10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
12,902 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Honda Element windows / windshield problems

windows / windshield problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2003 Honda Element:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2003 Honda Element Owner Comments (Page 4 of 11)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #157

Jan 282005

Element 4WD 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 12,556 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Cracked windshield initiating in the passenger side of the car with no cause such as rock chip damage, etc. Crack continues across windshield just above dashboard level.

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

problem #156

Jan 252005

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,000 miles
The infamous window crack appeared on my Honda Element. Just woke up one morning and found a 3 inch crack. It has since expanded.

- Washington, VA, USA

problem #155

Dec 162004

Element 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,579 miles
Stress fracture in windshield that started from the lower driver side and stretches across about 24" to 36".

- Jamaica, NY, USA

problem #154

Jan 132005

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 32,400 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The consumer stated the windshield was begining to crack. The cause had not been determined. Please provide additional information. Windshield cracked for no apparent reason while the vehicle was parked.

- Worcester, MA, USA

problem #153

Dec 282004

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,836 miles
1) no event, went to car in morning and cracks were already there. 2) windshield cracked in three places starting in lower left side of windshield. 3) contacted american Honda, waiting for reply.

- Evans, GA, USA

problem #152

Nov 152004

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
My windshield cracked in the lower right corner for no reason. I replaced it after only 3 months of owning my car. After another 4 months my second windshield cracked in the same exact spot. I brought it to Honda both times and they basically told me that there was nothing that they could do about it. I have owned cars before and I never had this happen. Two windshields in one year! Honda has not been a help at all, and according to a lot of web sites for Honda Elements, this is a huge problem for all Element owners.

- Flushing, NY, USA

problem #151

Jan 082005

Element 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 19,960 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Windshield cracked at lower left corner while parked in the garage; no sign of any impact; crack originating from outside to inside.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #150

Dec 132004

Element 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
While the vehicle was parked consumer noticed that the windshield was cracked. Vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that windshield needed to be replaced......crack grew from the bottom moulding while the vehicle was parked. There was no impact point. There have been numerous reports of cracks eminating from the exact same spot.

- Westport, CT, USA

problem #149

Dec 242004

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,000 miles
I've had my 2003 Honda Element for slightly less than a year. It was sitting in my garage for about 3 days over the 2004 christmas weekend. Upon getting in my car to go somewhere I noticed a crack about 8 inches in length going down toward the passenger side corner of the windshield. I know this was not there the last time I drove it since it was so big and so obvious. It had apparently just cracked while sitting in the garage. Anyway, over the next day the cracked started to curve off to the side of the windshield. Contacted my dealer and dropped it off for them to check out. I explained to them that I had read about many other issues with the windshields. They checked it out and said they will replace it under warranty.

- Harrisburg, PA, USA

problem #148

Dec 092004

Element 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,000 miles
Car was parked in driveway Thursday evening at 4pm. At 6 am the following morning crack had appeared during the night in the lower windshield drivers side. Crack went vertical for appox. 3 inches. Then went horizontal toward passanger side appox. 6 inches. By Friday evening crack had lenghtend and dropped down to center of windshield.dealer said too bad must have been a rock. Plan to keep windshield as evedence when it is replaced. Odometer has 14K miles.

- Sand Lake, NY, USA

problem #147

Nov 052004

Element 4WD

  • Manual transmission
  • 30,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2003 Element deveoped a crack in the widshield starting at the edge of the glass in the center of the windshield and spreading across the glass. I took it to my dealer, and they refused to take any responsibility and kept trying to tell me that it was caused by a stone chip. They pointed out a tiny one the size of a pin head midway down the crack. When I asked how the crack managed to start at the edge of the winshield and meet the chip, they just kept saying that it was caused by the chip and they didn't want to have anything else to do with it. They had no interest at all in resolving what appears to be a serious defect.

- Doylestown, PA, USA

problem #146

Aug 012004

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,000 miles
2003 Honda Element, front window cracked under the seal up on the right hand passenger side. Popping noise in steering column developed after approx 15K miles. Power steering rod replaced in Aug 04. Returned to dealer in September. Was told they were unable to duplicate; however, service technician was able to hear it and said it sounded as if the airbag spring were loose. Was not fixed, report claimed that they were unable to duplicate. Returned to dealer the following week. Had two service technicians ride in the vehicle, they both heard the noise and replaced a turn signal switch. Popping noise is still present. There is a clicking noise when the steering wheel turns in either direction and at times even when driving in a straight line!

- Wright-Patterson Afb, OH, USA

problem #145

Feb 012004

Element 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,234 miles
Windshield cracked while driving on highway. This was on a new vehicle.

- Stafford, VA, USA

problem #144

Sep 152004

Element 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Front windshield cracked, no collision. Crack continued to grow. Had to replace on my own expense.

- Boston, MA, USA

problem #143

Oct 242004

Element 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 15,500 miles
Defective windshield. Cracked for no apparent reason.

- Batesville, MS, USA

problem #142

Oct 222004

Element 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,700 miles
My 2003 Honda Element sustained a cracked front windshield without anything contacting it. This is the second time this has happened since I purchased the car new from the dealer iin January of 2004. The Honda dealer repaired the first cracked window gratis in March of 2004. I brouight the car into the dealer on Monday Oct. 25. the district service manager put a pen down the crack which started from the bottom of the window and told me again that something hit the window and it was my responsibility to fix it this time because they fixed the first one.

- Elyria, OH, USA

problem #141

Oct 222004

Element 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,688 miles
Windsheild developed crack overnight. The vehicle was not even driven in 5 days prior to appearance of the crack. The crack appeared to start from the lower edge of the driver's side corner and snaked up to about 10 inches.

- Clifton, NJ, USA

problem #140

Aug 312004

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 33,000 miles
Windshield:tiny impact crack located right above the wiper blade on passenger side that has spread about 24" to the edge of the windshield caused by the slightest impact of a tiny pebble traveling ~45 mph on 880 North in fremont, California during rush hour morning traffic. Tiny chip would not have spread if there wasn't so much stress placed on the windshield by the "uneven windshield flange surface" that is stated in Honda service bulletin 03-028 which my VIN falls within. Honda dealership will not replace the windshield because the they said the impact started the crack. I contacted Honda customer service directly as stated in the warranty manual and they said they could do nothing based on the dealership findings. I mentioned several times to the dealership and Honda customer service that the windshield design is weak and flawed but both the dealership and Honda cs did not even think that was the cause of the problem. There is a presistant problem with 2003 Honda Element windshields such as www.autosafety.org/article.php?did=956&scid=103. There is a class action suit (BC319600) that was filed in la, ca: www.hondaelementscrack.com/.

- Alviso, CA, USA

problem #139

Oct 012004

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 19,900 miles
Windshield cracked. The cause had not been determined. The consumer stated that the windsheild continued to crack.

- South Padre Island, TX, USA

problem #138

Oct 032004

Element 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,487 miles
2003 Honda Element with a windshield that has starting cracking for no reason and it is starting to travel into my driving view. There is a major defect with these windshields.

- Hicksville, NY, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?