Investigations
Panoramic Sunroof Breakage
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE12027 — closed, opened 2012-10-02 and involving the HYUNDAI VELOSTER.
NHTSA investigation PE12027 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2012-10-02 and currently closed. The subject of record is HYUNDAI VELOSTER, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for HYUNDAI. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2013-02-21 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE12027 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE12-027 on October 2, 2012 to investigate allegations of spontaneous sunroof shatter on model year (MY) 2012 Hyundai Veloster vehicles. The MY2012 platform was the first..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related HYUNDAI files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE12-027 on October 2, 2012 to investigate allegations of spontaneous sunroof shatter on model year (MY) 2012 Hyundai Veloster vehicles. The MY2012 platform was the first to introduce the panoramic sunroof option. ODI received 26 consumer complaints of sunroof shatter, 15 occurring while the vehicle was being driven. The injury incidents noted were due to complainants who alleged minor cuts or abrasions from fallen glass. Sunroof glass shattering while operating the vehicle poses a risk of personal injury or a vehicle crash. In response to ODI's information request (IR), Hyundai provided 23 consumer complaints related to the alleged problem and 46 warranty claims for sunroof shatter and/or replacement. On December 6, 2012 Hyundai notified ODI that it would conduct a safety recall on model year 2012 Veloster vehicles equipped with panoramic sunroofs manufactured from November 1, 2011 through April 17, 2012. The panoramic sunroof assembly may have weakened during installation at the factory. An intermittent malfunction of a limit switch for the panoramic sunroof assembly's unloading station robot may have occurred, allowing forced contact between the mechanism and the sunroof glass. This contact could have caused damage to the sunroof glass, and lead to subsequent shattering of the glass in the field. The loading station robot was repaired in April 2012. The initial point in time for the malfunction of the station robot was not clearly defined through technical reasoning, therefore ODI challenged the proposed production scope for the safety recall. On February 14, 2013 Hyundai responded that they will conduct safety recall 13V-051 which expands the covered vehicles to those produced from the start of MY2012 production (July 4, 2011) through April 17, 2012. This investigation is closed on the basis of Hyundai's announcement of safety recalls 12V-568 and 13V-051. The reports cited above can be reviewed online at www-odi.n
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other HYUNDAI Investigations
Inadvertent Seat Belt Unlatch
3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP)
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
Loss of Motive Power
Windshield Wiper Failure
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.