It seems that quite a few people have had their windshield replaced more than once. A recurring sentiment is that Honda's glass is defective so I'm just wondering if people have had any better luck with aftermarket windshield manufacturers.

1. How many times have you had to have your windshield replaced?
2. For each replacement, please tell what type of glass was used (Honda OEM or name of aftermarket glass).
3. How long did each replacement last?

I'll go first:

1. Once.
2. Replaced with Pilkington glass.
3. So far, so good but it's only been 9 days.

1. None. Still have original on 7 week old 2004 E, with no cracks yet.
2. N/A
3. N/A

1. 0 times.
2. N/A
3. N/A

[knock on wood]

A side-comment: my belief is that the problem isn't the glass but the frame. Hence my recommendation to always Honda do the work to keep it under warranty as I strongly suspect there will be another TSB on this issue in the future.

-brendan

1. Once
2. PPG
3. 3 months, 7,000 miles in temps down to -11.

1. Once
2. Pilkington
3.4 days.

1. Once
2. Pilkington
3.4 days.

Ouch! Did the Pilkington succumb to a stress crack or did something hit it? Will you be going back to Honda glass when you replace it?

i broke my windshield about a month ago (road debris from car in front of me) and after i had the windshield replaced i developed a whistle. anyway, i spent some time on the phone with the manager of the glass repair company here (who also is a subcontractor for a local honda dealership) and as long as i had him on the phone (and since he was a very helpful and friendly) i decided to ask him a few questions:

Q: is there such a thing as "soft" glass?
A: no, as long as i have been in the business (22 years) people have been saying that they don't make windshields like they used to...so, if there is such a thing as soft glass it is what they have been making for over 2 decades.

Q: do you see an abnormal amount of Es in your shop?
A: no, the number of elements i see is not abnormally high given the angle at which the windshield is placed (personal aside, i woek with a woman who drives an H2 (which also has a rather upright windshield) and she is on windshield #3)

Q: is it possible to get a thicker or stronger windshield from someone other than honda?
A: no, if it were thicker it would not fit correctly, and all windsheilds have to be approved by the DOT anyway which mandates thickness and strength.

he then went on to tell me a little bit about the pinch weld problem, and he told me that if someone were replacing the windshield and your E had the pinch weld problem (in the corners) there is no way the installer could overlook the problem as the edge of the weld protrudes through the foam lining upon which the windshield is seated and it would make it impossible to install the new windshield.

1. Four
2. Honda Glass
3. Each lasted equally about a month, with the exception of one lasting for 3 weeks

i had 2 stars from road debris, and two HUGE stress crack

[quote:481b16cf9a=" "]1. Four
2. Honda Glass
3. Each lasted equally about a month, with the exception of one lasting for 3 weeks

i had 2 stars from road debris, and two HUGE stress crack[/quote:481b16cf9a]

Wow, perhaps it is something about the honda glass? The other glass seems to fair better....

1. 0, but I have a huge crack that I dont think is normal.
2. Im leaning towards ANYTHING other thant he honda glass
3. Hard to say.

http://www.elementscrack.com

1. Still the original glass
2. n/a
3. n/a

2.5 months and 4,500 miles and not even a chip in the glass.

<knocking on wood>please let this last</knocking on wood>

1. None
2. n/a
3. n/a

Bought my E last year at the end of May, just under 10,000 miles so far. No windshield issues.

1. 0-although if I had replaced my windshield, I would have said 2. I have one crack (starry effect) and after that 3 small scratches from a rock I assume.
2. N/A
3. N/A
I'm new to the community and just posted all my problems with my E-although I love it--car accident-rear bumper problem, keyless entry remote problem, horn problem, etc. I also had the nicks on the passenger side door as well-3 now. I assume from people opening their doors and hitting MINE!

mborkow.. great research and info!!

1. 0.
2. n/a.
3. n/a

I have had my Element since January 2003.. over a year, and about 8500 miles on it.. have not had any cracks, squeaks, rattles.. nothing.. perfect! so far so great!

1. Once
2. Pilkington
3. About 2 weeks so far, so good.

Hope this never happens again. Dealership says it was a rock, & it may have been, but it looked more like a stress crack to me. We shall see...

Later,
Chap

1. None
2. N/A
3. N/A

I did pick up a chip a few weeks ago when my dentist went flying by me on my way home. Stopped a friends glass shop the next morning and was told they would have to make a bigger hole just to fix the chip...so I said "No...let's see what happens". He did mention though that his industry magazine had noted the Elements were having a problem. :(

1. How many times have you had to have your windshield replaced?

Never

2003 SOP EX-S 5spd

[quote:0deced40ab=" "]He did mention though that his industry magazine had noted the Elements were having a problem. :([/quote:0deced40ab]

What mag? I'd like to look it up.

My windshield replacement (Pilkington) is still holding up after 1000 miles (knock on wood). Since so many people have written in this section about their windshield cracking, I was curious to find out how the replacements made out. Instead, this thread got a lot more responses from people who haven't had a problem -- which is nice to hear too!

MorganNJSOPe: I take it that you got your windshield replaced at Honda if each time Honda glass was used? Did they perform the TSB? How on earth do they explain *FOUR* cracked windshields???

[quote:c569df45e5=" "]...a friends glass shop the next morning and was told they would have to make a bigger hole just to fix the chip...so I said "No...let's see what happens". He did mention though that his industry magazine had noted the Elements were having a problem. :([/quote:c569df45e5]

Oooh. If you can find out what trade magazine/issue printed that, I'd love to know!

-brendan

That would be a great article to be armed with if my glass ever breaks and I need to head off to the dealer.

1. so far so good-none!

1. How many times have you had to have your windshield replaced?

ONCE
2. For each replacement, please tell what type of glass was used (Honda OEM or name of aftermarket glass).

I used Safelite because I have former experience with thier glass and service. My Civic had a legit crack in it from a large rock that hit it, and I was happy with the glass, the service and the results. I also have no intention of giving Honda any money they can pocket for a fix they should have done under warranty. Why reward them for bad behavior and questionable quality?

3. How long did each replacement last?

So far so, good, but it's only been a week. My out of vin range had the high spots too, and the installer fixed them, so hopefully, this will be done with.

i think it would be helpful to know the year and model of your E to guage if Honda is improving things as they go along or if the problem is equal for newer 04s.

I haven't had to replace my windshield yet, but my problem is pitting. It's gotten so bad after 14,000 miles that it's getting difficult to see at night due to the light scattering from oncoming headlights.

1. 0
2.n/a
3.n/a

I've had my GGM since Aug 03, 26,000 Km so far, and not a problem yet.
I'm really impressed with my E. After owning numerous GM's and a Ford or 2, this is the first vehicle I've ever had that hasn't had something major fall off by this time.

3rd windshield goind on 4 next week
Honda genuine glass
2003 E 4wd

Next time I am gonna cry

2004 Element,3 months old,windshield cracked,dealer replaced with some yelling on my part.My first Honda,hope this is not a trend. :(

It would be helpful if people noted where the crack was on the windshield, and if possible to distinguish between cracks that could have been initiated by a rock hit, from ones that started on the edge. Such information would be particularly valuable in the case of repeated cracks. Having to replace the windshield multiple times because some roughness in the frame has not been corrected is one thing, replacing it multiple times because construction trucks keep spraying the Element with rocks is quite another.

paulj

2 stress/ 1 rock

Did the stress cracks originate in the same area?

On another forum a poster hypothesized that Honda uses an adhesive that is either too strong or does have enough flex, so that in hot weather stress could buildup as the glass and frame expand at different rates. I don't know if there are any patterns in location or season to support that.

It may be that the after-market glass industry is in the best postion to identify one or more problems. They, if anyone, are going to have statistics that would indicate a higher than normal incidence of windshield problems.

paulj

1st crack top right, 2nd crack bottom right side...when I noticed the 2nd stress crack, I had just called the glass company and they said they would replace it and the next day a rock hit the windshield about 6 inches from the stress and it went right into it so I can`t prove the glass company wrong

In less than two weeks of owning my "E" I put it in my storage unit to switch out cars, and the next morning when I took it out (mind you this is the first time it spent a night inside) I noticed a very strange crack coming out from the passenger side in the lower 1/3 that grew out of the side in an S pattern. I immediately drove the dealership and the service guy did the pen test to see if a small chip was involved and he couldn't find anything. They are replacing under warranty using a 3rd party. While I was there another Element drove in and said "You'll be happy with Mr. Glass, they did my winshield" to the dismay of the service guy I mentioned the common problem, but the 2nd Element owner said a rock did he his winshield.

I'll post what kind of glass they use, once it's installed.

I just got back this afternoon from a quick trip to Maine...or as we began to call it "A Tour Of Every Major Road Construction Project in North America". The trip is a 19 hour, 1050 mile, one day, straight shot across Canada and then down through Vermont, New Hampshire and into Maine.

Apparently the 95 cents/litre gas price in Quebec doesn't contain enough road tax so they perform temporary paving by dumping the tar and gravel onto the road so that the cars/trucks can pound it in. We made it through most of that province with nothing more than a chip put into the passenger side of the window. Then we hit Ontario, which has major road construction going on all across Route 17...and I got nailed...three times. The first two were chips, and we were thinking "No problem, we'll get them all filled in when we get home"...then the last stone hit. I saw the powder fly off the lower windshield in front of me...but nothing happened. About 15 minutes later the sun caught the glass in just the right way to catch my eye and I saw that a crack had started about 4" in from the very bottom of the drivers side and had begun to work its way up and across the windshield...Arghhhhh!

I have had the windshield replaced once due to three rock strikes, the last of which cracked the windshield from bottom to top. It has been two weeks now and another rock ( a boulder by the sound of it ) has created a three inch circle of shattered glass in the lower left corner. I will replace it again after another strike in the center of my view. As it is, it's not a driving hazard. Just a pain to deal with.

I love my Element. There is no stress while driving it and no stress cracks either. What are all you people doing? Running off road? Jumping curbs?
Attacking the parking strips? Everyone I have talked to that owns an Elemant has not even heard of a "Stress crack".

Well, if it weren't dor local construction causing debris on the hiway, I wouldn't be posting this. My Element is a great truck.

Okay.....I have had my windshield replaced twice....first time with Honda glass (there was no aftermarket at the time) It lasted 7-8 months.....then the second time I used an aftermarket (I don;t recall the name) and that was about 4 months ago.

Replaced it once with Honda OEM glass. Have chipping & a star burst from rocks again. May be its the angle of the glass combined with a poor quality product?

1) 0
2) 0
3) Original glass after 36,000 miles riding the hwy's of metro NY/NJ.
My glass has been struck by multiple road debris/rocks and still no cracks.
I've had no other TSB issues. One sample defect needed fixing when I first picked up my E from the dealer (rear washer fluid sprayer supply hose was kinked during assembly at the Honda plant).

Other then that, I've just been doing routine maintenance. My Goodyear tires should last about 40-50,000 miles (based upon current tread), my brake pads appear to be at about 80%.

1)replaced windshield at around 5,000 miles due to rock? that might have hit window on the passenger side about 6 inches up from bottom of glass.
2)not sure what glass type was put in as replacement but it was not honda
3)new crack has developed at 18,000 miles due to rock? that hit the frame/window at just below the passenger side windshield wiper. I am so mad I haven't replaced the glass yet and I'm at 37,000 miles. My E is a 2003.

Wow! You guys are awesome!

I've tried talking about my cracked windshield in other forums (more like "broadcast", probably!) and MANY other "E" owners didn't even want to hear it!

I'm on windshield #1. Yes, a rock did hit mine (during the test drive, of all things!). My dealer was with me when the rock hit, but I recall we were both VERY surprised that there was no chip (or so I thought). I was so excited to drive my "E" home that I didn't think to check further. On the WAY HOME I gasped in horror as I watched the crack develop. On further inspection I saw the rock chip under the passenger side windshield wiper. It was concealed, so It would've been difficult to see anyhow.

Well, I would've simply counted my cracked windshield as bad luck if I hadn't seen so many other "E" owners with the same problem! However, since I didn't see the problem before I signed the dotted line I didn't expect my dealer to do anything about it. Lo and behold, when I went to the dealership to pick up my plates the DEALER mentioned the windshield crack! When I asked, he admitted that he remembered the rock hitting during the test drive. With a little fanagling (and several days later), I was finally told that my dealership was going to cover my cracked windshield under their insurance policy, calling it "Lot Damage"!

Unfortunately, I've have had my "E" two months on Monday 8/23/04, and I'm STILL waiting for my windshield replacement. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones though, if I DO get it replaced!

So yes, I did get hit by a rock. But NONE of the other vehicles I've owned received a crack so quickly as my beloved "E". There has always been ample time to repair the chip if one occured with other vehicles I've driven. After reading the MULTITUDE of stories, here and elsewhere...

I DO BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN HONDA ELEMENT WINDSHIELD GLASS!

I'm gonna be really pissed off if I ever have to pay out of pocket to replace another windshield, that's for sure!

Otherwise, LOVING MY "E"!!!!! :D

LEGO

1.Twice. The first happened when the vehicle was being shipped to the dealer-prior to me taking delivery. That windshield was replaced by the dealer- but it failed three months afterwards.

2.First one was Honda OEM. Second was Safelite paid for by my own pocket.

3.Three months for the Honda OEM. The Safelite windshield is now nine months old, and has not a single crack or ding in it.

Yes, my vin was included in the TSB, but the dealer, regional svc manager, and Honda America refused to fix it. Take a look at the NTHSA web site and check out the Office of Defects Investigation. 120 of the 170 complaints regarding the 03 Element involve the windshield.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/