Hyundai Exploding Sunroof Lawsuit

Our attorneys have filed a class action lawsuit alleging that panoramic sunroofs installed in some Hyundai models spontaneously shatter, risking the safety of drivers, passengers, and others on the road.

On February 26, 2016, our firm filed an amended class action complaint listing the following model year vehicles as potentially affected:

• 2011-16 Sonata
• 2011-16 Tucson
• 2011-16 Veloster
• 2013-16 Santa Fe (including the Santa Fe Sport)
• 2013-16 Elantra GT

The lawsuit is called Glenn v. Hyundai Motor America and is currently pending in the Central District of California.

The amended complaint asks the court to let the case cover everyone nationwide who purchased or leased one of the above vehicles, or, alternatively, everyone who purchased or lease one of those vehicles in Alabama, New Hampshire, Texas, or Washington.

Sunroof Complaints and Injuries Reported by Hyundai Drivers

The suit alleges that a number of Hyundai drivers nationwide have lodged complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), reporting that the panoramic sunroofs in their vehicles have spontaneously shattered. Some have compared the shattering to the sound of a gunshot and say they or their passengers were showered in falling glass.

One Hyundai driver reported to NHTSA:

“I was on my way into work driving down the highway and out of nowhere I hear this very loud explosion like a gun going off and thought someone had shot me. I then felt things falling on my head and lap, so I pulled over to the shoulder of the highway and turned the inside light on and saw shattered glass and then looked up and my sunroof was gone. I drove to the dealership and got out of my car and I could see with the glass remaining on the back part of the sunroof that the piece of glass was going outward, just like if something blew up. This could have caused me to be injured or have a accident.”

Hyundai Knew About the Danger of Sunroof Shattering, Lawsuit Says

According to the lawsuit, Hyundai has long known that its sunroofs are prone to unexpected and dangerous shattering. The amended complaint states that NHTSA investigated the problem, ultimately spurring a recall by Hyundai of some panoramic sunroofs, but that the company was aware of the danger of shattering before it first began selling and leasing the vehicles.

The lawsuit also states that Hyundai has not honored its express warranty to consumers by refusing to replace shattered sunroofs: “Hyundai employs a concerted practice to avoid paying for sunroof replacements. Even though it knows that its panoramic sunroofs are prone to shattering, Hyundai has consistently told drivers that their sunroofs have performed properly and denies warranty coverage. Hyundai’s dealers also instruct customers that their sunroof failures will not be covered under warranty. Instead, when customers call to complain, Hyundai denies that sunroof failures are the result of a systemic defect.”