NHTSA Complaint #11040795 — 2015 MAZDA CX-5

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT NORMAL SPEED AT 7PM NORTH OF BIRMINGHAM, AL. IT WAS DARK AND A COUPLE VEHICLES WERE PRETTY FAR AHEAD OF ME. THERE WAS NOTHING ABOVE THE CAR (NO BRIDGE, TREE, ETC.) ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION OR GUNSHOT. I GOT OFF AT THE NEAREST EXIT TO EXAMINE THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. THE SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED UPWARD AND OUTWARD. THE GLASS PROTRUDED UPWARD AND SHARDS OF GLASS WERE BLOWN OUT ONTO THE ROOF OF MY CAR. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY FOREIGN OBJECT HAVING HIT THE CAR OR SUNROOF. LUCKILY I HAD THE SHADE CLOSED; OTHERWISE, GLASS SHARDS COULD HAVE BEEN THROWN INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND INJURED ME. THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD THAT I WAS ALSO LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T PANIC AND WRECK THE VEHICLE. AFTER DOING ONLINE RESEARCH AND FINDING MANY SIMILAR STORIES, I BELIEVE THE SUNROOF GLASS WAS FLAWED OR INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. I REPORTED IT TO MAZDA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS ENVIRONMENTAL AND THAT I SHOULD FILE IT ON MY INSURANCE. I TOLD THEM THAT I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THAT THEY SHOULD INVESTIGATE IT, BUT THEY REFUSED AND INSTRUCTED ME TO FILE IT ON MY INSURANCE. WHEN I TOOK IT TO HILEY MAZDA IN HUNTSVILLE AL, THEY WROTE "IMPLODED" ON THEIR DAMAGE ESTIMATE WHEN I VERY CLEARLY TOLD THEM IT "EXPLODED" OUTWARD AND SHOWED THEM MY PHOTOS.