SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — Thousands of drivers have reported their panoramic sunroofs exploding without warning, sending glass flying and causing panic.
Despite over 2,000 complaints in the past five years, federal regulators have determined this is not a safety concern.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received 2,167 complaints about shattered, exploding or broken sunroofs from 18 different car manufacturers over the past five years.
Channel 2 Action News Investigates has been investigating these spontaneous sunroof explosions for three years.
Marcus Minnifield, a South Fulton resident, described his experience as terrifying, thinking he had been shot when his 2024 Kia Sportage sunroof shattered.
“I thought I was shot! I’m looking down like, ‘Where’s the blood? Where’s the blood?’ Oh my God. I mean, totally frightened,” Minnifield told Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray.
April Harvey’s husband ended up in the emergency room after their exploded.
“Thank God he’s OK,” she said.
Kate Holder, who was driving her Jeep Wagoneer when it happened to her.
“Going 55 miles an hour and all of a sudden, like literally an explosion. Truly spontaneous,” she said.
NHTSA launched a seven-year investigation into exploding sunroofs but closed it in 2021 without determining the cause. The agency concluded that “it is not an uncommon occurrence,” but it does not constitute a safety defect.
Despite the closed investigation, many affected individuals consider the issue a safety hazard, as drivers could easily lose control.
Automakers typically treat sunroof damage like a broken window or windshield, which is not covered under warranty, leaving drivers with expensive repair bills.
Minnifield was told by Kia that they would not cover the cost of replacing his sunroof.
“That’s about $8,000 worth of damage to have that replaced,” he said.
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