NHTSA Complaint #11419773 — 2020 HONDA FIT

The rear (tailgate) window on our 2020 Honda Fit shattered (busted) on its own for no reason. Nothing hit or even touched the car. No other cars were around. No other damage to the car. The car has been parked on the side of road for about 5-10 min. We were staying about 2-3 feet away when we heard a load explosion. Most of the glass held up due to ceramic tint but some glass shards (especially from the corners) were ejected several feet away. Oddly, the substantial cracks were not in the center, but in the corners. This is very concerning because glass shards could cause serious injury. We are grateful we were not in the car when it happened. We are just shocked and cannot understand what could possible cause this. We did some research and became alarmed how many other Honda car owners experienced the same issue. Our car is less than a year old. Given the way the glass shattered, there is no logical explanation to this other than it appears to be a defect in the glass or during the installation of the rear window. We took the car to dealership (Paragon Honda) and the dealership refused to cover the cost and insisted we repair through the insurance. The dealership refused even to inspect or investigate, claiming that windows do not shatter on their own. After doing some research, this is clearly not true and appears to be common issue with Honda models. Moreover, the New Vehicle Limited Warranty explicitly provides that it covers "broken, chipped, or scratched window glass" if it is due to defect in material or workmanship." We will do whatever it's needed to get the window repair, but I urge Honda to investigate this issue because rear windows exploding on their own pause a serious safety concern. I have no doubt if my window was not tinted, we would be hit with glass pieces as we were just a few feet away when it happened. How can Honda ensure this does not happen again? Please contact me with any follow-ups. I also have photos of the window.