Acura and its parent company Honda are being sued by American owners of the Acura RDX over a flaw that could allegedly cause the glass in the tailgate window to shatter spontaneously, and without warning.
With complaints relating to this issue stretching back to 2020, plaintiffs in this proposed class action are seeking damages on behalf of everyone who purchased a 2019-2023 Acura RDX with a defective rear window.
In the suit, filed by the law firm Tycko & Zavareei LLP, the plaintiffs allege that a defective rear windshield electrical defroster unit is at the root of the issue causing the windows to shatter suddenly. They claim that the glass can break whether the crossover is on or off, in motion or sat still.
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A video, posted by YouTuber Jon Onyx, shows that the glass can break for seemingly no reason. The owner of the vehicle in question can be seen parked in a lot, on his phone, when the window goes from whole to a mosaic with millions of cracks in an instant.
As can be seen from the occupant’s reaction, the spontaneous nature of the shattering can be quite startling. Plaintiffs allege that the sound that accompanies the breakage is similar to the sound of an automotive collision or a gun shot, which could startle drivers, and increase the risk of an accident occurring.
Consumer complaints relating to this issue date back to 2020 on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. There, one customer reported that their “tailgate window shattered with no force or impact to the vehicle and had to replace it with my insurance.”
When we reached out for comment from Acura, a representative said that it does not comment on pending litigation.
The plaintiffs claim that this issue amounts to a breach of implied warranty, and assert that it is a violation of Alabama’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act. On behalf of the class and subclass of buyers, they are seeking “damages and equitable relief”
Update, August 30, 2023: This post has been updated to include a response from an Acura representative.
