A Marine woman driving on Interstate 15 in Fallbrook was startled by a loud bang. It was the sunroof of her brand new 2013 Kia Sorento. Krystal Miller says the sunroof exploded.

Krystal Miller told News 8 that as she was driving, she started to feel a lot of pressure in her ears. She said, “I was trying to pop them and the next thing I hear what sounded like a gunshot– literally sounded like a shotgun or something went off inside the car… a couple seconds later, I’m covered in glass.”

Krystal said a metal rod from the sunroof then came crashing down on her chest, “and I whipped the wheel, and I almost flipped my car over, because I was going 75 mph in middle lane on cruise control. It was really traumatizing. I’m just really thankful that my daughter wasn’t killed, or me, and that I was able to gain control of my car after the pole hit me.”

Internet searches show that other Kia Sorento owners have experienced the same scare, with sunroofs exploding randomly.

In one online forum, one driver posted in September 2012:  “My sunroof literally exploded a few days ago on my brand new 2013 Kia Sorento. It sounded like a gunshot blast and the interior (including me) was completely covered in glass. I’ve had this car for less than 2 months and there was nothing unusual about driving conditions that day. This has to be a manufacturing defect in some way, waiting on Kia to confirm coverage under warranty.”

Kia Motors America issued this statement about the incident:

Kia Motors America (KMA) places a priority on safety and takes reported customer concerns seriously. Warranty claims involving damage to any Kia vehicle glass are reviewed on a case-by-case basis as varying influences, such as damage from road debris and other factors beyond Kia’s control, may be excluded from Kia’s comprehensive new-vehicle warranty coverage. Based on physical inspections of the customer’s vehicle, KMA determined that damage existed to the sunroof which was consistent with a significant impact from an external object hitting the area around and on the sunroof.  Such impact damage is thus not covered by the terms of the Kia warranty on the vehicle. If a vehicle is determined to have failed to function properly during normal use, and is within the new-car warranty period, KMA provides for parts and/or repair(s) at no cost to the customer. Kia customers with questions regarding their Kia vehicle should contact KMA’s Consumer Assistance Center directly at 1-800-333-4542 (4Kia).

Automobile cases like these can be very complex and expensive to prosecute. You should select a law firm with substantial expertise and resources – like San Diego Personal Injury Attorney Steven Elia. Steven knows liability law and can get you the compensation you deserve.

Steven Elia
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