NHTSA Complaint #11097714 — 2016 HONDA CIVIC

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PRIVATE LOT DIRECTLY OUTSIDE MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. I WORK IN A REMOTE LOCATION WITH LITTLE TO NO TRAFFIC EXCEPT FOR EMPLOYEES ENTERING/LEAVING THE BUILDING. IT WAS LATE IN THE EVENING, I AUTO-STARTED THE CAR CAUSE IT HAD BEEN RAINING EARLIER IN THE DAY, WENT OUTSIDE, ENTERED THE VEHICLE, SHUT THE DOOR, AND IMMEDIATELY I HEARD GLASS FALLING. I LOOKED IN THE BACK SEAT AND SAW THE REAR WINDSHIELD HAD SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED FROM EDGE TO EDGE, ALL PARTS OF THE GLASS WAS BROKEN INTO SMALL SHARDS. IT SCARED ME CAUSE THE GLASS WAS FINE IN THE MORNING. I LOOKED AROUND AND NO OBJECTS WERE PRESENT TO DRAW A CONCLUSION THAT THE WINDOW HAD BEEN STRUCK. CALLED THE POLICE, BUT IT WASN'T AN EMERGENCY SO THEY DID NOT COME TO TAKE A REPORT. THE VEHICLE IS A LEASE WITH WARRANTY, SO I OPENED A CASE TO HAVE THE DAMAGE COVERED AS A DEFECT IN THE GLASS BASED ON THE COMPLAINTS MADE FROM OTHERS WHO EXPERIENCED SIMILAR LOSSES. HONDA REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. THEY WOULDN'T PROVIDE ANY WRITTEN STATEMENT, I WAS ONLY TOLD ON THE PHONE THAT MANAGEMENT DOESN'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY DEFECTS IN THE GLASS. I ASKED FOR THE GLASS TO BE TESTED AND THIS WAS REFUSED BY HONDA AS WELL. I REQUESTED A TRANSCRIPT OF THE CONVERSATION AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED TO SEND THEM A SUBPOENA. IT IS MY OPINION THAT UNLESS AN OFFICIAL AGENCY SUCH AS THE NHTSA INTERVENES ON BEHALF OF CONSUMERS, THEN HONDA HAS LITTLE TO NO CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF IT'S CUSTOMERS. FOR THIS REASON, I AM SHARING MY EXPERIENCE IN THE HOPE THAT HONDA WILL BE MADE TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MISLEADING AND ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF OTHERS.