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A California Lexus owner is suing the car manufacturer and its parent company Toyota over an alleged defect that causes the vehicle’s sunroof to shatter.
Plaintiff Ginger Minoletti claims the sunroof of her Lexus RX 350 shattered last February, while she was driving on the highway.
The class action lawsuit says Minoletti noticed a loud cracking noise while the lower cover shade was closed but she didn’t immediately realize what had happened.
Later she discovered the splintered glass from the shattered sunroof, with the pieces of broken glass contained by the closed cover shade, the lawsuit states.
The plaintiff alleges that the defect puts drivers and passengers in great danger of being caught in a shower of broken glass while the vehicle is in motion.
Minoletti says the defendants refused to pay for the replacement of her sunroof because the vehicle’s warranty had apparently expired. She says she had to pay out of pocket for an expensive replacement sunroof.
The class action lawsuit alleges Toyota Motor Corp., Lexus’ parent company, has known about this defect since at least 2012 but still failed to notify customers about it.
She claims Lexus and Toyota are actively trying to block consumers from getting information about this problem.
The Lexus class action lawsuit alleges many consumers have filed complaints about this same defect with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The NHTSA is allegedly investigating similar shattering sunroof complaints lodged against several other car makers, including Audi, Ford and Volkswagen.
Likewise, owners and lessors of other vehicle makes have been bringing similar defective sunroof lawsuits.
In June 2016, a similar claim against Hyundai was allowed to proceed, but only on fraud-based claims. The judge in that case dismissed claims for unjust enrichment and violation of California consumer protection laws.
Plaintiffs in that case complain that the panoramic sunroofs in several models of Hyundai vehicles have a tendency to implode. Like Minoletti, the plaintiffs say the vehicle’s manufacturer refused to pay for the shattered sunroof.
Hyundai recalled almost 20,000 vehicles from model years 2012 and 2013 to remedy the supposed defect. Still, plaintiffs allege the company failed to adequately alert customers to the problem.
Kia Motors America was hit with its own shattering sunroof class action lawsuit in 2015. Plaintiffs there allege Kia has been knowingly selling vehicles with shatter-prone sunroofs for as long as 10 years.
The problem could have to do with the ceramic-tinted area that surrounds the outer zone of the sunroof, which the plaintiffs say weakens the tempered glass.
The plaintiff in that lawsuit said the sunroof on her Kia shattered after only two months of use. The claim implicates several different models of Kia vehicles from model years 2011 to 2015.
In her own Lexus class action lawsuit, Minoletti is proposing to represent a Class of all persons in California who owned or leased a Lexus vehicle with a sunroof.
She is represented by attorneys Brian Chase of Bisnar Chase and Brian Kabateck of Kabateck Brown Kellner LLP.
The Lexus Defective Sunroof Class Action Lawsuit is Minoletti v. Toyota Motors Sales USA, Case No. BC636269, in the California Superior Court for Los Angeles County.
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57 thoughts onLexus Class Action Claims Sunroof Spontaneously Shatters
I was driving this morning (5:00 am) on I285 East in Atlanta GA. I was in my 2016 Lexus ES359. My speed was at about 75mph. There were no cars in front of me and I was in the left lane. Then I Heard what I thought was a gunshot, being a police officer I said oh dam did someone just shoot at me. Then I heard all the glass rattling from my sunroof. I pulled over and noticed that my sunroof had exploded into a bunch of pieces. Spoke with corporate Lexus told to take the car to the dealership we’ll see what the end result is.
Did they pay you? I had the exact same experience and they were really rude and refused to compensate me for what is clearly a manufacturing defect!
Our Lexus RX450H just had a shattered sunroof today, 8/31/2020 driving on the freeway. We heard a minor sound like maybe a rock chip or something bounced up on the car while driving next to a large truck. And then when we pulled off the freeway on the exit to our home, it was a really loud pop like a gunshot and sounded like it came from the left front side of the vehicle. It also sounded like somebody threw a rock and hit the car so we called the police. The police responded and found that the shattered sunroof had exploded outward as though there was pressure inside the vehicle that caused it to explode outward from the car.
Yesterday June 9, 2020, while driving my 2019 ES 300H on RT 95 in Maryland around mike maker 85, a gun shot like noise occurred and my sun roof exploded raining glass on me and inside the entire car.
I made a police report. They gave me an incident number. I called Len Stoler on Reisterstown Rd and reported the incident. They towed my Lexus to their shop and gave me a loaner.
The service manager said he had heard of sun roofs exploding but that it was very rare and required specific conditions to line up just right.
Fortunately I was not injured and managed to safely get my car from the far left lane to the right shoulder where I called the police.
I own a 2015 Lexus ES350, while driving today (07/23/20202) on I-680 S going from Pleasanton, CA to Union City, CA I heard a loud bang like a gunshot. The sound was so close as if someone fired a bullet, I got scared and almost hit a truck in the next lane. I pulled over and checked around my car and noticed that sunroof glass was shattering into tiny pieces. Such horrific incident has never happened in my life and I strongly urge Lexus to look into this issue before any lives are potentially lost due to an accident caused by such incident. I don’t wish my experience of a lifetime turning into a nightmare if no action is taken by Lexus management to replace my sunroof glass and recall all their vehicles to fix this issue.
Did they repair it at no charge? This just happened to me today and I am headed to Len Stoler tomorrow
Jan 17 2020, Lexus 2014 ES300H. Driving on hwy.. Luckily Shade was closed. Gun sound goes off, thought it was tire. Nope sun roof. Cold day out. Calling Lexus on Monday to see what they say.
Is there a class action lawsuit for lexus sunroofs exploding?
We have 2017 ES350 that the sunroof just exploded today!! Scary! Day day, mid 80’s, moderate traffic then, POW, like a shotgun went off. My wife was driving and it shook her nerves to the bone. We will see what Lexus says about it tomorrow.
We own a 2013 Lexus ES 350h. The sunroof just exploded while driving on the highway. Glass went flying everywhere. When googling “how to repair shattered sunroof”, I came across all of these stories with owners that had similar experiences. How has this not be recalled yet?
My 2013 Lexus ES 350 sunroof just spontaneously shattered. Luckily we were not hurt, but my warranty just expired and Lexus is pretending they have never heard of this problem. After my husband spoke to someone in the body shop he was informed that they have had a handful of the same problems with the sunroof. This is only 1 small dealership, so who knows how many have actually shattered.
this Lexus 570 has always been my dream car but a poor no from Africa can only wish for a miracle…I don’t mind been an ambassador as I have huge giggs that will improve in sales across Africa.I just wish I can get one for my mum as Xmas gift
I had a 2015 Lexus RX 350 where the sun roof spontaneously shattered. The liner part was pushed back so the glass showered me and the interior of the vehicle. Lexus said they had never heard of this problem and just shrugged it off.
My names GeorgeMccoy , from Merriville ind, yes 2008 lexus es 350 bang boom in my driveway. My wife hurt her arm and I got shattered glass in my eyes and on my clothes. Nice day not to hot at all nor cool gunshot sound right on the money. This can an will cause serious harm to a alarmed driver an cause a serious crash. Are situation just happened April 2018. This is just like having someone jump from the back seat an you didn’t know they were there an caused you to ver off the road. If we gotta March around the plant , the hell with waiting like life’s were lost in the GM case .Iam all in now let’s set a place date an time. These cars cost to dam much to have issues and someone turns there head the other way. Welding12mccoys@netzero.com let’s do this. George.