A Houston woman says she was driving down the highway in her 2022 KIA Sorento when the sunroof randomly exploded. Here is what she says happened.

TikTok creator Catasha Ward (@hometown.blessings) recorded the video as she returned to her home after the experience.

“Oh my gosh, guys, I was just driving on the freeway and I heard like an explosion,” she says. “And I looked back, and it was my sunroof. The glass burst out of the sunroof.”

At least the interior cover was closed at the time, so no glass made its way into the car. “I took the first exit, and, thank god, the top—I have it pulled down,” she says. “See? It’s loud.”

The Sunroof On This Houston Woman’s 2022 KIA Sorento ‘Exploded’

Of course, one of the first things Ward says she did was contact a family member. “My sister was telling me that she heard the KIAs do this,” she says. “But I know the sun in Texas be beaming—hot, hot.”

In the caption, Ward wrote, “My sunroof just burst out while driving on the freeway. Have you heard of this? This was so scary.”

Motor1 contacted story subjects for comment. 

In the comments section of the video, viewers reacted to the experience and speculated about what factors might’ve contributed to it happening.

One person said, “Tip: Never buy a car with a sunroof. At one point they gone hold water and leak into the car or what’s going on in this video. They are cute but many problems can come with them.”

“My daughter had a Volvo and this happened so I don’t think it’s just one type of car,” a second person said.

“When car shopping in Texas and they try to point out the sunroof, I always tell them that a sunroof in Texas is a liability and I don’t want one,” a third person said.

What Do You Do If Your Sunroof Explodes?

According to Auto Glass Express, the root cause of a recent increase in sunroof explosions remains a matter of debate. The important thing is that there are signs car owners can be on the lookout for to protect themselves from an experience like this. Heat and other extreme weather conditions can absolutely play a role.

The main warning sign is that unstable sunroofs sometimes make popping noises before the explosion. If you hear a noise like that coming from your sunroof, head to the dealership and have it inspected. It’s also important to review any warranties you maintain on the vehicle to see if the repair is covered.

This Consumer Reports article speculates that the problem is due to an increased prevalence of the sunroof feature on vehicles and a lack of targeted efforts to address the issue among manufacturers. The article also features a chart that shows it is indeed a problem impacting nearly all of the major auto brands. 

Consumer Reports called for automakers to recall faulty sunroofs, regulators to increase oversight into models like the KIA Sorento, and the auto industry at large to establish more robust safety standards for panoramic sunroofs.