Sunroof exploded while driving down the road!! Called lexus they said it must be due to a rock breaking it.
2017 Lexus RX: sunroof shattered
5 of the 48 complaints about the 2017 Lexus RX describe sunroof shattered.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 10%
- recalls
- 0
Sunroof shattered by model year
What owners say
The sunroof glass spontaneously exploded into thousands of pieces while driving on the interstate. There was no impact what so ever to the glass and the outside temperature was 95 degrees. The shattered glass fell into the vehicle and left a huge hole in the center of the glass panel. My safety was at risk due to explosion of glass while driving at an elevated rate of speed of 75mph. All while traveling over 100 miles from home and then having to drive the vehicle home with a gapping hole in the roof. The surrounding drivers were also at risk due to the glass flying off and hitting their vehicles. There were no cracks or failures to the glass prior to the glass exploding. There were no warning lights, messages or symptoms.
At approximately 6:45pm on Tuesday, December 27, I was driving in Nassau County, NY, when my sunroof exploded. The sound was terrifying and I was very concerned that I was shot at or hit by an unknown object. At first I thought the object hit my car or my back windshield. I looked and did not see any holes anywhere but I could hear air coming into my car. I moved my sunroof shield and saw a gaping hole and shattered glass.
Sunroof Glass Failure Report: I was traveling on the interstate at the speed limit and there was a loud bang, which after I pulled over, discovered that the sunroof had "exploded". There was no sign of anything hitting it and the weather was typical for the Texas Gulf Coast in a July morning. Luckily, the underneath cover for the sunroof was closed, because several pounds of glass fragments were released in the sunroof failure and would have been all over the passenger compartment of the Lexus. This is a major safety issue, especially if a child is fastened in a car seat with this problem directly overhead. This issue has been reported by numerous other Lexus owners and seems to occur often enough that it should be a concern for the manufacturer, but I am not aware that they have taken any action on this. A photo of the failed sunroof is included.
Today, May 5th approximately 9am travelling on 287 East (Westchester County, NY) I was startled by what sounded like an explosion - I literally ducked in the driver's seat. Sounded like it came from overhead and then I observed that no other car seemed to have slowed or was affected. I put on my hazard lights and drove a 1/2 mile or so until I could safely pull over. As I'm driving I can hear over my head rumbling and the wind as if the sunroof was open - but I hadn't opened it. When I was able to get out and take a look the closed sunroof had shattered outward - it reminded me of a volcano pattern. Left my hazards on, got unto local roads and drove car to dealer - Ray Catena Lexus of White Plains, where we purchased the automobile. Service told me something must have hit me at the right angle. They could find no debris besides broken glass in the sunroof compartment. I was shaken and went through the process of figuring out a loaner and cost to repair. Upon my return home I spoke to my husband and we realized it just didn't make sense. We started doing research and discovered that the Toyota corporation may well be aware of these incidents, they've been happening to different models of Lexus cars/SUVs for years - different models all over the country. In California there is currently a class action suit against the corporation. I'm thankful I was driving and not my daughter and that I had the presence of mind not to lose control of the car or open the soft inside cover of the sunroof. This needs to be investigated, Toyota makes many different model cars, trucks, SUVs and this is unacceptable. My one regret is that I didn't have the presence of mind to take a photo.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Condition in which a musty odor is present
- Paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are...
- Condition in which a musty odor is present
- Condition in which a musty smell is present
- Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad...
- Lexus vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal...
- Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical...
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix...
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2017 Lexus RX sunroof shattered
Is sunroof shattered a common problem on the 2017 Lexus RX?
5 of 48 owner complaints about the 2017 Lexus RX (10%) mention sunroof shattered. The model year with the most reports is 2023.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2017 Lexus RX?
There are 0 recalls and 18 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
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