Kia Hit with Class Action Lawsuit Over Shattering Sunroofs

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Last week, a class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court against Kia Motors America Inc. alleging that the car manufacturer sold cars with sunroofs prone to shattering.

Lead plaintiffs allege in their class action lawsuit that over the past 10 years Kia has been selling cars with “panoramic” sunroofs that are aesthetically pleasing, but prone to sudden shattering. The plaintiffs accuse Kia of jumping on the panoramic roof bandwagon, but failing to use appropriate materials and design.

The lead plaintiff alleges that the sunroof on her Kia, a 2014 model purchased in April of 2015, shattered after only two months of use. Further, she alleges that the Kia dealership claimed the damages were caused by an object striking the car and not by an inherent defect of the sunroof.

“Over two hundred Kia drivers have now complained that their panoramic sunroofs shattered suddenly and without warning,” say the plaintiffs in their class action lawsuit. “The shattering occurs so powerfully that startled drivers later compare it to a gunshot that is followed by shards of glass raining down,” they continue.

“Replacing metal roofs with large plates of glass requires precision in the strengthening, attachment, and stabilization of the glass,” the Kia class action lawsuit says “Several manufacturers have failed to meet these demands, with three issuing safety recalls because their panoramic sunroofs spontaneously shatter. … Several Kia models have the same problem.”

Sunroofs in the 2011-2015 Kia Sorento, Optima and Sportage, as well as the 2014-2015 Soul and Cadenza, are faulty and potentially hazardous, according to the Kia class action lawsuit. The plaintiffs allege that glass strength in these models’ sunroofs is compromised because these they are composed of tempered glass with a ceramic print area.

Further, Kia allegedly adds to the shattering problem by firmly attaching them to the cars to avoid wind noise and water leakage. According to the Kia class action lawsuit, the flexing and vibration that occurs while driving can cause the glass to weaken, making it susceptible to shattering suddenly.

The plaintiffs allege that not only was Kia aware of the shattering problem, but the National Highway Safety Administration is as well. According to the Kia class action lawsuit, an internal investigation was initiated by Kia in 2012 as well as an agency inquiry.

Kia declined to recall its vehicles with suspect sunroofs, allege the plaintiffs in their class action lawsuit, while other companies issued a recall, including Audi AG,Hyundai Motor America and Volkswagen AG.

The plaintiffs seek to represent both national and Texas classes of consumers. They accuse Kia of fraudulent business practices, unjust enrichment, negligence and violations of the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act and the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act.

The plaintiffs are represented by Eric H. Gibbs and Dylan Hughes of Gibbs Law Group LLP, Gregory F. Coleman, Lisa A. White and Mark E. Silvey of Greg Coleman Law PC, and Shanon J. Carson and Eric Lechtzin of Berger & Montague PC.

The Kia Shattering Sunroof Class Action Lawsuit is Caudillo v. Kia Motors America Inc., et al., Case No. 8:15-cv-01019, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.