Sunroof Shattered

[mikesilver34]

I was driving home at 70-75 mph on the highway last night when I hear this explosion, like a gun shot, scared the crap out of me. I pulled back the visor to the sunroof and see that it is completly shattered.

I have a 2010 S that I bought less than 2 months ago. It was a very hot day, 94 degress per the trip computer. There was no one in front of me and not an underpass in sight.

I was close to the dealership that I bought the car from and drove it straight there. The service manager came out and looked at it. He said that it must have been a rock that hit it and caused it to shatter. HUH!
I can't beleive that a rock can hit a sunroof going that fast on the highway. It would have had to be big enough to overcome the airflow over the car and something that big I should have notice flying at me. I should play the lottery because the odds of something hitting it have to be very slim. Am I crazy?

He quoted me $750 for the repair! I tried to plead my case and he told me that they would check the contents of the visor and see if there are any rocks (or meteors from space) in there and if not he would contact Toyota to see if they would cover it.

I tried to research it and found some similar stories with other cars. Most of their dealerships replaced it without a problem. I can't beleive Toyota is giving me a problem about this. They wouldn't even give me a loaner, told me it was $37 a day.

Has anyone heard of this before or have any advice? Should I call Toyota myself?

[rolla-XRS]

First thought would be that perhaps there was flex in the car when it shattered...but that's silly since that rubber seal around the glass should have allowed sufficient flex in the sunroof.

Now doing 75MPH - I suppose you could have hit something that was flicked up very high (like from a truck with a missing mudflap?) and you just happened to hit it while it was on it's way down. That would be horrible luck - but physics says it's possible and at 75MPH you might not see it. I've been hit in the windshield by big rocks that I never saw coming until it hit and saw it fly off the window.

Cross your fingers that Toyota will cover it out of goodwill - but I'd be prepared to file an insurance claim - just leave out the 75MPH part

[FlawedLegacy]

yeah, that is crazy!! I think the insurance claim would be the way to go pending toyota doesn't cover it.

good luck my friend! keep us posted

[littleboi64]

dam imagine if the visor was not covering the sunroof.....

[mmasse]

I don't see this as a Toyota problem. Its more of an insurance issue. Its not like it flew off the hinges and smashed into the ground. It was a rock from another vehicle which in my mind constitutes fair use. Did they guarantee the sunroof with a lifetime warranty? I think you are in for a battle on this. Its not unlike rocks hitting your car and leaving chip marks. They will fix it but it was not caused by a defect.

[TACO_KID]

its possible it was a rock that simply hit the glass and skipped off, its also possible it's defective glass and the heat got to it. either way your insurance should cover it (assuming you have full coverage).

[mikesilver34]

I was driving home at 70-75 mph on the highway last night when I hear this explosion, like a gun shot, scared the crap out of me. I pulled back the visor to the sunroof and see that it is completly shattered.

I have a 2010 S that I bought less than 2 months ago. It was a very hot day, 94 degress per the trip computer. There was no one in front of me and not an underpass in sight.

I was close to the dealership that I bought the car from and drove it straight there. The service manager came out and looked at it. He said that it must have been a rock that hit it and caused it to shatter. HUH!
I can't beleive that a rock can hit a sunroof going that fast on the highway. It would have had to be big enough to overcome the airflow over the car and something that big I should have notice flying at me. I should play the lottery because the odds of something hitting it have to be very slim. Am I crazy?

He quoted me $750 for the repair! I tried to plead my case and he told me that they would check the contents of the visor and see if there are any rocks (or meteors from space) in there and if not he would contact Toyota to see if they would cover it.

I tried to research it and found some similar stories with other cars. Most of their dealerships replaced it without a problem. I can't beleive Toyota is giving me a problem about this. They wouldn't even give me a loaner, told me it was $37 a day.

Has anyone heard of this before or have any advice? Should I call Toyota myself?

[mikesilver34]

How much force can a rock skipping off the sunroof have? Enough to Shatter it?? Maybe enough to scratch it but I doubt enough to cause the explosion I had. Tempered glass will shatter if not properly installed. If it is already stress then the combination of hot temperatures and hitting a bump (vibration) could cause it to shatter. Neither sound likely to happen but with a 2 month old car I am pointing towards Toyota.

[AlaricD]

Originally Posted by mikesilver34

I was close to the dealership that I bought the car from and drove it straight there. The service manager came out and looked at it. He said that it must have been a rock that hit it and caused it to shatter.
I can't beleive that a rock can hit a sunroof going that fast on the highway.

Take some good pictures before any of the glass is removed from that area. An impact of some kind should be obvious in the pattern of the shattering.

And, yes, call Toyota's consumer relations number, as well.

[TACO_KID]

Originally Posted by mikesilver34

How much force can a rock skipping off the sunroof have? Enough to Shatter it?? Maybe enough to scratch it but I doubt enough to cause the explosion I had. Tempered glass will shatter if not properly installed. If it is already stress then the combination of hot temperatures and hitting a bump (vibration) could cause it to shatter. Neither sound likely to happen but with a 2 month old car I am pointing towards Toyota.

possibly yes. there would have been some elastic collision going on, hence it hit and blew away but glass still shatters. the rock could have had a sharp edge which would amplify psi during the strike. heck, its even possible that your front tire kicked up a rock and it hit your sunroof glass.

if it wasnt tempered glass it might just be a chip in the glass like front windshield, but tempered is designed to shatter into a zillion little pieces.

i think Toyota will say "not a defect".

[SuperchargedMR2]

Very strange indeed, keep us posted on what happens. I've never even heard of this happening before.

[twincorollas]

I have had cars with a sun roof, moon roof and even T-bar for 15-20years and I have NEVER heard of this. I am perplexed and I question whether or not this is a flaw somehow.

[nervx]

a rock wouldnt do that, especially when driving down the highway. theres no way a rock would be able to hit the sun roof at the angle it's at unless it bounced off the ground and dropped onto your car. even if this did happen it would have to be a huge rock to shatter the sun roof.


the gunshot sound you mention is indication that the tempered glass in your sun roof was faulty and under stress. glass sliding doors do the same thing on warm days if they're faulty. look it up if you must or ask a glass specialist they will tell you the same. toyota should replace the sun roof free of charge.

[v8eaterWRX]

I wonder if the $0 glass deductible covers this type of thing. Technically it should as it is glass..

[mikesilver34]

I checked with my insurance company and it would just be my $100 deductable.

Even better, the dealership covered it. The service manager wasn't there when I picked up the car and there were no notes on my invoice. Everyone there at the time said they haven't seen it happen before.

I'm glad I didn't have to argue about the bill. I take back all the times I cursed them out since I dropped it off.

I didn't crash when and it looks like they did a good job replacing it. All is well!

Thanks