Toyota Exploding Sunroofs – Has it Happened to You?

Exploding sunroofs have been an issue with an alarming number of new cars, including Toyota and Honda models–and no one is exactly sure why.

Since 1995, regulatory agencies in the U.S. and Canada have received over 1,200 reports of sunroofs suddenly shattering without any explanation or apparent cause. The problem has affected over 200 models from 35 auto manufacturers, primarily imports. Toyota and Honda vehicles account for approximately 14 percent of these incidents.

Even more troubling is the increase in the number of reported incidents in recent years. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 70 percent of all exploding sunroof reports received by the agency have been filed since 2011. This indicates that such events are happening more frequently, putting drivers and their passengers at risk for serious injury.

Few Consumers Know About Exploding Sunroofs

According to owners of Toyota, Honda and other vehicles with exploding sunroofs, these overhead windows simply shatter without warning.

A Utah woman who shared her story with Consumer Reports said she was driving home with her children one day when she heard a loud explosion. At first, she believed it was a tire blowout, but the vehicle’s handling was unaffected.

When she was finally able to pull over in order to determine the cause, she was shocked to find that the sunroof had shattered, scattering hundreds of tiny glass shards over the shade guard – which fortunately, had been closed at the time. She told CR, “I never imagined in a million years that would happen.”

In fact, relatively few Toyota owners are even aware of such events – until it happens to them. Although it is less frequent than having a blowout, it can be just as dangerous.

What is the Problem?

When vehicle owners bring their Toyota, Honda or other vehicle into a dealership because of exploding sunroofs, they are informed that the damage was caused by a flying piece of rock or road debris.

However, video evidence and eyewitness reports indicate that that when sunroofs explode, the shards travel upward, as if blown out from the vehicle interior. Bob Beranek, author of “The Complete Guide to Auto Glass Installation,” says there is virtually no way that such events could be caused by outside impacts.

Engineers and glass experts say that exploding sunroofs are due to internal stress and the manufacturing process itself. When the hot glass is removed from the furnace, the surface cools and solidifies much faster than the interior.

Dr. Chris Davies, head researcher at U.K.-based auto glass repair company Belron, explains that the way in which tempered glass is made “…creates permanent surface compression stress, which basically knits the molecules closer together, making it difficult for objects to create surface damage.”

However, he says, “If something does compromise the surface compression layer, it releases the large amount of energy stored in the central tensile stress zone” – which can be up to 15,000 pounds per square inch.

Automotive windshields are made the same way. However, unlike sunroofs, windshields are laminated, so when they shatter, the shards stick together rather than being scattered about.

Davies says that forced and uneven cooling during manufacturing, contaminants in the molten glass, and incorrect installation can all be contributing factors in exploding sunroofs. Many of these mishaps have occurred during days with extreme temperatures.

Who Pays For the Damage?

People who have had their sunroofs shatter are told to file claims with their insurers. However, as stories of exploding sunroofs on Toyota models and other vehicles become public, vehicle owners are realizing that the problem is not an accident.

One Toyota owner, posting on the internet forum Toyota Nation,  complained, “I’m frustrated that I have to pay [a] $250 deductible [for damage] that I know was a manufacturing defect after I researched and found hundreds with the same experience.”

Addressing the Issue of Exploding Sunroofs

In response to consumer complaints, NHTSA has begun investigations into a number of auto manufacturers. Consumers Union is also demanding investigations, calling upon car makers to issue recalls.

Currently, there are a number of exploding sunroofs class action lawsuits making their way through the courts. If you are the owner of a Toyota or Honda vehicle equipped with a sunroof have have had the glass shatter, you may be able to get compensation by joining an exploding sunroof class action lawsuit investigation.

Join a Free Toyota, Honda Panoramic Sunroof Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you own a Honda or Toyota with a panoramic sunroof that shattered, you may be entitled to compensation.

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