NHTSA Complaint #10781029 — 2010 BUICK ENCLAVE

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON AN HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE SKY ROOF ABOVE THE 2ND ROW SEATS SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS ON AN OPEN 3 LANE HIGHWAY WITH LIMITED VEHICLE TRAFFIC. APPROXIMATE TEMPERATURE WAS 65 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND 70 DEGREES INSIDE. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE NOON ON SEPTEMBER 26TH IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THE RESULT WAS A HOLE THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL IN THE CENTER OF THE GLASS. THE EDGES OF THE GLASS SURROUNDING THE HOLE WERE TILTED UPWARD AS THOUGH SOMETHING CAME OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE REMAINING GLASS WAS IN SMALL PIECES PUT STILL INTACT IN THE ORIGINAL SHAPE. THE THIN SHADE THAT WAS ON THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME WHICH CONTAINED MOST OF THE GLASS THAT FELL THROUGH. NO OTHER FOREIGN MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN THE SHADE WHILE I WAS CLEANING UP OF THE BROKEN GLASS. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND DESCRIBED IT AS BEING A LOUD BANG BEHIND HIM. MY YOUNG KIDS (AGES 6 AND 7) SIT BELOW THIS SKY ROOF AND THANKFULLY WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE WHEN IT HAPPENED, BUT THEY COULD OF BEEN PELTED WITH GLASS AND THE LOUD BANG COULD OF STARTLED ME IF I WAS DRIVING AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE ONLY PLACE I COULD GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THE COST TO REPAIR IT AND IT TOOK OVER 5 DAYS TO GET THE PIECE OF GLASS AND THEN ANOTHER DAY TO REPAIR IT. I AM FEARFUL THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN WITH THE NEW PIECE OF GLASS AS IT'S THE SAME PART. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD CAUSE INJURY TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.