Yep dealers are for the most part blind and deaf when it comes to warranty work.
Here is what I did last time to get my Toyota dealers attention. He called me to pick up the car and told me he could not duplicate the problem. I said "OK, no problem but don't bitch at me when I give you a flunking grade when I get a survey on the quality of your service." Guess what... he had the mechanic take another look at the car and resolve the problem.
Take it to your dealership and have the problem dealt with through the proper channels. It's under warranty after all.
The car is of course under warranty and I plan on taking it to the dealer if I cannot figure out the problem by other means. I thought perhaps there might be something I was not understanding about the seat belt and that I might be able to solve the problem without going to the dealer. However, in any event I'd like to know a bit more about it before I have to approach the dealer and go through their system.
I like my Element and I have had only one minor problem with a seat cushion with this car and that took 5 trips to and from the dealer to get fixed supposedly due to the Honda/Dealer warranty protocol. That was a total of 10 (ten) 40 minute/20 mile commutes... 1) go get it checked and scheduled for a "fix", 2) return home, 3) drop off at dealer who sends it out to get "fixed" when anyone could see it needed replaced, 4) return home, 5) go pick-up semi-fixed, 6) return home unhappy, 7) then drop off to get cushion replaced, 8) return home, 9) go pick-up finally fixed, 10) return home riding on my beautiful new cushion.
Warranty work isn't always as free as it seems. I have found that some knowledge about a problem before I go to the dealer helps me and often saves me time, trouble, and perhaps the runaround, but thanks for your advice.
Patty