NHTSA Complaint #11072231 — 2011 NISSAN MAXIMA

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON I10, 20 MILES EAST OF BEAUMONT TEXAS, MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED ON ITS OWN. THERE WAS NO COLLISION WITH ANY ROAD DEBRIS, NOR WERE WE IN THE VICINITY OR IMPACTED FROM ANYTHING FALLING FROM AN OVERPASS. THE TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND AS A RESULT OF THE EXPLOSION, I WAS FORCED TO GET TO AN EXIT COVERED IN SHARDS OF GLASS. THIS GLASS EXPLOSION CREATED A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION NOT ONLY FOR MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY, BUT FOR THE OTHER INNOCENT PEOPLE THAT WAS IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE SHOULDER TO GAIN MY EXPOSURE THEN DROVE TO AN OFF RAMP. I TOOK PICTURES AND CLEANED THE BROKEN SHARDS FROM MY WIFE, MY TWO CATS AND MYSELF FIRST AND FOREMOST. WE ALL HAD GLASS CUTS, BUT DID NOT NEED ANY SUTURES. I THEN CLEANED UP THE REMAINING BROKEN GLASS FROM THE SEATS, FLOOR ETC... AND PILED THE BROKEN SHARDS INTO A PILE ON THE VEHICLE ROOF. I TOOK A PICTURE OF THIS PILE TO SHOW HOW MUCH GLASS COVERED US IN RELATION TO HOW MUCH GLASS EXPLODED OVER THE INNOCENT VEHICLES BEHIND ME AT THE ACTUAL TIME OF EXPLOSION. I CALLED PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE TO NOT ONLY REPORT THE INCIDENT, BUT TO FILE A CLAIM. THEY GAVE ME CLAIM NUMBER 184507967. WHEREAS I WAS ON A BUSINESS TRIP AND DID NOT LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, I DID NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF PARKING THE VEHICLE IN A GARAGE AND GETTING A RENTAL UNTIL RESOLUTION OF THE CLAIM. I DROVE WITH NO PROTECTION FROM THE 35 DEGREE WEATHER AND DRIZZLE TO THE CLOSEST HOME DEPOT AND PURCHASED MATERIALS TO FABRICATE MY OWN INSULATED ROOF IN THE PARKING LOT. AT THE TIME, I HAD NO CLUE WHAT HAD POTENTIALLY HAIR MY CAR, BUT DEEP INSIDE, KNEW NOTHING HAD. WHEN I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT, I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD THAT THE GLASS WAS SHAPED WITH AN OUTWARD MUSHROOM SHAPE AS IF EXPLOSION CAME FROM INSIDE OUT. AFTER CONTINUED RESEARCH, IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH NO MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBILITY.