Took my Element in again for the 4th time, or was it the 5th?????? I am losing track and my mind. Anyway this last visit included it's first oil change. I told them to fix the rattle AGAIN.
They had it for 2 days and finally I call late yesterday evening to ask what is going on. The service advisor did not bother to call me himself. He said "its fixed, no more rattle". I felt like saying yeah, right, I'll bet. He said the problem was a loose air conditioning hose that they secured and I shouldn't hear the rattle again. I still thought to myself, yeah right. I paid for the oil change and headed no more than 200 feet from the dealership and RATTLE,RATTLE,RATTLE. I thought to myself, is this some kind of sick joke they are playing with me. How many times can she bring it back and finally get frustrated and give up. I can't help but wonder if they did anything at all. I was told before I brought it in they would have to tear the dashboard down as far back as it would go to find the problem. According to the service advisor they didn't have to this time and felt strongly that it was the air conditioning wire banging on something. What I don't understand is WHY did they tell me it was fixed when all they had to do is drive a little ways to hear the VERY obvious rattle. Once again they made me come back to pick it up and still no FIX.
I have grown very weary of this and I think they have worn me down to the point I will have to accept the rattle or sell the vehicle. Sadly the Element has so very many problems with squeaks, rattles, thumps, bumps, creaks and whatever. We have one person on the boards here who worked so very hard to get his rattle eliminated and when he finally did, his windshield cracked. They had to replace it and all the rattles came back. Arrrrrrrgggggg. :roll:
He put so much time and energy into trying to get the rattle fixed and following all the proper channels to do so and look what happens. If that is what it all leads to then why bother. I haven't experienced a cracked windshield yet but it is probably coming. I think somehow the dash rattle and the windshield issue go hand in hand, you either get one or the other or both.
I still love my Element but there is more to life than running back and forth to the dealer.
It appears the 2004 Elements are no better and even if I were to get mine replaced through the lemon law whos to say I wouldn't get something with more problems. Like I said,
I am weary of this and thanks for reading my very long post. I will at least call the regional manager again today but all he will probably hear me say is Blah,blah,blah, blah.

LittleDogBox
Arlington, Va.

LitttleDogBox
Arlington, Va.

LittleDogBox, so sorry to hear of your frustration. Please don't give up. Try going up the ladder to Honda Corporate, so they get to the point where they call the dealer and tell them to fix the car, "whatever it takes". Hang in there!

If you keep having problems you might be able to call lemon on that vehicle and get it fixed or get your money back. If your dealer can't fix it I'd start threatening them with that.

Did you find out exactly what your rattle is? I have one, but it sounds like a cricket chirping, but its coming from the back, not the front. I'll have to check mine out too.

Thinking about it, I think mine might be coming from the spare tire well...i'll check it out.

[quote:ed55b21503=" "]Did you find out exactly what your rattle is? I have one, but it sounds like a cricket chirping, but its coming from the back, not the front. I'll have to check mine out too.

Thinking about it, I think mine might be coming from the spare tire well...i'll check it out.[/quote:ed55b21503]

They haven't a clue as to what the rattle is. Is seems to be coming from the dash near the airbag. If you press down REALLY hard, and I do mean hard it starts to go away. I told the service dept. this and still no fix. I really give up on my dealer I think.

LittleDogBox
Arlington, Va.

I had a rattle in the right corner of the dash. No amount of pressing or poking (while riding as a passenger) made it go away. I even listened with a stethescope. Figuring plastic parts were rubbing together I took the A pillar trim off and sprayed 303 uv protectant (and lubricant) in the corner by the windshield. After a liberal amount of spraying the rattle disappeared. I can't say for sure what spot I hit, though I suspect it was in the metal around the lower right corner of the windshield. Others have talked of spreading apart some of the metal layers in that area to remove the rattle.

This was for a rattle that occured at all speeds and all roads. I have something on the left dash that only occurs on rough roads. I suspect that has to do with the A pillar trim. I believe there is a TSB for that.

paulj

[quote:5104c44b18=" "]I had a rattle in the right corner of the dash. No amount of pressing or poking (while riding as a passenger) made it go away. I even listened with a stethescope. Figuring plastic parts were rubbing together I took the A pillar trim off and sprayed 303 uv protectant (and lubricant) in the corner by the windshield. After a liberal amount of spraying the rattle disappeared. I can't say for sure what spot I hit, though I suspect it was in the metal around the lower right corner of the windshield. Others have talked of spreading apart some of the metal layers in that area to remove the rattle.

This was for a rattle that occured at all speeds and all roads. I have something on the left dash that only occurs on rough roads. I suspect that has to do with the A pillar trim. I believe there is a TSB for that.

paulj[/quote:5104c44b18]


I have had every imaginable TSB done for the rattle. So far none have worked. What a coincidence, I used a stethoscope also. It just made me more confused but definitely worth a try. I still think it has something to do with the windshield perhaps. Hard to say. I will give the lubricant a try. Why not, can't hurt I suppose. I really do hate the rattle so much but after 4 or 5 trips in for this I just have had it. I met one lady at the service dept. who had a Honda Accord. She told me she brought it in probably as many times as I did for rattles. None were ever found and fixed so she just gave up eventually. She said she just didn't have the time and energy anymore. If I really thought one last stab at it would do the trick I would go. I just have a feeling it's gonna be the same ol. :?

LittleDogBox
Arlington, Va.