NHTSA Complaint #10482440 — 2009 ACURA RDX

A DRIVER AND ONE PASSENGER WERE TRAVELING DOWN AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT APPROX. 70 MPH. ALL WINDOWS WERE CLOSED, THE SUNROOF AND SUNROOF SHADE WERE CLOSED. APPROX. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 45 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, A SUNNY BUT COLD DAY, AND THE INSIDE VEHICLE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROX. 70 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. OUT OF NOWHERE, A LOUD POP (LIKE A GUNSHOT) WAS HEARD. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, THERE WAS THE FAINT SOUND OF OUTSIDE AIR COMING FROM THE SUNROOF. THE DRIVER OPENED THE SUNROOF SHADE JUST ENOUGH TO IMMEDIATELY SEE THAT THE ENTIRE SUNROOF GLASS WAS SHATTERED (STILL INTACT, BUT COMPLETELY SHATTERED). WITHIN THREE MINUTES WHEN A SAFE PLACE WAS REACHED, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO EXAMINE FROM OUTSIDE. DRIVER GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND SAW THAT THE GLASS SUNROOF WAS BUCKLED UPWARDS (AS THOUGH IT HAD POPPED FROM THE INSIDE). THE GLASS WAS NOT BROKEN IN ANY PATTERN WHICH INDICATED AN OBJECT FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE HAD HIT IT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE OF ANY INCIDENT. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE GLASS HAD POPPED, POTENTIALLY DUE TO INCORRECT PRESSURE INSIDE THE VEHICLE, FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THESE FACTORS LEAD US TO BELIEVE THE INCIDENT IS A VEHICLE SAFETY ISSUE, AT THE FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER. *TR