2015 Toyota RAV4: sunroof shattered

Filed May 26, 2026 · MD

Car’s sunroof exploded while driving, was going about 55 on the highway and I heard a loud pop followed by the sound of breaking glass which I found to be my whole sunroof exploding from the inside out. This is dangerous because of the possibility of glass landing on people or in the car leading to potential injury. This issue is apparently one that happens fairly commonly. The component has not been checked yet. There were no warning signs, just a swift explosion and damage.

Filed Aug 27, 2025 · TX

Was driving on the freeway on my way to work and suddenly i heard this loud pop. I didn't know if a vehicle next to me had a tire blow out or if i had a tire blow out. I pulled over and i checked my car and then i looked on the roof as that is where the loud pop came from and i saw my sunroof broken with a hole in the middle.

Filed Aug 26, 2025 · TX

I was driving on the freeway to work. It's a 40 minute commute I make every day Monday to Friday. Half way to my destination, I heard like a loud pop or explosion sound. There was an 18 wheeler on the middle lane to my right and I thought one of its tires exploded and a piece landed on my roof. It felt like something landed on my roof or hit it hard, but not sure what. I also thought maybe my tire blew out, but my tires are all new and were fine. I pulled over to the side and put my emergency break lights on and checked the roof of my car and saw that my sun roof was broken. There is a hole in the middle. \n

Filed Aug 21, 2023 · Visibility · MN

While driving on highway 394 in Minneapolis on August 19, 2023, my sunroof exploded. It was approximately 4:55 p.m., and I was driving between 60 and 70 miles per hour. It was around 90 degrees outside at the time. The highway was busy. As I was driving in the far left lane with my nearly 3 year old daughter in the backseat, I was startled by a loud bang like a gunshot or an explosion right above my head. I had no idea what had happened because the shade for my sunroof was closed. As I merged over to the nearest exit, I saw people looking at my car, including looking up toward my roof. After exiting the highway, I found a nearby street, Mt. View Avenue, and parked my car. I got out and looked at the roof, seeing that the sunroof had shattered nearly completely. I noticed immediately that most of the glass shards seem to have shot upward. There was not a large amount of broken glass laying on the sunroof shade. This indicates that the sunroof erupted from internal pressure, not an external object coming into contact with the glass. Additionally, I did not see any foreign objects in the window shade area on a visual inspection. Luckily the shade was closed, so no glass got into the interior of the cabin or hit me or my daughter. After inspecting the damage, I called a dealership that I regularly receive service from but it was closed, and I have not yet heard back. I explained the issue to a representative, who said they would notify the glass repair people and that they'd call me back ASAP. I drove the rest of the way home off of the highway. When I got home, I researched the issue and saw that this is not an isolated event. Specifically, many cars with sunroofs have had them explode, including Toyota Rav4 models dating back to 2014. There is no recall for the issue, and I have never been warned that my sunroof could randomly explode. Neither the manufacturer or insurance have inspected the damage yet. No warning light came on prior to the explosion.

Filed Nov 19, 2019 · 68,000 miles · MT

Driving down the interstate when there was a loud explosion. When we were able to stop, we saw that our sunroof had exploded. We were very lucky that the shade was closed on the window. There was nothing around us (vehicles, bridges, etc) to cause debris to hit the sunroof to cause the incident. This was an extremely scary thing that I have found out is not uncommon.

Filed Nov 16, 2019 · 26,859 miles · WI

We were simply pulling out of our subdivision and the sunroof exploded. It was around 6pm and the temperature was about 28 degrees f.

Filed Jan 14, 2019 · Visibility · 23,960 miles · MD

While driving at normal posted speed the sunroof in our 2015 exploded for reasons unknown causing a huge hole in the sunroof and the rest of the sunroof glass to crack as well. Nothing appeared to hit the sunroof and there was vehicle in front of us when this occurred. The glass seemed to explode outwards as if a manufacturing defect or some type of pressure.

Filed Jan 10, 2019 · 85,000 miles · VT · 2 injuries

Myself, my daughter and my daughter's father were traveling southbound on interstate 89 towards burlington, vt. We heard an extremely loud bang. It sounded like an explosion or a gun shot. The sunroof had exploded, not from any debris or rock'just exploded. It was a terrifying experience. Luckily we only got minor cuts from the glass. This happened on a busy highway. Thankfully I maintained control of the car despite the explosion and pulled to the side of the highway. We could have been killed or killed someone else in another car. Now I am finding out how often this type of thing happens and why is nothing being done about this. Sunroofs need to be recalled. It is horrifying that this has not been addressed. In all honesty, this probably won't change until someone dies as a result of this.

Filed Dec 26, 2017 · Body · 1 miles · UT

After being parked in carport overnight on a winter night in dec 2017, I drove only a couple of miles down the I-15 freeway in utah between spanish fork and springville no more than 60 MPH when I heard a loud 'exploding sound' on the top of my car outside and then 'tinkling' noises from the front of the roof area to the back of the car. It happened at 0900 on a cold sunday morning and the traffic was extremely light. The nearest vehicles to me were at least 10 car lengths ahead and behind me and there were no vehicles on either side of me. There was no visible road hazard and no ice falling from anywhere since we had had no winter weather of any kind so far that season. When I was able to stop and examine the damage, there was a giant hole in the middle of my moon/sun roof. It had mysteriously exploded with jagged edges jetting upwards with shards of shattered glass littering the top of my car and inside on the moon/sun roof slider inside.

Filed Dec 19, 2017 · 30,050 miles · VA

Sunroof exploded while driving 45 MPH on a one lane country road - no car was in front of me at the time. Occurred at 11:00 am and outside temps were 43 degrees.

Filed Apr 10, 2017 · Visibility · 30,100 miles · WA

Sunroof exploded. Driving down paved highway. 51 degrees outside. Glass shattered. No rock or other object found inside the car. Washington state patrol on scene.

Filed Jan 27, 2017 · Visibility · 40,000 miles · CA

Takata recall the sunroof on my toyota rav 4 exploded. It was a rainy day and I was driving home from work(redlands) on the freeway when I heard a loud bang. I pulled the shade to find my sunroof had a huge hole right in the middle. No glass came down but it look like it exploded from the inside. Toyota would not cover the damages. I believe this to be a manufacturer defect that will cost me $1000. Something needs to be done because this could be a huge safety issue.