2003 Honda Civic Wipers & Visibility Problems

ISSUE 1) DRIVER-SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE OFF WHILE REPOSITIONING TO BLOCK OUT OBSTRUCTIVE GLARE; CAUSED DRIVER TO PULL OFF ROAD AS GLARE PREVENTED SAFE DRIVING; SUN VISOR WAS REPLACED AT CONSUMERS EXPENSE IN 2012. ISSUE 2) DURING 2012, DRIVER-SIDE DOOR LOCK BECAME MORE DIFFICULT TO UNLOCK, INITIALLY INTERMITTENT ISSUE. HONDA DEALERSHIP SAID NOT A PROBLEM. JUNE 2013 THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK/UNABLE TO UNLOCK OR LOCK DOOR CONSISTENTLY; THEREFORE LOCK WAS REPLACED AT CONSUMERS EXPENSE. *TR

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON MY 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID HAS MANY FINE AND LARGER SCRATCHES RUNNING EVERY WHICH WAY WHICH PRODUCES A LOT OF GLARE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT FROM THE LIGHTS OF ONCOMING CARS. *TR

PREMATURE AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF CLIMATE CONTROL PANEL OPERATING HEAT, AIR, AND DEFROSTER IN VEHICLE. *JB

STRESS CRACK IN WINDSHIELD NOT DUE TO AN IMPACT OF ROCK OR SIMILAR FLYING OBJECT. *JB

I BOUGHT MY HONDA CIVIC EX IN 2003 FROM LUTE RILEY HONDA OF RICHARDSON. NOT LONG AFTER BUYING IT, MAYBE 6 MONTHS, A SMALL CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS NOTICED INCIDENTALLY, ALTHOUGH NO DEBRIS HITTING THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOTED. THE CRACK EXTENDS ALL THE WAY FROM THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD, AND SINCE I HAVEN'T ATTENDED TO THE CRACK DUE TO JOB SCHEDULE, IT NOW EXTENDS UP MORE THAN HALF THE LENGTH OF THE GLASS. NO POINT OF IMPACT CRATER HAS EVER BEEN NOTICED ANYWHERE ON THE WINDSHIELD. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CITED HERE ON THIS NHTSA COMPLAINTS AS TO THEIR SIMILAR WINDSHIELD CRACK EXPERIENCE. I WAS PROMPTED TO LOOK INTO THIS NHTSA WEBSITE COMPLAINTS LIST WHEN I NOTICED THAT MANY FRIENDS/RELATIVES WHO PURCHASED HONDA CIVICS OVER THE LAST 4-5 YEARS WERE HAVING A WINDSHIELD CRACK DEVELOP IN THE SAME LOCATION AS MINE. I AM QUITE WILLING TO HAVE A HONDA DEALER VERIFY THE LACK OF POINT OF IMPACT SO THAT THEY CANNOT EXPLAIN AWAY THIS INCIDENCE AS SOME FICITITOUS DEBRIS HITTING THE WINDSHIELD, ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS HERE.

SPONTANEOUS WINDSHIELD CRACKS, RIGHT LOWER WINDSHIELD AND LEFT LOWER WINDSHIELD AT 13 MONTHS OF PURCHASE AND 15 MONTHS OF PURCHASE CONSECUTIVELY. MILLER HONDA OF WINCHESTER, VA REFUSES TO FIX SAYING THE CRACKS OCCURRED FROM A STRIKE FROM ROCK OR SOMETHING. WEBSITE FOUND CONTAINING SEVERAL C/O HONDA ELEMENT CRACKED WINDSHIELDS. MILLER HONDA STILL REFUSES TO FIX. *AK

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT NORMAL SPEED WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR POPPED OUT. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AND IT DIDN'T SHOW ANY COLLISION RELATED DAMAGES. THE SERVICE CENTER INFORMED US THAT SOMEONE HIT THE VEHICLE ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF IT.*AK

WHEN THE HEAT CONTROL WAS SET TO MAXIMUM, EVEN IF THE RADIO WAS PLAYING LOW, ONE COULD NOT HEAR ANY OUTSIDE NOISE, SUCH AS HORN BLOWING OR OTHER WARNING DEVICES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE SUN ROOF BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING ALLOWING RAIN TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. *AK *NM

FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS, AFTER HAVING MY OIL CHANGED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON MY NEW HONDA CIVIC HYBRID, I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE WINDSHIELD WASHER SOLVENT TO SPRAY ONTO MY WINDSHIELD. (JANUARY 27/28, 2004) THIS PRESENTED A SERIOUS HAZARD SINCE THE INCLEMENT WEATHER MADE IT NECESSARY FOR ROAD CREWS TO LAY A GEAT DEAL OF SALT AND SAND ON THE HIGHWAYS TO COMBAT THE FREEZING RAIN . I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON THE MORNING OF THE 28TH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE REP SAID I SHOULD GO ACROSS THE THE STREET TO CHERRYDALE AUTO PARTS AND PURCHASE THE YELLOW SOLUTION THAT WAS GOOD TO SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES WHICH I DID. AFTER PUTTING THE NEW SOLVENT IN THE RESERVOIR THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, HOWEVER, WHY IT IS THAT DEALERSHIPS ARE ALLOWED TO USE SUBSTANDARD PRODUCTS IN THEIR SERVICE WHICH MAY POTENTIALLY HARM THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR CUSTOMER'S FAMILIES. IS IT A POLICY OF HONDA U.S. TO PRODUCE EXCELLENT CARS AND THEN HAVE THE OCCUPANTS KILLED SO THEIR DEALERSHIPS CAN SAVE PENNIES ON THE WINDSHIIEL WASHER SOLVENT THEY USE IN THEIR SCHEDULED SERVICE MAINTENANCE. THERE IS A GOOD REASON THAT THE WIPERS AND THE DELIVERY OF SOLVENT TO THE WINDSHIELD IS PART OF A VEHICLES SAFETY INSPECTION. BROWN'S ARLINGTON HONDA USED SUBSTANDARD SOLVENT THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MY DEATH. I WAS TOLD THAT MANY HAD COMPLAINED OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY THEN SENT ME ACROSS THE STREET TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM MYSELF. TRULY THIS IS PENNYWISE AND POUNDS FOOLISH.*AK

THE REAR WINDOW IS NOT ABLE TO BE FULLY CLEANED. THE BOTTOM 1/4 IS NOT ABLE TO REACHED CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY OUT OF WINDOW. WINDOW APPEARS TO BE FOGGY AND IS WORSE IN HOT WEATHER.*AK

THIS IS A CORRECTED INPUT TO MY ODI # 10011014 SUBMITTED 3/25/03 DURING NORMAL FREEWAY DRIVING, SMALL SAND/GRAVEL IMPACT ON WINDSHIELD RESULTED IN 8 INCH CRACK DEVELOPING WITHIN HOURS. PAST EXPERIENCE OVER 10 YEARS OF DRIVING TWO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE SAME ROAD IMPACTS OF THIS SIZE (HEAD OF A PIN SIZE IMPACT MARK) HAVE ONLY RESULTED IN MINOR WINDSHIELD PITTING. SUSPECT WINDSHIELD QUALITY OR DESIGN ARE PROBLEM AREAS. VEHICLE IS 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. I WAS WARNED PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF SIMILAR EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER HONDA ELEMENT OWNER IN THIS AREA. THIS IS A QUALITY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE.*JB

NORMAL FREEWAY DRIVING, SMALL SAND/GRAVEL INPACT ON WINDSHIELD RESULTED IN 8 INCH CRACK DEVELOPING WITHIN HOURS. PAST EXPERIENCE OVER 10 YEARS OF DRIVING SAME ROAD IMPACTS OF THIS SIZE (HEAD OF A PIN SIOZE IMPACT MARK)) HAVE ONLY RESULTED IN MINOR WINDSHIELD PITTING. SUSPECT WINDSHIELD QUALITY OR DESIGN ARE PROBLEM AREAS. VEHICLE IS 2003 HONDA ELEMENT. I WAS WARNED PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF SIMILAR EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER HONDA ELEMENT OWNER IN THIS AREA. THIS IS A QUALITY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE.

HONDA CIVIC HYBRID: WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS VERY LOW AND CAR IS COLD, THE DRIVERS SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW DOES NOT ROLL BACK UP AFTER IT HAS BEEN ROLLED DOWN. ONCE THE CAR HAS WARMED THE WINDOW WILL ROLL UP BUT THIS CAN TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES. JANUARY IS VERY COLD TO BE DRIVING WITH THE WINDOW DOWN. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE ON ANOTHER OCCASION THAT THIS OCCURED BUT THE HONDA DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECT FOUND AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, MADE NO ADJUSTMENT.

IF YOU OPEN THE REAR WINDOW(S) AT ANY SPEED ABOVE 40MPH THERE IS A THUMPING SOUND IN THE VEHICLE, MY SISTER COULD NOT TAKE THIS NOISE AT 40MPH AS THE SPEED INCREASES TO 55MPH ( LEGAL CITY HIGHWAY SPEED) THE SOUND INCREASES AND PAIN OCCURS. THE HONDA MECHANIC EXPERIENCED STRONG DISCOMFORT AT THIS SPEED. IF YOU GO TO THE LEGAL RURAL SPEED LIMIT 65 MPH, THE PAIN BECOMES IN MY CASE SEVER . IF SOME OPENS THE REAR WINDOW AT THAT SPEED IN MY CASE IT WILL CAUSE ME MAJOR PROBLEMS. FIRST I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO HEAR AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE TO YIELD. I WOULD BE BUSY TRYING TO COPE WITH THE PAIN AND MAY LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR. PEOPLE HAVING DOGS IN THEIR VEHICLE AND LEAVING THE BACK WINDOW OPEN WILL EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. I WAS NEVER TOLD OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE BUYING THE VEHICLE AND THIS IS MY FIRST SUV OR ANYTHING LARGER THAN A 2DR COUPE PASSENGER VEHICLE. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IF I KNEW THIS FIRST. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *AK