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Imagine driving down the road and having your rear window randomly explode. This is a scary possibility with the Honda HR-V. The 2023 Honda HR-V may face a lawsuit due to how common the shattering glass is. 

2023 Honda HR-V rear windows are exploding 

The 2023 Honda HR-V on the road
2023 Honda HR-V | Honda

More and more drivers are facing jagged glass with the 2023 Honda HR-V. Multiple complaints online reference the rear window glass suddenly shattering, imploding, or exploding. 

This phenomenon has occurred while vehicles are parked and while driving. The breaking glass typically emits a loud bang, which is pretty distracting to drivers. The sudden shock of braking glass may increase the risk of accidents and injuries. 

As a result, there’s a pending lawsuit in Pennsylvania. But Honda is aware of the issue and shared that it received a limited number of reports of rear-hatch glass braking on 2023 Honda HR-V vehicles with rear defroster use.

Honda’s investigation revealed that during the assembly process for some vehicles, a sealer is used to secure rear glass that may come into contact with the heating elements of the defroster, leading to a hotspot that causes the glass to weaken with use. 

Basically, the rear defroster may have been improperly installed, making the glass expand with use. As glass expands it can randomly explode. But there’s no recall for this issue after Honda has received hundreds of complaints. 

Instead, Honda is planning to initiate a voluntary product update campaign once it can secure the necessary replacement parts. It seems like a fancy way to say recall without actually saying the word recall. 

The campaign should start in April or May 2024. But Honda first acknowledged this issue in May 2023, so why is the fix taking up to an entire year?

It’s like Honda is doing everything it can to skirt around this issue. But preventing your window from exploding is better late than never, right? 

You can contact your local Honda dealership or Honda customer service at 800-999-1009 to try and schedule a repair. 

It’s unclear if owners of affected vehicles will be notified. This campaign could rely on owners to be aware of this issue and take it upon themselves to have the problem corrected. 

But the lawsuit or a recall could make Honda more proactive. Stay tuned for updates as we continue tracking this potential Honda HR-V case.