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[BUSINESS] · United States · 4 sources

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NHTSA sunroof shattering complaints on track for record highs

sunroof shattering NHTSA complaints automotive safety vehicle defects car glass explosions

Complaints to U.S. auto-safety regulators regarding spontaneously shattering car sunroofs are on track to reach record levels this year. According to a Wall Street Journal analysis, nearly 500 complaints have been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) so far this year, following 550 complaints in the previous year.

The reported failures span more than 200 vehicle models from 17 different manufacturers over the last three years. Notably, approximately one in five of these complaints involve 2025 or 2026 model year vehicles. Frequently cited models include the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, and Honda CR-V.

While drivers have described the incidents as sounding like gunshots, the NHTSA has stated it has identified no verified crashes or serious injuries directly caused by these shattering sunroofs. The financial impact of these failures falls largely on owners, with replacement costs ranging from $750 to $3,000, often occurring after manufacturer warranties have expired.

Entities

Honda · Hyundai · Kia · National Highway Traffic Safety Administration · Toyota

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

Los techos solares de los coches llevan años explotando sin motivo aparente. Y cada vez pasa más [dominicanaaldia.com]
11 days ago
Car sunroofs are spontaneously exploding at alarming rate: ‘It sounded like a gunshot’ [offthepress.com]
11 days ago
Carmakers Put a Sunroof in Half of All New Cars. The Glass Companies Kept the Margin [businessmodelanalyst.com]
11 days ago
Car sunroofs are spontaneously exploding at a record rate: ‘It sounded like a gunshot’ [nypost.com]
11 days ago