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Mark Barsoum is warning fellow Hyundai owners with sunroofs about the possibility the glass above their heads may suddenly shatter into pieces while driving.
It happened to him — and he offers pictures and video to prove it.
“It sounded like a gunshot, an explosion — I was showered in glass,” Barsoum told Global News, describing what happened to him on the way to work on Highway 427 in Toronto last week.
“It looks like someone dropped a bowling ball on my car,” he said.
But the roof glass didn’t rupture as a result of any outside force, a fact borne out by dash-cams on the front and rear of his 2017 Hyundai Tuscon.
For no apparent reason, the glass gave way — some of it streaming behind the car into the path of other drivers.
“I’m petrified, my wife is petrified,” Barsoum said, reflecting on the incident in which he was not injured.
WATCH: Exploding sunroof leads to lawsuit against Hyundai (Nov. 15, 2017)
His case is similar to stories told by other Hyundai owners who have experienced shattering sunroofs. Class-action lawsuits were launched in Canada and the U.S. following owner complaints.
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The allegations have not been proven in court.
As of October 16, 2017, Transport Canada said it had received 351 complaints from auto consumers, including 61 involving Hyundai vehicles. Nissan, BMW and Ford had the next three highest number of registered complaints about shattered glass.
Contaminated glass is pointed to as a possible cause of many incidents, according to experts contacted by Global News for previous reports.
Barsoum says he had his vehicle towed to a Hyundai dealership for evaluation and warranty repair. His vehicle is only two years old and has been driven only 40,000 km.
But he says he was told by the dealership that Hyundai would not replace the $800 item under warranty. Instead, he has filed an insurance claim.
Hyundai Canada assured Global News its vehicles are safe.
“Nothing is more important to Hyundai than the safety and security of our customers. Hyundai stands behind the quality of our products and this is demonstrated through our long-standing and industry-leading five year warranty that has benefited many Canadian consumers and continues to be a significant statement of confidence in the quality and safety of our vehicles,” the company said in a written statement.
WATCH: Transport Canada reveals number of complaints regarding shattered sunroofs on vehicles (Oct. 24, 2017)
The company invited Barsoum to call Hyundai directly in order to address his issue individually.
But Barsoum says he’s lost faith in Hyundai after the incident and may sell his vehicle, given what happened.
“I’m going to be doing my best to get rid of this vehicle,” he said.
Ed. note — Barsoum clarifies he was alone in the vehicle at the time of the incident. An earlier version of this story suggested otherwise.
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