Exploding sunroofs are showing up in federal safety complaints at a record pace. Nearly 500 drivers reported a broken sunroof to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by late August 2026, close to the 550 complaints filed in all of 2025, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of exploding sunroofs. Over the past three years, the problem turned up in more than 200 models from 17 automakers.
One driver told the Journal that the sunroof on her 2025 Lexus SUV burst while she was driving on a Louisiana highway early one morning. “I’m not even joking, it sounded like a gunshot,” she said. Her sunshade was closed, which kept the broken glass out of the cabin.
Why Exploding Sunroofs Happen
Most sunroofs are made of tempered glass, which is designed to break into small pieces instead of large, jagged shards. Chips from road debris, scratches, edge damage, and quick swings in temperature can weaken that glass over time. In rarer cases, a flaw from the factory is to blame. Because the damage may happen months before the glass gives way, exploding sunroofs often seem to fail for no reason at all.
The risk of exploding sunroofs touches more drivers every year. Sunroofs now come on more than half of the vehicles built for the U.S. market, and the models most typically named in complaints include the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, and Honda CR-V.
Regulators have not ordered broad fixes for exploding sunroofs. NHTSA spent seven years looking into Kia Sorento sunroofs before closing its probe in 2021 without finding a safety defect. The agency told the Journal it is monitoring the issue and knows of no crashes or serious injuries linked to shattered sunroofs. Drivers can look up open recalls and report problems on the NHTSA vehicle recalls website.
Can Exploding Sunroofs Lead to Car Accidents?
A bang like a gunshot overhead, followed by falling glass, can startle even a careful driver. Many exploding sunroofs have burst at highway speeds. A driver who flinches, swerves, or slams on the brakes on I-4 or State Road 417 could set off a chain-reaction crash, even if the glass itself hurts no one. Glass from exploding sunroofs can also cut the face, eyes, and hands. If your sunroof shatters while you are driving:
- Hold the wheel steady, slow down gradually, and pull over when it is safe
- Take photos of the roof, the glass, and any injuries
- Save the broken pieces if you can, since they may help show the cause
- Get medical care, even for minor cuts
- File a complaint with NHTSA and notify your insurer
How Orlando Car Accident Attorneys Help After Exploding Sunroofs
Who pays after exploding sunroofs cause harm depends on the facts. Automakers often treat a broken sunroof like a cracked window and deny warranty coverage, leaving owners with repair bills that can run into the thousands. When a sunroof failure leads to a crash or an injury, a claim may involve the automaker, the glass supplier, another driver, or an insurance company.
Experienced Orlando car accident attorneys can preserve the vehicle and the glass, collect repair records, and work with engineers to find out whether a defect played a role. If the sunroof were defective, a product liability claim may hold the manufacturer responsible. If another driver caused the crash, a motor vehicle accident lawyer can pursue that driver’s insurer for your losses.
Evidence in cases involving exploding sunroofs can disappear once the glass is swept up or the car is repaired, and Florida limits how long you have to file a lawsuit. A personal injury attorney can deal with the insurers and seek money for medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage, and pain and suffering while you focus on getting better.
Call 407-846-2240 for a free consultation with an Orlando car accident attorney at the Martinez Manglardi personal injury law firm. Convenient locations throughout Central Florida, including Orlando, Kissimmee, Apopka, Palm Bay, Ocala, Haines City, and Davenport.
