I was driving down the highway and all of a sudden i hear something pop so I think their is gun fire somewhere around me so I literally floor the car and get out of there. So I drive back home, pull in my garage and get out. As soon as i looked around for the damage i see that it was my sunroof that shattered. i was lucky that i had the sunshade closed. i called up my dealership and they took the car the next day. It was fixed but now i really drive with the sunshade closed. i even drive with it closed when it is vent mode.

Had my Kia Optima 2013 for about 10 months. Driving to work Tuesday 7/15 at 6:30 am on th I75 freeway. Its a rough neighborhood through there. There is clear traffic, nobody in front of me and I'm going 68 mph. Its 73 degrees outside with partial cloud coverage. I have my sunroof closed, but the inside cloth cover is open. I hear a sound like a shot gun explosion right over my head and glass pieces rain down over me. My heart drops to my toes and I'm saying over & over "What the F** what the f* what the f**".... I peek up at my roof and see a gaping hole in my sunroof.

Now I'm hysterical, crying, freaking out, pull over to the shoulder (left side/fast lane/right around a curve) and cars are now whizzing past me at high speeds. I frantically dial 911 while looking in my rear view mirror for who just shot out my sunroof. Cause, you know, I just KNEW I heard a gun shot. I'm in a frenzy, crying and not making sense to the 911 operator telling her someone shot out my sunroof. The operator asks if I've been shot, do I need a paramedic. I'm frozen in fear so I'm telling her I don't know.... I'm so numb with fear I truly thought I may have been shot. The glass that plummeted down on me was heavy and my body felt so sore - so I thought I was shot. I start feeling my body for the wetness of blood - look at my fingers - no I'm not shot. Hang up with the 911 operator to wait for police assistance and I'm still a hysterical mess. I'm also scared because I'm in the worse part of town - southwest Detroit.

I call my husband and all he can make out is shot, glass, freeway - he somehow calms me down enough to find out where I'm at so he can start heading that way. About 20 minutes later, state trooper, my sister in law & nephew are on the scene. Nobody can find a bullet, nobody can find a rock, cement, nothing as to why my sunroof exploded into thousands of pieces. It's all over the local news & radio so my family and friends that see my car are worried. My husband drives my car to the Kia dealership so we can get the sunroof fixed and my nephew mentioned "Hey, it looks as though the explosion is coming outward - like something blasted OUT not IN".

I start doing some online research and low and behold - story after story after complaint about Kia's (various models) sunroofs mysterious exploding for no apparent reason. I walked back to Kia service and explained to them what I have been reading - the service 'adviser' was very cocky and says "Oh no, your car was hit by a rock, I can show you the exact mark on the glass where it hit". I'm an emotional creature so I'm crying and fussing that no way - NO WAY did a rock or anything else hit my car! The service director comes back, calms me down and ensures me that the investigation has not been completed and they have no idea what happened yet. They give me a rental and go home.

I made formal complaints with various organizations. I have my own pictures and documented everything, from A to Z. Kia contacted me about noon and advised they do not have any evidence that anything hit my vehicle and it appears that it exploded, mushrooming outward for unexplained reasons. I am currently waiting the final word, outcome and conclusion. I'm assuming this will be covered under my warranty - but who knows......... Signed, Physically Sore and Mentally Anguished

I have joined the ranks of those experiencing the "exploding" Kia sunroofs. I was driving on the freeway when it sounded like a shotgun went off in my car. I thought I or someone near me blew out a tire. When I found a safe spot to pull over I discovered the entire sunroof buckling out like the Hulk decided to smack it. The sound of snapping and crackling continued while I waited for a tow truck to take it to the dealership. I got to pass my time watching pieces of glass fall down into the car while I waited. I'll be looking for a lawyer.

Update from Jul 10, 2015: Kia eventually conceded and fixed the sunroof. Mind you, they never admitted official blame. They did admit that they knew this was an issue but that it was not a big enough/public enough issue to officially publicize. So they fixed it "as a courtesy" but continued to express skepticism that I didn't somehow cause it. I never heard back from any lawyers. I got ignored.

I did file a report with the NHTSA to make sure the defect went on record.