NHTSA Complaint #11014496 — 2014 KIA FORTE

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD "POP" AND THE SUNROOF GLASS SHATTERED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THANKFULLY, SHE HAD THE VISOR CLOSED UNDERNEATH IT SO THAT THE GLASS DID NOT FALL ON HER. IT DID DO DAMAGE TO THE TRUNK AND OTHER AREAS IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AS THE GLASS BLEW OFF THE CAR. WHEN I (HUSBAND) WENT TO KIA AND TOLD THE SERVICE PERSON WHAT HAPPENED HE SAID IT WAS "IMPOSSIBLE" FOR GLASS JUST TO SHATTER WITHOUT BEING STRUCK. AFTER LISTENING TO NEWS REPORTS THROUGH YOUTUBE I DO NOT BELIEVE THE SERVICE PERSON. FROM WHAT I AM HEARING FROM THE MEDIA....THE GLASS ON TOP IS BEING MADE THINNER BECAUSE OF WEIGHT CONCERNS. ALSO, MY BODY SHOP ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THE DESIGN OF OUR KIA IS SLOPED AND THE GLASS IS MORE EXPOSED RATHER THAN BEING ON A "FLAT" ROOF DESIGN VEHICLE OF SAY AN OLDER FORD EXPLORER TYPE VEHICLE. IF THE GLASS ON CERTAIN DESIGNED VEHICLES IS MORE EXPOSED BY SLOPING FORWARD THEN ALL THE MORE REASON TO HAVE A GLASS THAT WON'T SHATTER OR THAT IS THICKER. IF THE SLOPED DESIGN MAKES THE GLASS MORE EXPOSED....THEN IT MAY ALSO BE THAT IT ONLY TAKES A VERY SMALL ROCK BEING THROWN BY A VEHICLE IN FRONT TO SHATTER A THINNER GLASS ON A SLOPED DESIGN VEHICLE...AND A ROCK SIZE THAT A DRIVER WOULD NOT NOTICE. THERE WAS A TRUCK IN FRONT OF MY WIFE BUT SHE DID NOT NOTICE ANY ROCK HITTING HER CAR.