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1000 Posts Club!
by BRIAN TURNER | 2 DAYS AGO
The venerable Consumers Reports recently published a study done on sunroof glass failures, with special attention being paid to panoramic panels. These events, according to owner statements, almost always occur without warning and are accompanied by a large noise, followed by a shower of glass shards.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received almost 900 consumer complaints since 1995 on this topic, with 71 per cent of them coming in since 2011. No automaker seems immune, as 208 models from 35 brands make up the files.
In the majority of cases, according to Consumer Reports and the NHTSA, owners are told that the breakage isn’t covered under warranties, but instead must have been a result of foreign object impact leaving consumers to foot some very large bills.
Currently only one vehicle, the 2011 to 2013 Kia Sorento is under an NHTSA review, while Kia is only fourth on Consumer Reports‘ list of the brands with the most reports on exploding glass panels.
The issue stems from more and more vehicle models being equipped with large, curved glass panels that take up almost all of the roof area. These sheets of glass are subjected to body flexing, extreme temperature ranges, and of course, impacts from road debris kicked up by other vehicles. As they are made from a type of automotive safety glass, instead of cracking, they explode into small fragments all at once. Read more...
The venerable Consumers Reports recently published a study done on sunroof glass failures, with special attention being paid to panoramic panels. These events, according to owner statements, almost always occur without warning and are accompanied by a large noise, followed by a shower of glass shards.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received almost 900 consumer complaints since 1995 on this topic, with 71 per cent of them coming in since 2011. No automaker seems immune, as 208 models from 35 brands make up the files.
In the majority of cases, according to Consumer Reports and the NHTSA, owners are told that the breakage isn’t covered under warranties, but instead must have been a result of foreign object impact leaving consumers to foot some very large bills.
Currently only one vehicle, the 2011 to 2013 Kia Sorento is under an NHTSA review, while Kia is only fourth on Consumer Reports‘ list of the brands with the most reports on exploding glass panels.
The issue stems from more and more vehicle models being equipped with large, curved glass panels that take up almost all of the roof area. These sheets of glass are subjected to body flexing, extreme temperature ranges, and of course, impacts from road debris kicked up by other vehicles. As they are made from a type of automotive safety glass, instead of cracking, they explode into small fragments all at once. Read more...
