NHTSA Complaint #11174480 — 2012 KIA SORENTO

I WAS DRIVING MYSELF AND MY BROTHER SOUTHBOUND ON THE 101 FREEWAY NEAR TEMPE, AZ ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:20AM WHEN WE SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION OVER OUR HEADS AND SAW GLASS RAINING DOWN THROUGH THE OVERHEAD VISOR AND OFF THE BACK OF THE CAR. STUNNED AND SHOCKED, I CAREFULLY MADE MY WAY ACROSS THREE LANES OF BUSY MORNING TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND INSPECT THE DAMAGE. THE ENTIRE SUNROOF HAD SHATTERED, LEAVING JAGGED GLASS PARTICLES OVER THE TOP AND INSIDE THE SUNROOF MECHANISM, AS WELL AS INSIDE MY CAR. I'M GRATEFUL MY TWO CHILDREN WEREN'T SITTING IN BACK OR THEY MAY HAVE BEEN CUT BY THE SPRAYING GLASS! WE HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT AVERAGE HIGHWAY SPEEDS, DURING A COOL, CLOUDY DAY. IT WAS ABOUT 55 DEGREES AND THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY OR DEBRIS ON THE ROAD THAT MORNING. I NEVER NOTED PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE ROOF AND WAS TRAVELING WITH THE SUNROOF COMPLETELY SHUT THAT MORNING. THIS WAS AN ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE THAT VERY WELL COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I'M FURIOUS TO FIND SO MANY REPORTS OF THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRING! RECALLS MUST BE MADE AND A BETTER SOLUTION NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE!