NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE13-035: Panoramic Sunroof Breakage
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE13-035 on October 21, 2013 and closed it on May 21, 2014. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2011–2013 Kia Sorento for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE13-035 (also written PE13035)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed May 21, 2014
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Kia America, Inc.
- Component
- Visibility — Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2011–2013 Kia Sorento
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE13-035.
On October 21, 2013 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-035 in order to further examine claims that the sunroof would spontaneously break on 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles.
The majority of these claims occurred while the vehicle was in motion.
Glass shattering while driving may distract the driver, and the resulting glass particles which enter the passenger compartment may injure occupants.
To date, ODI has received a total of 26 reports of sunroof breakage on the subject vehicles. Of those, 24 occurred while the vehicle was in motion.
There were also four (4) injury incident reports for minor cuts/scratches. Kia submitted a total of 123 field incidents related to sunroof breakage in response to ODI's information request. Of this number, ODI identified 78 unique vehicle identification numbers (VINs), with 9 matching ODI complaint vehicles.
Sixty of the submitted reports occurred while the vehicle was in motion.
Fourteen (14) of the submitted reports alleged minor cuts/scratches from falling glass.
Kia also submitted a total of 101 warranty and goodwill claims for sunroof replacement, of which 86 unique VINs were identified.
Kia stated in its response that their field inspections identified only one potential cause for the sunroof breakage - external impacts from rocks or other foreign objects encountered while the vehicle was in motion.
In the other instances, no evidence of a defect was found, however, Kia's inspection results were inconclusive as to a cause for the breakage.
Kia advises that the Sorento sunroofs also have a greater surface area than many other vehicles, potentially making them more susceptible to road debris strikes.
While ODI recognizes that the Sorento may be more at risk due to its larger impact area, the rate of ODI reported incidents is concerning.
Thus, the investigation has been upgraded toan Engineering Analysis (EA14-002) to further analyze the scope, frequency, and consequence of these failures.
The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10345933, 10410440, 10432904, 10453957, 10466987, 10478778, 10492886, 10502219, 10508983, 10514388, 10531972, 10534883, 10553341, 10555931, 10556212, 10562460, 10562516, 10563779, 10564555, 10567351, 10568629, 10572959, 10575487, 10583122, 10583626, 10584650
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE13-035. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Kia
All Kia recallsWhat an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Kia VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE13-035
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.