway. He found a tiny, tiny, tiny pit in the glass he says caused it! The element windshield design is defective. it is to vertical. the lslightest dust in the air pits the windshield because it is a bout 3 degrees more vertical than it should be. I wonder how many peope are going to stuck with these cars. I do like my element, but one more windshield and I am selling it no matter what the loss.

can someone post the link of that pdf file??? cause its not working

or send to my email plz XedwinX@gmail.com

thanks guys

Hey, LOCO... you might notice the date of the previous posting on this thread - it's well over two years ago. The PDF - if recollection is right - was a copy of the "TSB" (technical service bulletin) that Honda issued about a fixing a specific manufacturing problem with the very first batch of Elements.

Once the TSB was issued the fix was incorporated into the assembly line, so it doesn't apply to vehicles built after that.

My Element is 10 months old, No problems....You must of taken a rock hit :twisted:

My Element is 10 months old, No problems....You must of taken a rock hit :twisted:
Yeah. I had my car for over eight months when, while parked in the parking garage at work, a rock flew up from the road, into the parking garage, made a U turn because my car was parked along the center aisle pointing towards a wall, and then into my car's windshield. And instead of the little star-burst that I got from another rock and would never hold Honda responsible for, it made a big 8 inch crack instead.

Just wait, Hondamade4dogs; I was a nay-sayer, too.

I have one of the first 2500 2003 E's. For over 2 years there were no problems with my windshield. One day i got into my car and there was a growing crack that started at the base of the windshield and traveled up. It was behind the windshield wiper housing. The dealers gave me the same line of crap. I persisted and called honda N america. Windshield was then replaced. When they popped it out they had to grind and cut down the lower corners of the frame.
Why am I even posting. The other day a friggen boulder crashed into my windshield on the hwy. It was big and loud as we were traveling over 70 mph.
There wasn't even a nick where the rock struck. Thats what i expect from a normal windshield.

wish i could say the same... four weeks ago traveling down H1 i saw a truck (ford ranger) kick up an asteroid saw it coming out at me and told my hubby that biotch is gonna............SMACK.....hit me..... sure nuff coke bottle cracks six of em three inches radius had to have the entire windshield replaced. what sux is that i was going to certify my car the next day...so i can get the warranty for another four years.. :x

Hello,

I am a Honda Element owner, and I have never heard of this problem. I also own and operate an Auto Glass Shop. We do 20-30 elements a month and I have NEVER had a customer tell me this about their car. I have had customers claim they had a shaded portion at the top of their windshield and this is not correct, no honda element per the dealer part #'s ever came factory with a Shaded Windshield in it...

thanks,

Larry
:D

Hello,

I am a Honda Element owner, and I have never heard of this problem. I also own and operate an Auto Glass Shop. We do 20-30 elements a month and I have NEVER had a customer tell me this about their car. I have had customers claim they had a shaded portion at the top of their windshield and this is not correct, no honda element per the dealer part #'s ever came factory with a Shaded Windshield in it.. :D

You do 20-30 elements a month and you have never heard of a problem?

This thread was from '03.....then somebody pulled it out again in '05.

Welcome back I guess.

:rolleyes:

Hello,

I am a Honda Element owner, and I have never heard of this problem. I also own and operate an Auto Glass Shop. We do 20-30 elements a month and I have NEVER had a customer tell me this about their car. I have had customers claim they had a shaded portion at the top of their windshield and this is not correct, no honda element per the dealer part #'s ever came factory with a Shaded Windshield in it...

thanks,

Larry
:D

Wow!! Thats a lot of Elements W/S for a low production car.
So which Coast do you service?:rolleyes:

Mine cracked from a pebble when it was about 6 months old. Dealer replaced for free as a 'courtesy'. However I did learn that Elements have a problem with the windshield. No problems since.

I cracked mine after only having my '08 about 2 months on the way to the Poconos and got stuck behind a salt truck and wallah!

My insurance covers replacement for $100 - so was easy to get replaced.