The Lemon IndexSunroof glass can shatter with no impact, often on a hot day or at highway speed.
Fix soon. Close the sunshade and pull over safely. Cover the opening before driving on, and report it to NHTSA.
A flaw in the glass from manufacturing. Then: stress in the glass from the frame or heat; a stone or debris impact.
Owners describe this in 6,382 complaints to the U.S. government, most often on the Toyota RAV4.
Cars owners report it on most
Complaints describing this symptom, by model, all years. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more complaints.
Model years that report it most
| Model year | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Hyundai Veloster | 72 | 24% |
| 2021 Toyota RAV4 | 41 | 8% |
| 2006 Scion tC | 38 | 24% |
| 2013 Hyundai Veloster | 38 | 9% |
| 2005 Scion tC | 36 | 23% |
| 2012 Kia Sorento | 35 | 4% |
| 2015 Ford Edge | 33 | 5% |
| 2022 Hyundai Palisade | 31 | 10% |
| 2022 Kia Telluride | 31 | 9% |
| 2013 Hyundai Elantra | 30 | 2% |
| 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe | 30 | 4% |
| 2023 Hyundai Palisade | 30 | 7% |
Each row is that model year's record in NHTSA complaints, not the history of any one car. Share = complaints describing this symptom out of every complaint we hold for that model year (shown when the year has 50+ complaints).
Where it makes up the biggest share
2012 Hyundai Veloster · 24% 2006 Scion tC · 24% 2005 Scion tC · 23% 2024 Toyota RAV4 · 10% 2022 Hyundai Palisade · 10% 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe · 9% 2022 Kia Telluride · 9% 2022 Toyota RAV4 · 9%
Model years with 150+ complaints in our data and 10+ describing this symptom, ranked by share. A high share means owners of that year who complained often mentioned it.
The details
Common causes of sunroof shattered
- A flaw in the glass from manufacturing
- Stress in the glass from the frame or heat
- A stone or debris impact
- Very large panoramic glass panels
- Earlier damage that spread
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive after the sunroof shattered?
Fix soon. Close the sunshade and pull over safely. Cover the opening before driving on, and report it to NHTSA.
Get help right away if glass is falling into the cabin.
Of the 6,382 complaints describing it, 5% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: visibility (29%), structure (17%), visibility/wiper (13%), electrical system (0.8%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 37,000 miles.
Most reports by make: Toyota (699), Hyundai (678), Honda (620), Kia (593), Ford (500).
Related symptoms
AC blowing warm air Car heater not working Water leaking inside car Mold or musty smell in car Fuel gauge not working
Quick answers
What causes sunroof shattered?
Sunroof glass can shatter with no impact, often on a hot day or at highway speed. Common causes: a flaw in the glass from manufacturing; stress in the glass from the frame or heat; a stone or debris impact; very large panoramic glass panels; earlier damage that spread.
Is it safe to drive after the sunroof shattered?
Fix soon. Close the sunshade and pull over safely. Cover the opening before driving on, and report it to NHTSA.
Which cars have this problem most?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners describe it most on the Toyota RAV4, Kia Sorento and Honda CR-V. These are raw counts, so popular models rank higher; complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Counts: NHTSA owner complaints whose text describes this symptom (we matched owners' own wording, then read samples to check the matches). A complaint is an owner's report, not a diagnosis or proof of a defect. Causes and advice are general information in our own words, not repair advice for your car. Every symptom · Engine code lookup