NHTSA Complaint #11209012 — 2018 AUDI Q5

ON THE MORNING OF APR. 24, I WAS ON MY WAY TO DROP OFF MY KIDS AT THEIR SCHOOL WHEN I HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND REALIZED THE REAR WINDOW OF MY CAR SHATTERED AND LEFT GLASS ON MY SON'S LAP AND ALL OVER THE BACKSEAT AND FLOORBOARD. I WAS DRIVING ON SE 20TH ST., SAMMAMISH, WA AT ABOUT 30 MILES/HR. THERE WAS NO ROCK TO CAUSE THE EXPLOSION. THANKFULLY, MY SON WAS FACING HIS SISTER, TALKING TO HER, WHEN THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED. OTHERWISE, THE GLASS MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN INTO HIS EYES. MY KIDS WERE EXTREMELY FRIGHTENED BY THIS TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE, AND I HAD TO CONSOLE AND REASSURE THEM. I WAS FRIGHTED BUT RELIEVED THEY WERE NOT INJURED. I WENT TO AUDI BELLEVUE AND TOLD THEM THE WINDOW EXPLODED BY ITSELF. THEY SUGGESTED ME LEAVE THE CAR WITH THEM. THEY CALLED THE NEXT DAY TO SAY THE AUDI FACTORY DECLINED TO COVER THE COST. THEY TOLD ME THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AN OUTSIDE INFLUENCE TO CAUSE THE EXPLOSION, WHICH IS NOT THE TRUTH. THE WINDOW EXPLOSION SCRATCHED THE PAINT OFF THE REAR DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND HAD AUDI FIX THE WINDOW. I PAID FOR THE $500 DEDUCTIBLE. UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN WITH THE WINDOW REPLACED, I DON'T FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE MY KIDS IN THE CAR. FURTHERMORE, MY KIDS WORRY ANOTHER WINDOW MIGHT EXPLODE ON THEM. THERE WAS NO SAFETY CHECK PERFORMED FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT ON THE OTHER WINDOWS. ON MAY 7, I WENT TO GERBER COLLISION AND GLASS IN BELLEVUE FOR AN ESTIMATE ON THE BODY DAMAGE. THE COST IS ESTIMATED AT $1800. THE PROBABILITY IS THAT AUDI HAS DEFECTIVE WINDOWS AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. IT WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE AND DANGEROUS. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH AUDI. WE HOPE THEY WILL ULTIMATELY BE HELD RESPONSIBLE AND WISH FOR THIS NEVER TO HAPPEN TO ANOTHER FAMILY OR RISK INJURY TO CHILDREN.