2014 Toyota RAV4: sunroof shattered

Filed Sep 5, 2018 · Body · 17,700 miles · LA

We experienced the classically described sunroof explosion (a.k.a. Spontaneous sunroof breakage) that sounded like a large object crashed into our 2014 toyota rav4, or an or an explosion occurred right over our heads. My girlfriend immediately asked 'was it a blow out', and I responded no because thankfully, I had 100% control of the vehicle and did not swerve or brake or feel any mechanical issues but, apparently let off the gas and was slowing down. Then, the driver of a pick-up truck overpassing us on the right gave us dirty looks and waved to us like we needed to pull over. We exited on the next exit (s. Acadiana throughway). The sunroof visor was thankfully closed, and upon opening it up we noticed the convex crater-like shattered sunroof, and immediately shut it whereupon we too noticed the excessive noise due to wind contacting the opening. The sunroof exploded outward, with a convex, volcano-like crater, and thousands of stress cracks with hundreds of little glass shards everywhere around the opening. This occurred in the center, with about of the total sunroof surface area missing (ejected). This occurred on saturday, september 1, 2018 travelling roughly 65mph along I-10 in baton rouge, left-hand lane, westbound near the merger of I-12, during light rain, no vehicles immediately in front of me, smooth surfaces, no construction in vicinity, with no overhead lamps or overpasses. Wide open divided highway. Temperature was 76f, per car.

Filed Jul 30, 2018 · Visibility · 50,000 miles · WA

While driving to work this morning in my rav 4, I heard an incredibly loud boom that startled me. It sounded as though someone had fired a gun just outside my car. I then felt some glass showering down on me. I quickly looked around to see if someone had thrown a rock through a window or shot at my car, but all windows were intact. I then looked up and saw that my sunroof was shattered and most of the glass was gone. Looking in front of my car, there weren't any trucks from which rocks might've fallen. And looking behind me, I hadn't driven under any bridges from which something might've fallen or been thrown. I pulled off at the next exit to see what might've caused the sunroof to shatter. There was nothing to be found in my car to explain it (no rocks or other objects that might've fallen into the car). I then noticed something strange - the glass that remained on the sunroof was bending upward (away from the car) as though something inside the car caused the glass to shatter. Here's a video I recorded showing the remaining glass: https://youtu.be/nze6nt829tm it was a scary experience. I'm glad I wasn't hurt, and I thank g-d that my kids weren't in the back seat when this happened.

Filed Mar 22, 2018 · Visibility · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2014 toyota rav4. While driving approximately 50 MPH, an abnormal noise was heard. The contact noticed that the sun roof fractured and exploded. Glass pieces shattered between the head liner and the metal roofing. The soft cover was closed and prevented glass from entering the inner part of the vehicle and injuring the contact. The dealer (toyota of boerne, 31205 frontage rd, boerne, tx 78006, (888) 311-6058) replaced the part and cleaned the interior. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

Filed Apr 28, 2016 · Visibility · WA · 1 injury

I was driving on I-82 between selah and yakima at approximately 65 miles per hour. The wind was blowing fairly aggressively outside that day and the temperature was roughly 70 - 75 degrees. While driving my sunroof suddenly exploded. No rock hit the car and I was not driving under an underpass where anyone could have thrown something at my car. The sound was like a gunshot. I sincerely thought I had been shot at. Glass flew every where. My sunroof visor was open so the shards rained down into my car and all over me. I had glass down my neck, in my hair, and even found a piece on my eyelid when I rubbed my eye and cut my eyelid and the skin near my inner eye. There was nothing I was aware of that occurred on the road that day that would have caused the sunroof to break. But it blew out with extreme force.

Filed Aug 10, 2015 · 26,594 miles · SC

While driving at 60mph, manufacturer installed sunroof exploded. Outside air temp was 88deg. Sounded like a gunshot, and caused me to swerve off road thinking my car had been hit. No other cars or people on roadway at the time of the incident. No overpasses or trees, either. No rocks or debris were found in the broken glass. Cover was closed, or I would have been covered in glass. Toyota has had complaints about this problem, and refuses to accept responsibility for this known defect.

Filed May 7, 2015 · 13,800 miles · DE

On may 2, 2015, at about 10:00 a.m. We were driving to the scranton, pa, area. We had just entered the on-ramp to I-81 north from rt. 309 when we heard a very loud bang and roaring sound similar to a door on a jet blowing off mid-air in a movie. There was nothing on the road to run over and the closest vehicle to us was a truck tractor at least 500 yards ahead of us and not driving on an angle that would send anything airborne to our area; nor were we near an underpassr. We put our flashers on and pulled over at the first safe area. Upon checking our vehicle, we discovered our sunroof glass had 'exploded' with an approximate 8-10 inch circular hole dead center and the rest of the glass fractured. We had the interior sunroof covering pulled closed when this occurred. The edges of the hole were bent slightly upward indicating an upward force. We didn't run over anything and nothing struck us, so we were fairly shocked. We checked our cell phones and discovered independence toyota, hazelton, pa, was about 5 minutes away at our next exit. We pulled in and both the sales people and service people examined the damage and were as surprised as us. Nothing was found in the glass debris that would indicate something struck the glass. Independence toyota was great by cleaning up the glass, placing two layers of heavy plastic over the sunroof opening and taping it shut. I am a retired police lieutenant. I know what impact damage looks like and this was not it. Upon checking online, this occurrence appears more frequently than one would think in various makes of vehicles. Price toyota in new castle, de is declining to cover this under warranty citing this is normal glass breakage. I have had windshields struck before. This is not remotely close. It is not okay to be driving your vehicle and suddenly have the sunroof "explode" with no causing factors present.