NHTSA Complaint #10937165 — 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER

THE HYUNDAI VELOSTER 2012 HAD A RECALL A FEW YEARS AGO CONCERNING THE SUDDEN EXPLOSION OF THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF. I TOOK IN MY VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY TO BE CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD THE SUNROOF WAS FINE. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 65/70 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, AN EXTREMELY LOUD BANG OCCURRED. I IMMEDIATELY ASSOCIATED THE LOUD BANG AS A GUN SHOT. GLASS FROM THE CEILING FELL INTO THE VEHICLE AND ON MY BODY AS THE SUNROOF COVER RIPPED OPEN. I WAS SO STARTLED, THAT I DUCKED TRYING TO PROTECT MYSELF AS GLASS WAS FALLING ONTO ME WHILE DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO TURN ON MY HAZARDS AND PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ALTHOUGH, I DID NOT SPEAK TO ANY WITNESSES, I AM CERTAIN THE SEMI-TRUCK DRIVING BESIDE ME SAW WHAT OCCURRED AS HE TURNED ON HIS HAZARDS AND SLOWED DOWN TO LET ME OVER. I WAS LITERALLY SHAKING FROM BEING SO SCARED AND CAUGHT OFF GUARD. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO SEE WHAT HAD OCCURRED AND MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. THE ENTIRE GLASS PORTION OF THE SUNROOF WAS GONE EXCEPT FOR THE EDGES, WHICH WERE LEFT CRACKED. I ATTEMPTED TO TAKE A PICTURE, BUT IT WAS DARK AND I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, WHICH WAS NOT SAFE. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP SINCE 12/21/16. I COULD NOT REACH ANYONE AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, EVEN THOUGH I CALLED DURING HOURS OF OPERATION. I WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE OVER NIGHT. AS OF 5:48 PM ON 12/22/16, I WAS TOLD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS WAITING ON INSTRUCTION FROM HYUNDAI'S CORPORATE OFFICE AND HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED A VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH, I DID NOT SUFFER ANY SERIOUS INJURIES, I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHERS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. NOT ONLY IS THE GLASS ITSELF DANGEROUS, BUT THE SOUND WAS SO STARTLING IT COULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO VEER OFF INTO OTHER VEHICLES CAUSING GREAT BODILY INJURIES. I HAD NOT OPENED THE SUNROOF FOR DAYS, PERHAPS EVEN WEEKS AS IT HAS BEEN VERY COLD. *TR