My windshield cracked at 6,000 miles…I guess it’s a common problem….
Herb Chambers refused to change it saying it was an impact break….I’ll post a picture of the pit they said caused it, it is tiny. To me it looks more like the glass has sloughed off along the crack line….but anyway…
Has anyone had any luck getting his or her local dealership to replace it? I’d like to get a second opinion….

[quote:57f5279378=" "]My windshield cracked at 6,000 miles…I guess it’s a common problem….
Herb Chambers refused to change it saying it was an impact break….I’ll post a picture of the pit they said caused it, it is tiny. To me it looks more like the glass has sloughed off along the crack line….but anyway…
Has anyone had any luck getting his or her local dealership to replace it? I’d like to get a second opinion….[/quote:57f5279378]

If there's no star, it's almost certainly not an impact. My suggestion is to take the tiered approach:

0) Detail the complaint on the NHTSA site. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ There are now scores of registered complaints about this defect. Of the 101 complaints on the Element, the vast majority are about windshield cracks. All 101 complaints: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/complaintresults.cfm?start=1&SearchType=DrillDown&type=1&year=2003&make=HONDA&model=ELEMENT&component_id=0&summary=true&PrintVersion=YES

1) Do a search on crack or windshield and find some of the longer threads on the board. Print out the 100s of messages about windshield cracks.

2) Find the early TSB about windshield cracks here http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2212 . Heck, your 6000m vehicle might even be in the serial # range to have it automatically fixed, no questions asked, though that range is woefully short of real world problem vehicles.

3) Bring this documentation to the dealership and push them to fix it under warranty.

4) If they balk, suggest that they will lose all future future business if they do not fix it under the goodwill service budget. Perhaps rope in your original salesperson to be on your side here.

5) If they are still refusing, ask to speak to the honda representative. They typically visit a dealership once or twice a month, so this will be a scheduled affair. I haven't heard of a case where it got to this stage where the honda rep agreed it was an impact, so typically this is where the problem ends.

6) If after a few weeks and the honda rep visit not helping, go nuclear on honda corporate.

7) Unless absolutely necessary don't go to a 3rd party for glass replacement. I suspect part of the defect has to do with the windshield frame and if/when honda finally deals with it, the 3rd party repair might make it more difficult to get this dealt with properly by honda. Plus honda needs to pay for these, not you or your insurance company.

Also: somewhere between steps 3 and 6, try another dealership (depending on your time and loyalty to the first). This often short circuits the problem, as the other dealership might be interested in winning your future business.

Finally: if you can (depends on the state) add glass insurance to your car insurance, at least until (when/if) honda gets this sorted out.

-brendan