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"exploding" sunroof

25K views 56 replies 19 participants last post by  eflyguy 
#1 ·
Was wondering if anyone else has experienced the "exploding" sunroof - a numerically small but with common characteristics complaint in 2013/2014 models.
 
#3 ·
I'm going to assume that you're referring to this article. If so, while the women in question was driving a Sorento, the article glosses over the fact that this is a potential issue with any vehicle that has a panoramic sunroof.

I think what the article shows is that you must take car to insure that your sunroof is in good condition, no cracked/chipped glass, etc.

~Spritz
 
#5 ·
There are currently 17 complaints active with the NHTSA for the 2014 KIA Sorento. 2 of these complaints were directly related to sunroof "exploding" or shattering. There may be more cases out there that have not reported. But then again, this is probably out of approximately the 90,000 to 100,000 or so 2014 Sorento's that were sold last year in the US.

I wonder how many of these shattered sunroofs cases we are hearing about are related to huge variances in temperature (inside car @ 72F/20C and outside the car temperature being at 0F/-17C) etc. Glass is not exactly a strong piece of material. Combine with shocks and bumps of the road, huge temperature variances on either side of the glass...a large plate of glass lying horizontally is bound to shatter.

Interestingly...7 of these complaints with NHTSA are related to drivers unable to see the speedometer of the optional electro-dash.
 
#7 ·
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues

You can search for recalls and complaints by year/make/model.

WE WERE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 540 N, 70 MPH, NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, AND LIGHT TRAFFIC WHEN THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. IT SOUNDED LIKE WE HAD BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE OR SOMETYPE OF EXPLOSION. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR TO SEE A LARGE PIECE OF DARK GLASS FLYING OFF FROM THE TOP OF MY CAR. THE INSIDE SHADE WAS CLOSED, NO GLASS ENTERED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WE PULLED OFF AT THE ROAD AND DISCOVERED A LARGE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIRST SUNROOF. THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE FIRST SUNROOF IS SHATTERED. WE WERE NOT FOLLOWING A VEHICLE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS WAS CAUSED BY A ROCK OR ROAD DEBRIS. THE OTHER PARTS OF THE GLASS ROOF SEEM OK, THIS WAS JUST THE SUNROOF THAT IS OVER THE FRONT SEATS.
SUNROOF SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING ON I-35 NORTH. WE HAVE KIDS ON BOARD WHILE THAT HAPPENED. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN FIRE WHEN IT HAPPENS. WE CAN PROVIDE YOU THE PHOTOS.
The last one is not really sunroof related...just the glass piece of roof before the sunroof:

CAME OUT TO FIND THAT OVERNIGHT THE PIECE OF GLASS ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD AND BETWEEN THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED ENTIRE WIDTH OF WINDSHIELD. THERE ARE NO ROCK CHIPS AND CAR WAS NOT MOVING. CAR IS KEPT IN THE GARAGE. READING ON THE INTERNET, I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A TENSION FRACTURE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CASES OF THIS REPORTED FOR THE KIA SORENTO WITH THE SUNROOF ITSELF SHATTERING. (THIS WAS NOT THE SUNROOF, BUT THE GLASS PIECE IN FRONT OF IT.) *TR
 
#8 ·
I wonder why Kia would produce a large panoramic sun roof that is not of a laminated type of glass like the front windshield is. It sure would be a whole lot safer if the sun roof glass was laminated. I own a 2014 Sorento EX model without the sun roof and after reading these postings, I am sure very happy about this. Good luck to those people that have a sun roof. I hope that they have good insurance coverage for the passengers sitting under that very large sun roof. Can you imagine having childeren strapped in the back seat and having a sun roof shatter all over the place while driving. As I said before, good luck.
 
#20 ·
This guy :laugh:

Not having a sunroof and thinking you're safe and alright because exploding sunroofs happen to 0.12% of Sorento owners isn't correct thinking.

I'd gamble with that small percent if the benefit is having a very wide and beautiful panoramin sunroof.

It's like thinking you're better here on Earth than walking in the moon, at least there's not chance for asteroids shattering your space shuttle, or a sun ray obliterating you in pieces.:D

Let's put this in perspective here. To date, Kia has sold over 1/2 million Sorento's in North America (Source). Of those, according to the link shared by spacedogg there have been 3 (reported) incidents of sunroof issue's... of those, their doesn't seem to be any reported injuries. So 0.0006% of Sorento's seem to have this issue.

Now, I realize that not all Sorento's sold have the panoramic sunroof, which will throw off the numbers. I also realize that not all "exploding" sunroofs may have been reported... but lets be honest, whose not going to report an exploding sunroof? Even if you increase the reported incidents by a factor of 100 (so 300 reported incidents) and 1/2 the number of Sorento's, you're still looking at 0.12% of Sorento's have this issue.

You have a better chance of dying in an aircraft accident, being struck by lightning, etc. Now couple that with all the other panoramic sunroofs on the market. Lets throw in Hyundai's numbers since I imagine they use the same glass/components as Kia. Now those odds go down even more.

To me, this is the media having a slow news day, and trying to stir something up where it doesn't exist.
This is what i'm saying.

Just enjoy your Sorentos people. Stop thinking about things beyond our reach and capacities.
 
#9 ·
Let's put this in perspective here. To date, Kia has sold over 1/2 million Sorento's in North America (Source). Of those, according to the link shared by spacedogg there have been 3 (reported) incidents of sunroof issue's... of those, their doesn't seem to be any reported injuries. So 0.0006% of Sorento's seem to have this issue.

Now, I realize that not all Sorento's sold have the panoramic sunroof, which will throw off the numbers. I also realize that not all "exploding" sunroofs may have been reported... but lets be honest, whose not going to report an exploding sunroof? Even if you increase the reported incidents by a factor of 100 (so 300 reported incidents) and 1/2 the number of Sorento's, you're still looking at 0.12% of Sorento's have this issue.

You have a better chance of dying in an aircraft accident, being struck by lightning, etc. Now couple that with all the other panoramic sunroofs on the market. Lets throw in Hyundai's numbers since I imagine they use the same glass/components as Kia. Now those odds go down even more.

To me, this is the media having a slow news day, and trying to stir something up where it doesn't exist.
 
#11 ·
Let's put this in perspective here. To date, Kia has sold over 1/2 million Sorento's in North America (Source). Of those, according to the link shared by spacedogg there have been 3 (reported) incidents of sunroof issue's... of those, their doesn't seem to be any reported injuries. So 0.0006% of Sorento's seem to have this issue.
Actually the 3 reported incidents I linked to was only for the 2014 KIA Sorentos. There are about 13 reported incidents for previous generation (2011 - 2013) KIA Sorentos and the NHTSA has an ongoing investigation regarding the previous generation. Source: U.S.safety agency eyeballs Kia 'sunroof implosion' But like you said, it is statistically small enough which is why the NHTSA has not required KIA to do a recall.

Imploding sunroofs is not common just to KIA either. They have been known to occur on many makes and models of cars including VW, BMWs, Mercedes and Hyundai's. Hyundai did a voluntary recall on 2012 Hyundai Velosters. So we are not alone.

I wonder why Kia would produce a large panoramic sun roof that is not of a laminated type of glass like the front windshield is. It sure would be a whole lot safer if the sun roof glass was laminated.
Mostly due to cost.

I believe there used to be this longstanding rumour that you could not tint sunroofs as they would break or crack. I heard this from many-a-tint shop before. I have heard that if you use on tint on laminated glass it can cause cracking because of heat retention or if part of the glass is heated unevenly the laminated acrylic layer can expand at different rates causing the glass to crack. As most manufacturers use tinted glass I heard this was the reason why many use tempered glass vs. laminated on sunroofs. However, there are manufacturers (like Dupont) that produce a plastic coated glass for sunroofs similar to laminated glass that is being used on some Mercedes products.

Nobody has conclusively proven why these sunroofs are imploding. But these are the commonly cited reasons:

1) cheaper manufacturers overseas producing glass that meets minimum specs but is thinner and lighter (probably second highest reason)
2) glass is bigger than ever and more surface area (probably biggest reason for these panoramic sunroofs)
3) poor heat management/retention/reflection
4) cars are being build more airtight and the air pressure cause implosion (doesn't sound believable to me)
5) implosion to a stress fracture from crack or impact from road debris
 
#10 ·
Reports of pano roofs over in the Hyundai forums for a few models having this issue as well. My Hyundai is a GT and this has been reported as well:
Sunroof goes BOOM! - Hyundai Forums : Hyundai Forum

Somewhere in that thread there are posts concerning this too. I bring this up here as I suspect that the relationship between Hyundai and Kia would mean a similar design and part supplier (the pano roofs on my 2013 GT and 2014 Rondo seem to have the same design).

As mentioned, lots sold and I wonder how many issues there actually are. Some Hyundai dealers seem to be aware of it though...
 
#12 ·
And even with 13, it's still virtually a non-existent problem... we don't even break the 0.5 a percentage point.

I think item 5 probably has a decent amount to do with it. The smallest rock chip can drastically weaken the glass... and I don't believe people are carefully examining every square inch of their roof to check for rock chips. Also, not every portion of the glass is visible from inside the car, which makes detailed inspection even harder.

Weakened glass + extreme temperature difference + vibration seems like a likely culprit.

~Spritz
 
#14 ·
"exploding: sunroof

Thanks for all the info and great insight.

There are possibly 3 complaints now with Transport Canada of which I just filed one this week. Travelling on the highway with my new 2014 Sorento (purchased Dec), settling in for its first trip at highway speeds, no vehicles around me and no debris/rocks flying toward me, and "boom"! Luckily the roof was not open. Considerations - speed (110 k), temperature (-20s).

I filed my complaint after reading/hearing a media consumer report of another person in Edmonton with the same experience though she may have a 2013 model.

So far, dealership is paying for everything.
 
#15 ·
Exploding shattered glass sunroof etc...

Driving to work in july 2013 i heard a loud pop sound and looked around and noticed nothing out of the ordinary about 10 seconds later my panoramic sunroof shattered. I thought maybe something was kicked up from a truck in front of me and hit the roof so i filed a claim with my insurance comany. Luckly it was taken care of. Now its march 2014 and i had the same think happen, i heard a loud pop looked around and saw nothing until the next day. My windshield was cracked and the panel of glass between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof shattered. I too called the dealer and they told me to call my insurance company that this was not their problem. Twice is one year...i think this is a manufacturing defect. I have filed a complaint directly with kia along with photos, lets see if anything is taken care of.
 
#16 ·
This has been a problem with more than the Sorento. I have heard it also affected some Hyundai Velosters as well and it has a pano roof.

There is a test to check for defective ones as told to my by a mechanic at a local dealer. There is a long tube that they place over the roof and drop a large ball bearing down it and if it breaks the glass it is defective.

One could deduce this was a production problem with such vehicles and the question why it was not laminated so it wouldn't just shatter is certainly interesting. This could be a significant problem for any vehicles following.

I'm hopeful and believe this only applies to the pano roof. Personally I do not like them myself having owned a 2013 Santa Fe. And they add far too much weight to the vehicle as well. My personal $0.02.
 
#18 ·
Just a little bit of info. First, I have 20+ years in the automotive glass industry. I have literally replace thousands of pieces of glass. Windshields in this country are laminated. A .030 vinyl inner layer between 2 pieces of annealed glass. Some automakers, for example Mercedes Benz, have laminated back glasses as well. Many manufactures are now using laminated door glasses. Mercedes and others even have laminated insulated door glass (insulated just like your home windows and patio door glass)

Tempered glass is used else where on the vehicle. Tempered glass is approximately 5 times stronger than annealed. However, its edge is extremely vulnerable. No piece of glass can withstand a high speed impact. Rock chip repair is a huge business. While laminated annealed glass will chip, tempered glass will disintegrate. A chip in a windshield will most likely spread into a crack if not repaired. Sometimes, the crack develops right away. Other times, temperature difference, such as the defroster creates enough stress to cause the run.

When manufactured, annealed glass is allowed to slowly cool. Tempered glass is cooled quickly. That forms stresses within the glass that create the strength. When it is impacted with enough force it shatters. The test mentioned in a previous post is only one for laminated windshields. It is not a test of the glass, but rather of the laminate's resistance to intrusion (FMVSS-219)

I cannot count the amount of times people have come into the shop stating a crack just showed up on the w/s. A quick check is to take a ball point pen and trace the crack. If it hangs up, that is the point of impact. A rock can be thrown quite a distance. They can even be thrown straight up and take several seconds to come down. By that time the vehicle that kicked it up may not even be in sight.

True stress cracks are rare. They will always begin from an edge and turn sharply a short distance from the edge. The pen test will not show a "pit".

As stated before, tempered glass when impacted shatters. It does however take more force to break compared to annealed. It is possible for the vehicle to flex enough to force the edge of the glass to contact an adjacent panel or glass. The edge is vulnerable and takes less force to break. It does take quite a bit to flex the body that much. A panoramic roof out of alignment may not need to move much to cause that contact.

Can glass be defective? Can it contact another panel or glass and break? Sure. But, it is extremely rare. In my experience, overwhelmingly, the cause has been impact from rocks and other debris.

BTW, the craziest things I have seen take out a windshield were half of a leaf spring and a 3/8 drive ratchet.
 
#19 ·
Update

Just giving an update to this topic: I have been informed that Transport Canada has initiated a defect investigation into this particular problem. The Department is working with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation, which has also received similar complaints.
 
#22 ·
made the news in Houston

How to prevent car sunroofs from shattering spontaneously | Money - Home

"The main issue is that the glass in the structure around the sunroof is being made thinner in vehicles," Phillips said. "The problem is that going with the thinner materials and the thinner metal in the cars, you're getting more movement, so now you're more on the edge of what they used to be, when things were heavier and thicker and more robust," he said.
When it's really hot out and you're not in the car, leave the shade to your sunroof open so heat doesn't build up between the glass and the shade, putting more pressure on the glass. Getting your sunroof tinted on the inside will prevent glass from showering down on you if the sunroof does break.
 
#24 ·
Oh car forums.....you have this amazing knack for amplifying even the smallest of concerns. I won't say that this isn't a serious issue when it happens, because it is. But my god, it is happening in less than 0.1% of sorentos on the road. This is like the broken door handle thread on the xm sorento forum.

How many people post a complaint on the NHTSA to say they love their car or even on a forum at that? I am looking for a sorento and I still want a pano roof regardless of this thread. My only wsh is that they would have laminated it like the windshield, I expected that incase of a roll over. I will be tinting my pano roof though so if anything were to happen, I would be safer with the tint hopefully helping hold it together.
 
#26 ·
It seems counter intuitive to tint a sunroof, but I always get headaches from the sun and too hot so I always have it closed during the day. My Touareg had a regular sunroof but the cover had these really cool notches that were at an angle so the sun couldn't come through them and I could tilt the sunroof with the blind closed and still get good airflow.

I probably won't do a dark tint, but one of those tints called "crystaline tints" so basically clear but block like 99% of the heat and uv rays while still letting the sun in.
 
#27 ·
I had some ceramic tint installed on my daughter's Challenger and the way it blocks the heat is amazing. That's what I'm thinking for the roof. It's noticeably lighter than the passenger and rear windows, so I just want it to match (and block some of the heat). I also want to do the front windows as well.
 
#30 ·
3M I believe, but the place I had it done offered it. They had a display with a heat lamp that they could slide regular vs. the ceramic in front of. Made a huge difference. Of course you don't know what they actually install but it does reduce the heat transfer significantly.
 
#44 ·
Oh, yes the more northern and north eastern states have very similar weather to here. Why not get some sort of cover that can slip on, sort of like a leather/vinyl sleeve with a velcro patch that can go on just that part.

I currently have my eye on a 2012 black sx sorento and it has that wood on the top part of the wheel. It kind of looks good, but reading your guys's comments had me wondering if an ex lux would be better.
 
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