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Toyota owners should be aware of reports of an exploding sunroof associated with certain makes and models.
An exploding sunroof can cause significant property damage as well as personal injuries. A mounting number of consumer reports from drivers and passengers claim that the styles of glass used in sunroofs today put people at risk.
Some of these consumers say that the development of new styles, such as the panoramic sunroof, were developed without appropriate testing. This lack of testing means that there is a higher risk of an exploding sunroof impacting drivers and passengers all over the country, especially in certain models like those made by Toyota.
Reports of exploding sunroofs have been on the rise in recent years, causing some regulators to call for further rules within the industry. Multiple auto makers have been named in an exploding sunroof complaint filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) including Hyundai, Kia, Honda, Ford and Toyota vehicles.
Certain models from these various brands have been associated with a spontaneous shattering of the glass panels. Hyundai recalled one of their vehicles in 2012 and later expanded that recall in 2013, as a result of panoramic sunroofs that had allegedly suffered from an error in the manufacturing process.
That error reportedly compromised the tempered glass, making it more likely that it could explode or shatter while a person was driving it.
The NHTSA began tracking consumer complaints about shattered and exploding sunroofs as early as 1995. Consumer complaints about shattered sunroofs have increased in recent years, and, in fact, Consumer Reports recently shared some insights about this phenomenon.
More than 850 reports were on file by the end of 2017, and nearly three-quarters of those reports on exploding sunroofs were filed in the last six years. Consumer Reports indicated that the larger the panel is above the vehicle, the higher the chances are that it will shatter or explode.
Automakers have not yet come to a consensus about how to deal with this issue, and regulators are unclear about the development of sunroof safety standards. The issue has reportedly been under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since 2013, but no significant advancements have occurred recently.
There has reportedly been a greater demand in the marketplace for panoramic sunroofs. In the 2015 model year, there were 30 different models of vehicles that offered a panoramic sunroof and up to 40 percent of buyers opted for this given the option.
In 2010, however, panoramic sunroofs were only available on 12 vehicles. A potential exploding sunroof in a Toyota vehicle poses significant injury and accident risks since there is the chance for a vehicle with a panoramic sunroof to come into contact with more road debris.
Developers of these panoramic sunroof models say that they are simply responding to consumer demand, but the fact that there are no clear regulations or common rules across the development of these models poses a problem according to consumers.
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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20 thoughts onToyota Owners Should Be Aware of Reported Exploding Sunroof Risk
2019 Toyota Highlander sunroof exploded
2020 highlander sunroof exploded today June 3, 2022!
This just happened to me two days ago with my kids in the car and my son has Down syndrome so this was not good for him scared him extremely took me 7 hours to calm him down
On June 20, 2021 the sunroof on my 2010 Toyota Prius exploded while I was driving at a high rate of speed on a rural 2 lane highway.
On February 23, 2021, while driving approximately 60 mph my sunroof in my 2019 Toyota Sequoia inexplicably exploded outward. Nearly caused me to wreck my car! The noise was like a shotgun blast. The vehicle is still under warranty so we took it to the dealership and we were told they would not cover this under their “bumper to bumper” warranty. There was no flying debris, no other damage to the car, and the glass blew outward. Very scary!
Better than new Rav4 bursting into flames. Happened to my neighbor. 2020 Rav4 caught fire while driving.
We’ve had the car from the Toyota Dealership for less than 24 hours and drove probably about 2 miles from our house and bam, sounded like a loud gun shot. No rocks or debris from any other car’s insight.
Took it back to the dealership, they say a rock hit it, and they said they can’t take it back and that we’d have to file a claim with our insurance company. Safe to say, whoever buys a new 2021 RAV4 be aware of the sunroof, as this could’ve been a lot worse.
Just happened to me the other day in my 2020 rav4. Owned the car for less than 3 months
My SunRoof exploded on August 26, Dashcam show no object. 2014 Chevelot Impala LT
Sunroof exploded yesterday on my 2019 RAV 4. Dealer says it isn’t covered. Is there a class action lawsuit?
My sunroof just exploded on my 2019 RAV4. What can I do?
This happened to me in my RAV4 yesterday. Please make sure to report it to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at NHTSA.GOV
The more they know about this happening the more likely it will be to get a recall. My dealer is saying it is not covered. I’m still trying to get them to do something
Have you had any luck with your dealer? I’ve got a 2020 rav4, sunroof definitely blew outward. Waiting to hear back from Toyota
My sunroof just exploded on my 2011 Toyota Sienna, what can I do?