I wanted to know if anyone has had a problem with any small rocks ect kicking up and hitting the front windshield :?: Since the element has a boxy style the front windshield is straight than at an angle like other vehicles :?: I installed the plastic bug guard which, I am hoping will correct this problem :?: Please provide feedback. Thanks from New Jersey.

I drive on a road that goes past a limestone quarry...needless to say, I am always exposed to flying rocks and/or spills on the road. I think that the E's high profile is a plus and a minus... it's high enough to miss most of the big rocks, but the little ones hit it square on. Mine's not broken, yet. I can't tell if the bug guard works or not.

I live on a gravel road- no problems yet! 8)

I guess I am the only one that gets rocks hitting the windshield. :cry:

I'll be having my windshield replaced sometime early next week. A rock hit it on the freeway about a week after I bought it. Didn't bother bringing it up in this group because it seemed like just one of those thing (and it might be).

I'll be interested to see if the Elements seem more prone to this type of damage than other vehicles. I doubt it, but you never know.

A lot of E's are gettting their windshields cracked... Read around... it's out there.

I have had my E for almost a month now and I love it! However I did get a stone chip in the windshield exactly one week after buying it! Needless to say I was sick. It was on the highway in Florida which has alot of construction vehicles roaming around. It appears that this might be a design issue or something, seeing that this is such a common occurance. I really hope I am wrong. Other than that, I have had absolutely no other problems and am thrilled with it so far! :D

I wonder if this is really a big problem. With the internet bringing together so many people from so many different places who share a common interest, it is easy to assume that if more than a few of us have an issue that it could be a big problem. I'm not a statistician, but I think we need a much bigger sample to suggest that this is a design flaw.

It could possibly be a manufacturing problem that will get worked out as the number of Elements moved through the assembly line goes up. Or it could be a defect in the glass itself, which could be a supplier problem.

While reporting issues so that others can benefit from the experience of the group is good, jumping to the conclusion that the engineering of the vehicle is suspect is a little over reactive.

But then again, I could be totally wrong :!:

I agree, it is probably statistically unimportant, I just might still be a little freaked out about my new car! My new (in 2000) Explorer had a stone chip within a month and was fine since then, and I never heard a thing about them. Good point.

Maybe we should have it on Poll Central!

Okay, here is my diagnosis for windshield cracking.

The windshied is larger than standard windshields and they probably used the same gauge of glass. Everyone has commented on how well the heater works. It gets very hot and the defrost is the same. A small stone or rock hits the windshied and causes a minute ding. Running the defrost when it is bitterly cold is causing the ding to crack and run.

Possible Solutions

1. The air deflector is sized for a Geo Metro. Make a deflector that will actually move the air over the vehicle at 30 plus mph.

2. Put a filter in the defroster so hot air is not consentrated on one spot.

3. Replace the windshields with a thicker grade of glass.

4. All of the above, and fast, before the publicity gets bad and potenial E owners are turned off.

When I sold my last vehicle the windsheild was sooooo dinged up it looked like a chocoholic at the senior prom. It never cracked like my E did yesterday. As you can probably tell I am NO engineer but I do believe Honda should take quick action.

i have never heard of a windshield being able to crack from a defroster. its not like boiling water and ice cold to cause it to crack. i dought it. and if this is the case then the glass must be very thin. is this a honda we are talking about or a yugo?

Oh my gosh! Is this the Honda site? I thought it was yugosetmefree.com.

At first I thought it was just me. I am now glad I posted this problem but I gotta tell you that the bug deflector installed does not help at all with this problem! Every week since owning this great vehicle which I really enjoy something hits my windshield. One week after buying this vehicle I put the defrost on and it cracked the windshield from one end to the other. The dealer called it a stress fracture and I waiting replacement.
This is such a GREAT vehicle with GREAT features. HONDA should take quick action before it gets alot of bad press which, could ruin the hot selling of this vehicle.

After researching this type of problem, the lemon law provides protection from a safety defect occuring more that 2 or 3 times and allowing the company the opportunity to correct the defect after that the buyer has the right to return the vehicle for full refund. Not something I would like to do however we must all protect our investments.

At this point, we still don't know if it is a widespread problem, something caused by a problem with the glass, a design defect, or something caused it such as the defroster, or a stone.

The lemon law is, in the case, only going to apply, if the same problem keeps happening, and the dealer can't fix it.

I would also like to point out that the little plastic thing you are screwing onto the lip of your hood is called a "bug deflector" and not a "rock deflector" or "deflector shield". It would take an awful lot of wind force to push a rock traveling over 35mph up and over your windshield. Bugs weigh less and have wings that catch air, which make them more likely to be lifted over the windshield. Thinking that a "bug shield" will protect you from flying rocks is like believing that you can stop bullets with your mind - unless you are Neo, it ain't going to happen!

I agree, the lemon law would not apply if the condition does not occur 3 times. It seems to be occuring to quite a few element owners and I would not assume it would stop unless something was created to stop the problem.

I understand the difference between a fly and a small stone.

I thought the idea of having this site was to share positive as well as negative feedback with ALL the members.

Not to have one member point out the obvious in a sarcastic manner????

I'm sorry, I guess I let my personal disdain for bug shields influence the demeanor of my comments. But you did indicate in your original post that you hoped that adding the shield would help remedy the problem. I just wanted to point out that it was not likely to have much of an effect due to the difference between rocks and bugs. The last comment I made was just a little humor with a Matrix reference thrown in ... I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers.

Just took delivery on my 2003 Element...drove it home and darnit...there's a chip on the windshield (passenger, upper right), star type.

Tried windshield repair expert with maybe a 50% improvement.

Grrrrrr. Otherwise, satisfied but first 'ding' hurts.

The statistics argument doesn't fly with me. When considering the sample size, you not only need to take into account the population from which it's taken (which is only like 400 people in this group, right?) but also the time frame of the events.

In this case, NOBODY in this group has owned an Element over three months. Most in this group have not owned one for even two months. So, for even ten people from such a small group in such a short period of time to experience a similar problem, is worth taking notice.

I took it upon myself to cruise the VUE and Xterra groups to find similar threads and came up with nothing. Keep in mind, those cars have been out for much longer too.

I'm not saying this is a problem. It could be a coincidence. I'm just submitting that it's not unrealistic to infer a potential design flaw based on what I've heard from this group so far.

Years ago I had a nissan truck with a custom made bra. It had two plastic triangle inserts that stood an inch and a half above the hood. My windshield was in perfect shape until I rippped the roof off. I like the hood mask but I'm waiting to see if an aftermarket one come with a raised edge.

A small flaw in the windshield like a rock chip etc and the creation of a huge temperature differential inside the car vs outside will cause the windshield to crack as the two layers of glass will expand or contract at a different rate and therefore apply stress to the weak spot causing the crack to propagate.

On the dealers show room floor there was an element with a good size stone chip. I imagine a little use of the defrost will propagate a crack in no time flat.

Any body put a brush bar on the element if so what brand and model fits?

Just got back from a 5 hour road trip and sure enough I got a nice rock chip in my front windshield. You would not believe the amount of bugs that windshield catches. I guess it's just the design but it kind of sucks to have that happen on a new car. I guess nothing is perfect, I hated having to stop 2-3 times to clean my windshield of from all the bugs. Life goes on!!

CEDARS1974,

Do you have the bug shield? That might help with some of the insect problems.

It seems a strange time of year to have bug problems. We don't get many insects here until late April / early May.

I think most the chips and cracking is in the upright design of the windshield. I know someone with an H2 that had his windshield crack, and on the H2 forums there are people reporting numerous windshield cracks too. So in that respect, they share a similar windshield design.

Lost my windshield today. First I noticed a 4 inch crack starting below the hood line. I'm sure this is a defect because the is no sign of a rock mark, plus the start of it is below the hood line. Then I got a rock chip. We've had bad roads lately and lots of gravel. Had people in front of me drift over to the shoulder and spray gravel. Hoping the dealer will fix the windshield on their dime. I find out tomorrow when they quote me a price to fix my rim and do an alinement. Took the rim out on a metal grate buried in the snow.

I took my windshield (E attached) to two dealerships in Tulsa. Both said that there was a nick in the glass that started the crack and would not fix it under warranty. I know it was probably there when I purchased my E and the defrost running hot made it cracked.

My insurance will cover it but that's not the point. There is something wrong if a small ding would cause your windshield to crack. I do not feel it is the responsibility of my insurance to pay for something that should have been learned in Freshman "Streghths of Materials 101".

This is my first Honda and I am confident that Honda will step up to the pump and remedy the situation. Honda has to know that E owners are a different breed of car buyers and we will not take corporate ignorance sitting down.

Sign me,
Hard headed OkieBitch, er... I mean Bug.

I'm taking delivery on my Element the end of next week, so no data to report. But, it does seem the angle of the windshield is about the same as on my Ranger. I've had the Ranger since it was a pup (1998), and to date have no chips or cracks in spite of my 4x4 desert trips. If anything, I suspect the short hood idea is more of a contributing factor than the windshield angle. Or just the time of year for you who live in snowy areas (due to gravel on the road)?

It will be interesting to see how this issue pans out in the coming months. Perhaps the newer ones will experience different successes than the first off the line? Perhaps the time of year is a significant factor, but also this is the only time of year the Element has been available to purchase!

Merely sharing some musings as I await my vehicle's arrival! Shipped from Alabama on 2/26.... Going to the desert one week after it arrives!

I'm beginning to believe this could be a defect in the glass more than a design problem, but it is still too early to tell. And I don't think the angle has anything to do with it. My Sidekick has nearly the same angle and I haven't had a problem.

About 10,000 Elements have been sold and how many here have a damaged windshield, 10? That would be 1/10 of a percent. I do realize that we haven't heard from all 10,000 owners, but I'm just trying to give some perspective. If this is a big problem, Honda will have to address it. Word of mouth here alone has made people wary. They don't want a cloud hanging over their newest baby...

--
http://home.earthlink.net/~alienfarms/images/suzukement.gif What I Have, What I Want...

I have not had a problem with the window yet. I had a Ranger with 2 years
and had the windshield replaced 4 times. Every car I have had has been
hit on hood leaving 2 bad marks and getting the window. If you are
in the wrong place, it happens. There is crap on the roads all the time.

I know this has been asked before, but I would like to hear how people find the hood deflector. I don't think it would provide enough lift to clear the windshield. It would protect the hood better. I might have to look at getting windshield insurance. Trouble is, it 150.00 a year and more than two claims and the cancil.

I had a Montero with about the same angle and averaged about one windshield every 2 years. I lived in warm climates most of the time so a chip would not develope into a crack. Came up north and during a really cold day it developed a 3 foot crack. When I was a kid I had a van that used to get cracked windshilds, also a straight up and down angle but it didn't happen as often. I think the increase in SUVs may be part of it. They usually have bigger tread on their tires which pick up stones easier. I try to stay fairly far away from anything halling dirt or rocks. Maybe there is a problem with the glass but I don't think enough have chipped to tell yet. Jake 8)

Alien Element, I love that visual! I had a Sidekick just like that (but dk green) a few years ago! I did get a crack, though when I was following a dump truck and got hit by a rock. :(

Have had my Element since December 21 & now have 7,300 miles. Sorry to say, I am now going into my 3rd windshield. The first windshield had a small stone nick the screen. Within days it had cracked 12+ inches.
Thought it was just bad luck & had the windshield replaced with the insurance company using Honda glass. No problems for several weeks.

This past week, we had severe cold & snow, so my Element remained in the unheated garage for several days. Later that week, I took it out in the rain and started the defroster. Within 5 minutes of the engine warming up, I had a crack appear in the newly replaced shield from the right side frame, travel 5 inches to the left and then 6+ inches straight up. No stone had hit the windshield.

That same day, I brought the vehicle into Honda & they immediately said they would replace it acknowledging that it indeed had not been hit by a stone and that the crack had started from the edge of the glass at the frame. They are taking "extra" precaution now to properly fit new glass back in.

I do believe Honda has a problem and that replacing the glass with existing stock will not work. I have a sneaking suspicion that I will be back to the dealer. Great vehicle otherwise!

This discussion of windshield cracks has me concerned, so I did a web search on "windshield crack prevent" and came across scores of references to a product called Edgeguard. It's some kind of plastic strip that is (professionally) installed along the outer edges of the windshield. Supposedly this is the weakest part of the windshield and it is damage to this area that causes big cracks to develop. Supposedly, this product prevents that from happening.

That's about all I know at this point. I can't find a decent picture showing very well what it looks like, and I haven't found a price yet for having it installed. But if you're interested, just do a Google search on

Edgeguard windshield

(Include "windshield" to filter out sites about a similarly named roofing product.)

- Steve

Thanx for the tip. I lost my windsheild the other day. By last night has a huge crack. It is just under the line of sight. the rock hit the very edge of the windsheild. The other chip I have higher up has not cracked yet.

I was at the glass place yesterday and noticed that the windsheild on the element is a different brand than on the CRV. The guy at the glass shop was not happy as this brand seems to be more expensive. I am wondering, my truck have always used PPG, (I think thats the brand?) Maybe these problems are a result of a poor choise for windsheild suppliers. :?:

From what I've been reading on the boards, most people either have had rocks hit their windshields or some kind of thermal problem where it cracked. Can anyone on the board tell me if the windshield cracked on its own in more sub-topical areas?

I took delivery of my new shiney element in january. I totally love all the features and the ease of adding on is easy and with great results.

NOW FOR THE BAD...

When i first posted my windshield problems I thought it was just me but it seems HONDA has a huge problem with windshields cracking from heat or rocks.I get my windshield replaced on 3/12/03. HONDA needs to step forward before selling anymore elements and fix the problem. Are you listening HONDA?

I hate the fact that I had faith in HONDA buying the vehicle without waiting for test dummies to find all the problems...like windshields!!!!!!

Could you post what you paid for the windshield and if it is OEM. I am waiting on a price and to find out if I can get a PPG. My theory is that the windshield problems are because of the quality of the glass, not the design of the element. I have own over 20 cars and trucks and have a lot of miles under my belt. I did over 200000 km as a city courier and I have only ever had 4 stone chips. Two on my dodge. This one seems to chip when bugs hit it.

Just got dealer price on new windshield, 550.00 cdn glass only. Hopefully I can hold on until the aftermarket has the,

At a little over a week and just over 600 miles I now have a small surface chip. I was getting onto a highway ramp at the time and going about 35. The pebble was about the sized of a small marble and traveling so slow I could even see the color and marks on the rock. It was probably a 90deg hit but for such a small light pebble at such slow speed to leave any mark is surprising. Maybe there is a problem. Has anyone contacted Honda? It could be they used sub-standard glass. If I ever have to replace it, it seems like a waste of time to do so with Honda glass. Any thoughts?

I won't go with honda glass because I am sure the problem is the glass not the design. I didn't even hear the rocks that chipped my windsield.

Remember your physics. It's the speed of the stone travelling to you, plus the speed at which you are travelling. Think about hitting a wall - the energy in the smash comes from your vehicle. So even though the stone was going slowly, you added energy to it's impact. That being said, I do have concerns about windshields as I received two chips and one small crack in a few months on my S-10.

Iskie

I am pretty aware of Physics and considered this when I wrote "traveling so slow I could even see the color and marks on the rock". No way to determine the velocity of the pebble but pretty sure it was traveling slower than I was. Impact is (1/2 mass times velocity squared). The pebble was very small and the impact velocity was pretty slow compared to what the windshild will have to put up with on a day to day basis. It may be a freak accident but it seems that a pattern may be starting to emerge. Does anyone know if other windshild makers make one for the E?

I've been reading other Element forums on the web and can't find any other comments about windshield problems. The day I read about all that windshield stuff (days before I put a deposit on my SLM ex) I went out driving and realized there are many other vehicles with similar vertical windshields. I'm not excited that even one person had any problems but "**** happens" out on the highways and everyone has an equal chance no matter what vehicle you're driving. I'm going to keep doing what I always do when I'm highway driving, which is never tailgate and stay away from semi's and stay positive. :lol:

Took a road trip up to San Francisco this past weekend (the Element is an AWESOME travel car) and got two different cracks from road debris by the time I got back.

Just got off the phone with a repair service and they're telling me it'll be more than a month before they can get the parts and windshield to replace mine. Anybody else run into this?

Also, with all do repect to petelement, it does seem that quite a few people from such a small group are experiencing these problems. I especially changed my tune on this topic since this weekend. Two cracks. Ouch!

This is a late response to a post but I've been on vacation and couldn't resist.

Alien Element said "About 10,000 Elements have been sold and how many here have a damaged windshield, 10? That would be 1/10 of a percent."

Man, where did you take your stats class? If 10,000 Elements have been sold and there are maybe 400 people in this group and 10 people have reported cracks, statistically that would project to about 3 percent no matter how many Elements are sold -- 10,000 or 100,000 or 1M. That's not a fact, but it's potential reality. You also have to assume that not all cracks on this board have been reported using this channel. Not everyone who is a member is an active member. If we get into probabilities, it's likely more than just 10 people.

And as I’ve stated before, consider the time frame. The car has only been out for about three months now. And most have not had it for even that long. If it was 3 percent over a year or two that would be an entirely different thing.

Lament: Only took me about a week to get my windshield installed. The repair guys decided, after looking at my Element, that one of the pieces that Honda required wasn’t necessary so they used a different but similar piece. Might want to ask about it.

Drove Jeep Cherokee for 9 yrs prior to buying the E. Design of the vehicle created for a lot of glass/rock interaction. Replaced windsheld at least 4 times over those 9 yrs. It is a risk that exists with any vehicle. There is really nothing that you can do about it, so why waste time worrying. Drive the vehicle, enjoy the ride, and get on with life for crying out loud. :roll:

Bad thread to pull that argument. I traded in a 97 Jeep Cherokee to get my Element and never had a crack in the windshield. Now I get two within the space of a month? I would have wrote it off as bad luck if not for this wonderful and helpful group.

Not very nice of you to belittle the challenges others are facing with the otherwise great car. "Get on with life?" What's wrong with you? I really don't think that overly idealistic answer is going to help anyone.

Tigernumber6, thanks for the tip. I'll look into it.

I have had three chip. one turning into a two foot crack. If I was to order a windshield it would be a month plus 550.00 cdn glass only. This ticks me right off and I am convinced that it is the quality of the windshield not the car design. I have 23 different cars and truck, I have had 5 chips, three in one week on the element. But I do agree that we need to get on with life. Once I can get an aftermarket shield, (6 months) I will put insurance on the sindshield.

I drive about 128 miles on a daily commute ( I-70 KC to Topuke-ah KS) and haven't had a chip yet. I am worried though- I don't have the bucks to blow on a new windshield for a new car. (deductable is 500$) I did have to replace the windshield on my old heap (mitsubishi mirage - read gutless wonder) and the windshield got pulverized sitting still in a parking lot on a REALLY windy afternoon next to my office building. Near as I can tell, the wind had blown some gravel off the tar roof 14 floors up and it smashed my windshield.


Either that or it was that secretary I never held the elevator for......hmmmmm. :shock:

ANYWAY- I am not looking forward to any chips or cracks on my new E. I do find if I hang back and not tailgate (some people do) I don't notice the small rocks or sand hitting the windshield. Plus you can see a rock bouncing merrily along toward you and avoid it if traffic isn't wall to wall.
:roll:

You're right, artdude, It's never a good idea to tailgate for numerous reasons beyond windshield preservation.

Facts are, however, that those of us living in and commuting in urban areas (I live in LA) cannot easily avoid other vehicles in congested traffic patterns. No matter how hard I try I'll still find myself next to a gigantic semi for longer than I'd like from time to time.

Should we have to change the way we drive because we purchased an Element? The anser is no, we shouldn't. Problem is, we just might have to.

I currently have a 2000 Suzuki Vitara ragtop, having just about the same windshield angle of the Element. Within the first year I got whacked by a rock which caused a teeny weeny star shaped crack that does not go all the way through. In defense of the bad glass theory however, that damned rock was not small and was going very fast. I've been hit by several slower and smaller stones and no damage. My 2 duckets...

Folks,

I told my Honda dealer (cincinnati)about my issue a couple of weeks ago and they did not do much other than telling me to wait until windshield companies start caring them, or I pay honda 500+ to have it replaced.

on March 17th I got a call from my dealer suggesting a memo came across their desk stating that the "Service Dept" is looking at all windshild cracks on a case by case senerio. (Looking for stress cracks). So I did go in.... They were looking for any "impact" area of a stone. They did find a 1/16 of an inch area... in the lower side near the edge of the windshied. Which disqualified me... :cry: (I assume at least for right now). My sales person suggested that we all write honda... regarding this issue b/c it still could be a fault in the glass making (i personally think it is). Stones hit my other hondas pretty hard and I have not had it crack them like this small pebble did! Until then I am waiting for the glass companies to catch up!

So, I am asking everyone to sit down an write a 10 minute letter expressing your concern about the windshilds! :)

I am the proud owner of a three day old SOP AWD EX. While bringing my brand new trucklet home to Tulsa from OKC, where I bought it, I experienced the dreaded sand blasting effect of following a legion of eighteen-wheelers. While trying to maintain a reasonable distance between myself and the nearest truck, I still could hear sand pelting the front of my E. While irksome, I wasn't too worried. My old Dodge Dakota stood up to similar treatment for ten years with the original, factory windshield. You can imagine how I felt when I got home and found dozens of tiny nicks in my windshield and even one in the paint on the leading edge of the hood. These weren't rock strikes, just sand! I couldn't believe it. I have to conclude that there is some kind of manufacturing defect on the part of the glass supplier. I really hope Honda will step up and fix this. Otherwise, a terrific vehicle!

I guess thinking positive thoughts is not enough! A couple of weeks ago I was on a major interstate with lots of pot holes and broken pavement. Someone passed me very fast and pulled into my lane. In the wake of that some sand (maybe small rocks) hit my element. Luckily I only got a small sand chip to my windshield and a small paint chip on hood. :cry: Not much else to do except enjoy my ride.

I had a thought for any Star Trek fans -- a line from Star Trek IV: the voyage home - Scotty: Transparent Aluminum, that's the ticket! Are you listening Honda!!!!

and I'm reminded of some of the cars I've owned in the past with upright windshields like VW microbuses, vans, pickups, that were more verticle that the E yet never replaced a windshield until a couple of years ago on a '96 chevy P/U and that initially caused by stone chips that eventually resulted in cracks. My point is, that I doubt the plane of the windshield is the problem but rather, possibly lower quality glass than in the old days. My $.020. :wink:

I've got 7500 miles on my Element and the windshield has hundreds of pits and chips. It finally cracked today!. American Honda reps in town tommorow so I'll see what he has to say. Dealer said they can't do any thing yet. Didn't include windshield replacement in my budget when i did a cost per mile dollar average.

I don't have my E yet but I did see a E in a parking ramp and the windshield had a crack in it. Here is a PIC.

http://12.207.227.88/element.jpg

Well, I'm going to get my new Element in the next few days and I'm quite glad to be armed with this info. Perhaps I can get the dealer to offer me some sort of special provision on the windshield in my extended warranty.

Drew

That looks like a mirror image of my windshield crack. The dealership has already turned my replacement request twice, but I will be persistant, and somewhat of a pest, until they step up and admit the problem is widespread.

[quote:38b7e004a8="tigernumber6"]This is a late response to a post but I've been on vacation and couldn't resist.

Alien Element said "About 10,000 Elements have been sold and how many here have a damaged windshield, 10? That would be 1/10 of a percent."

Man, where did you take your stats class? If 10,000 Elements have been sold and there are maybe 400 people in this group and 10 people have reported cracks, statistically that would project to about 3 percent no matter how many Elements are sold -- 10,000 or 100,000 or 1M. That's not a fact, but it's potential reality. You also have to assume that not all cracks on this board have been reported using this channel. Not everyone who is a member is an active member. If we get into probabilities, it's likely more than just 10 people.
[/quote:38b7e004a8]

Nothing wrong with my math, dude. 1% of 10,000 = 100 and 10 is 1/10 of 100 so the answer is 1/10 of a percent. I did go on to say that obviously we have not heard from all 10,000 owners and if it is indeed a problem, Honda will have to handle it. But yeah, if you only use the number of members here as a reference, obviously the percentage will be higher. But that isn't indicative of the problem from all owners, only of the sample of owners here. And keep in mind not everyone here owns an Element, myself included, so your percentages could be even higher!

Regardless, windshields are cracking and it is beginning to smell like a defect since Honda service has gotten a memo regarding it.

I took my Element to the American Honda Regional Service Representitive in Omaha. He acted as though he was completely unaware of any glass problems with the Elements. Looked at me like I was a moron for even suggesting that they might have a design issue with them. Like I said in my previous post, my windshield has hundreds of chips and pits in it and as they were caused by "outside influences" there is nothing Honda will do at this time. For now I guess I put my extra dollars into a windshield fund instead of buying new accessories.

Maybe everyone should call Honda:
:wink:

I am waiting on delivery of my E in two days. :D It is replacing a 1991 Jeep Cherokee with 230,000 miles on it, what a good vehicle it was. I had very few problems with the Jeep except that I had to replace the Windsheild four times in the 12 year period.

I think this is just a problem with angle of the Windsheilds for most SUV's and not a design flaw for the E.

Having the expirience with the Jeep, I would probaly just shrug off a chip in my new E as bad but normal, as opposed to those who have not ever owned an SUV.

When I picked up my E last night I asked my dealer if he knew of any problems with Element windshields. He seemed really taken aback and suprised that I would even ask that. :shock: Seems like my dealership hasn't had any cracked E windows. Maybe that's a good sign for me! :)

I've never had a car without a windshield nick or two and they will crack especially if they get a hot or cold. One word of advice. If you get a nick, get it sealed immediately at your local glass shop. They use a liguid glass binder under pressure that will keep the crack from spreading. This will work on a star type crack up to a quarter. Let me stress the sooner the better. My last SUV window cracked within hours, and before I could get it sealed.

The good news is the seal costs less than $50 and most insurance comanies will reimburse you if you have comprehensive because they don't want to replace the window.

I've had my SOP EX for 10 days - on the way in to work today a small rock hit the window and a 2" crack formed at the base of the windshield. :( By the time I got to my office - only 10 miles away - the crack has grown to 8". Good thing I have a $0 deductible policy for windshields. Honda should really check this problem out - I had just told my husband last week that the Element apparently has a problem with cracked windshields - as the good folks on this board had alerted me to. I guess I cursed myself. :evil: I have lived in Phoenix for 6 years - reknown for cracking windows - and I have NEVER had a windshield crack - and I've drive over 5 cars here! I am going to alert my dealer to the problem for the records. FYI - Still am absolutely head-over-heels in love with my E! :lol:

I just had my EX out on the interstate for the first time Thursday. A very small stone and a very light tap put a 1" crack in the glass. The glass also
has several pits from debris that I didn't even notice.

I believe that Honda has a serious problem with this windshield.

The dash has a terrible rattle in - the worst that I have heard in a new
vehicle in many years.

The vehicle is averaging 22 mpg with a high of 24.4 and a low of 21. This is in line with the EPA rating for the all wheel drive version that I purchased.
The vehicle now has 3000 miles on it.

I like the vehicle and hope that this glass problem is resolved soon.

Here is a photo of the crack - good thing I have a $0 deductible policy or I'd be crawling up Honda's shorts. Note the small mark near the base of the crack - that is the mark left by the small rock.

http://www.cadencestudio.com/element_crack_JB.jpg

weeeeelllllll, i now have a little over 1800 miles on my ride and i also have a cracked windshield. i did a road trip for a few days and was VERY careful not to follow to close to anyone. i got back four days later, voila...a crack !

this sucks !

Well- it's been about 2 months now with my E and I have a 128mile daily commute-

I have about 3 noticeable chips. After the first I got out and looked at it- the glass in the chip crater had pulverised to powder...and wouldn't you know it is dead center in the driver's line of vision. I notice it every time I'm behind the wheel.

If it cracks, I'm going to print up a lot of these posts and head back to the dealer with some back-up to get them to replace it (preferably with a non Honda windsheild glass)

Someone posted that Honda Service had been given a memo regarding the windsheilds- any more info on that - (for additional ammo if needed!)

Thanks
Dave

Had my windshield replaced Tuesday, Thursday I had a small pebble tap the glass(driving about 40mph) and I now have another cracked windshield. I've driven Jeeps and Pickups with steeper windshield angles for 30 years and I have never had such a wimpy piece of glass in a vehicle. Love the car, HATE the glass

Although all vehicle makes have some occurance of cracked windshields, I must admit that I am very dismayed to read all the multiple cracked windshield stories. It almost seems excessive for such a recent product release.

I was dead set on purchasing the E (my 1st new car purchase) in a few weeks, but grudgingly may have to consider other vehicles (e.g.: Matrix XR, RAV4). :(

I hope that I am over reacting to all of this.

Cary

[quote:30adf7d59f="cptnsulu"]Although all vehicle makes have some occurance of cracked windshields, I must admit that I am very dismayed to read all the multiple cracked windshield stories. It almost seems excessive for such a recent product release.

I was dead set on purchasing the E (my 1st new car purchase) in a few weeks, but grudgingly may have to consider other vehicles (e.g.: Matrix XR, RAV4). :(

I hope that I am over reacting to all of this.

Cary[/quote:30adf7d59f]

It's difficult to know what proportion of Elements have windshiled problems and which don't, so it's impossible to quantify their incidence of thse faults, but even if it's more rare that the posts here suggest, it's still a disturbing factor. My onw E had getting on for 3000 miles and there's no hint of windshield problems, but the frequency of complaints on the subject here make me alert to the noise of anything harder than a squisshy bug hitting it (and there's plenty of those) so I find myself frequently scanning the screen to make sure it's still in one piece. I've never felt I needed to do that before.

It's difficult for us to know how many Element's are experiencing windshield problems, but Honda knows. They know how many Elements have been sold and as they are the only source to date for replacement windshields(and they are on backorder) they know how many have been replaced. I personally don't think anything will happen until the insurance companies get fed up with paying for replacement glass. They speak much louder than our collective voices. My dealer in Nebraska told me they have replaced windshields in almost 50% of the Elements they have sold. They have given me outstanding service and seem just as frustrated with this issue as I am.

If a windshield breaks (as is occuring with Elements) and the vehicle is still under Honda's warranty, does Honda pay for its replacement, or do they force the owner to invoke his/her auto insurance to cover it?

Thanks,

Cary

[quote:a82ea13f10="rdkgolf"]Had my windshield replaced Tuesday, Thursday I had a small pebble tap the glass(driving about 40mph) and I now have another cracked windshield. [/quote:a82ea13f10]

Wow. I must admit that this sort of continuous problem must be an incredible pain. It would make me crazy. I don't blame you for being mad about it. I cannot figure out why some people are having problems and others are not. Especially if the cracks are happening directly from pebbles in the middle of the glass and not from the frame. How strange.

At this point Honda does not pay for any damage caused by an "outside influence". My insurance company has paid for both my windshields, but I pay the deductable ($100.00) in my case. I think the reason some people are experiencing problems might be regional. I drive mainly in Nebraska, Iowa, MInnesota, etc. Got my Element in January and have dealt with many snowfalls and lots of sand and gravel being dumped on the hiway. Having said that, I have beeen driving the same roads for over 30 years with vehicles like jeeps, pickups, and vans and I have never had a broken or cracked windshield until now. Like I said before, my dealer is outstanding and I'll be patient with this situation. Love the car, HATE the glass.

Are members of the E owners site considering that we should consolidate serious issues...ie...windshield, seat rocking... and present them to Honda as a group?

MT

I would seriosly hope that someone from Honda is reading all these posts. We have had a Honda in our garage since 1978 and they have never disappointed me yet. I think it is just a matter of time before they come up with a solution. If not I just budget for glass instead of accesories.

I've noticed this windshield problem before I got my E two months ago, and today...Ouch! I was drving 80miles/hour on the highway and I saw the crack right in front of my eyes. I didn't even hear the stone that cracked my windshield. After 20 minutes, the crack got 10 inches longer. It's 80 degrees here in Houston Texas now. I don't know if I will get more windshield problems this summer when the temperature climbs to 100 degress.

I lost my windshied to a light stone hit on the highway. After reading all the posts on both sites, I was waiting for it to happen. I am having my glass installer inspect the old E windshield and give it a few taps to see how durable it is. I am using an LOF after market windshield as an experiment to see if it holds up better then what appears to be a very thin layered Honda OEM windshield and will post my experiance. Did anyone ever think about the fact that the National backorder of OEM winshield might be due to Honda quietly pulling the loose stock back due to a manufacturing defect. Sounds like they are making a lot of money on this problem and do they want to replace all the thousands of sold E windshields???

Suposedly the recently released service bullitin on this issue gives the range of vin #'s affected. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM............... If Honda knows what vehicals have this problem and have corected it in production they must have been untruthfull with us up till now?!?!?! :? :evil:

Well here's one more to add to the stats. I also experienced a rock chip in my E's windshield on the way home from the dealership. I've owned at least twenty cars in my life ( I own 7 right now), and I've had rock chips in maybe 4 of them. I think this is definitely a GLASS quality issue. Hopefully Honda has the guts (balls) to acknowledge this defect, and issue a recall to replace this sub-standard glass with something more typical of Honda :x quality.

Our windsheild cracked in less than 4 days of ownership. We bought our element last Thursday and it stress cracked on Sunday. There is no sign of a rock chip. I hope that this doesn't become a constant problem. We were driving on the free way at speeds >80mph so I don't know if that was it or not, but it should happen so soon.

[quote:d51d5a86e9="blumensh"]Our windsheild cracked in less than 4 days of ownership. We bought our element last Thursday and it stress cracked on Sunday. There is no sign of a rock chip. I hope that this doesn't become a constant problem. We were driving on the free way at speeds >80mph so I don't know if that was it or not, but it should happen so soon.[/quote:d51d5a86e9]

If yours just stress cracked, it's likely from the windshield flange problem and is replaceable under warranty. There's a service bulletin out to dealers about it.

As for me, nothing but a barely noticible pit from a pebble so far... still, I lowered by comprehensive deductable to $50 for peace of mind.

Drew

Here is another windshield crack story. Mine came out of no where.
I went for a drive while it was raining. It was a long drive, so I stopped and got some food. I get back in the car and there is a crack in the windshield, from the base on the drivers side, about three inches before I drove home, then six. I took a mgnifying glas to see if hit was hit, and no chips or impact marks.
I then took it to a windshield repair place to get an opinion, he said it might be a bigger problem of body flex, which now I am really freaked out. I have a case # from HOnda ,but now I am considering taking it back what a battle that will be.
My brother inlaw had this same problem with an mercury villager which had an untypical windshield design too.

Here's my windshield story.
Spent 3 weeks from May 21 to June 10th driving non-Interstates from Atlanta to Portland (Oregon) to northernmost Vermont. In early June a 4" crack developed at the lower edge of the windshield directly in front of the driver's seat. The dealer points to a pinhead-sized pit and says it was due to a rock - the pinhead is in the small gap below the windshielf wiper (possible but...). The crack developed as I was being passed by a large pickup on a 2-lane road in central Montana as strong side winds buffeted the car. I'm convinced that the stress of the buffeting was the principal reason for the development of the crack. During the day the crack extended to its present length of about a foot.
From what I've read it sounds as thought i should have my glass place pre-order a half dozen windshields so I won't have to wait to get them replaced.

I don't know about "preordering half a dozen", but a lot of folks are wondering if replacement windshields (not Honda) do any better than Genuine Honda ...

So if you get yours replaced, let us know. :)

I made an appointment tomorrow for repair on my Element, a rock chipped 1.5 to 2 in from the edge and haft way down on the passenger side, the chip developed a crack 1/4 in on the top and bottom.

I asked the glass company to repair it for now, if the repair doesn't work will have to replace it, the glass company said if down the road the repair failed they'll credit the repair amount toward a new windshield.

I bought my E on 8/2. I already have 2500 miles on it. I live in hot and sunny FL I drive around all day for work. My VIN falls under the service bulletin for the Windshield flange correction, however my windshield remains "crack-free."
On the otherhand, my tires look like they're wearing very quickly, especially the front two. Honda said take the car to Goodyear. Goodyear said take it to Honda, since the front two have equal side-wear it could simply be a front-end misalignment of the wheels or under-inflation.
I personally don't care which of the two companies is responsible for addressing this tire issue of mine, but it is very annoying that no one is taking the initiative to correct it, and the car's only 1 month old.

I have noticed the Goodyear wear down faster then most of the tires I owned, I haven't noticed any uneven wear at 7000miles.
On occasion the Goodyear HP like to break lose from start up, I notice more since the weather in Minnesota have cool down from recent heatwaves.

I don't really care for Goodyear's tires, it can wear which ever way it wants. Provide me with an excuse to purchase better tires.(Michelin, Bridgestone Dueler, Yokohama Geo's)

Add me to the list. My wife called this morning a spider crack in the wind sheld. Looks like a stone from the LA freeways. A week old car. Will attempt repair before it grows. O well I told her it is a used car now.

Mark

When a windshield place was out to replace my windshield, the repairman posited that the problem is a combination of the fact that the windshield is nearly vertical and the fact that there are no stoppers (these support the windshield from the bottom). The only thing holding up the windshield is the adheive around the edges. He said this stresses the glass and makes it more susceptible to cracks.

On a related note, there were terrible leaks after he put the windshield in, and he had a hard time getting them sealed (two trips back). Again, he said it's the same problem. Hard to get the windshield to not slide a little bit because there is no bottom support. So much water has leaked in that I now have a mold problem. The company agreed to pay to have this cleaned. He put in a new windshield today. If I still have leak problems, I am asking them for my money back and taking the thing back to Honda and demand that they find a way to fix this fundamental flaw in the design. Has anyone out there that's had a new windshield put in had a problem with leaks??