The Spontaneous Shattering Sunroof (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Threads
13
Messages
316
Location
Dallas, TX
Driving on the highway tonight and the sunroof on my '16 Land Cruiser went boom above me. Wasn't sure what happened until I peeked through the cover and saw the spiderweb of cracks. Pulled over and saw it bowed up and outwards (internal force/flexing) and no foreign fragments indicating impact.
1580190701231.png
1580190749416.png


Here's some similar threads:

A Consumer Reports article about this almost common/random occurrence:

Seems like it happens across all brands, but the two other instances reported on MUD^ indicate this could be a problem area to watch out for on the 200 series. From examining the glass it seems surprisingly thin for being a top facing pane of glass which is also on a less rigid, moving frame. One of the things when buying a Land Cruiser 200 that I've heard is how it has "2mm thicker glass" than normal Toyota vehicles.

For reference: Dallas, TX, going around 65 mph, around 50° F, moderately windy conditions, no precipitation. No history of being weakened by hail or anything like that.

Taped the glass sections together and then covered it with a trash bag for now. Not sure if I'm going to repair it through the dealer, insurance, or third party with aftermarket or OEM glass. Any similar feedback or advice?
1580191999910.png
 
This happened to my 2020 TLC the day before yesterday. Driving kids to school and loud boom like a brick hitting the car. Thought something must have bounced off windshield but the concussion was such that the windshield surely would have shattered had that been the case. My wife opened the shade and we saw the spider cracked moonroof. A few minutes later it started to disintegrate with glass falling in onto the shade and back over the roof to the road. Weird noise. I quickly found this thread and the linked ones. Called State Farm, no problem get a quote - $100 deductible. Called local Fred Haas Toyota Country parts guy, Hector. He can get glass in one day $1,174.90. He told me they farm out windshields and moonroofs to Safe Tech Auto Glass. I read several reviews of them and made an appointment. They got State Farm on the line and had me an appointment the next day. Dropped the truck off at 9am yesterday and they were done before noon. Approved invoice charge of $1,374.90 and I gave them my $100 deductible.

The guy could not get the auto close function to work using his known reset routine and told me to go to the dealership to get it reset and that the charge would get added to the insurance claim. Well screw that! Interweb search finds the proper reset method. This worked: The reset process for the moonroof on an RX330 is similar, but requires you to hold the button down for a couple of extra seconds after each of the four operations: tilt up, tilt down, slide open, slide closed. You have to do all four before the system is initialized and the one-touch will start working. This got it functioning as it should.

So overall I was unable to use the truck for 48 hours and was out $100. But what if this had happened on a trip? In a blinding rainstorm?!!! A stopgap measure has to be in place for such an event. I'm thinking the OE rubber cargo mat would cover the opening and be held in place by 100mph duct tape. Probably a better material that is thinner could be kept stored under said floor mat ready to pull out and apply in the cover of a gas station pump shelter. What material? Thin flexible vinyl sheeting? It needs to be stiff enough to hold it's shape in the wind and with rain/snow hitting it but flexible enough to conform to the roof shape. Ideas? I'm going to get something as I don't want to be caught out in the cold if it happens again. The rubber cargo mat would work for a slow speed drive to the nearest covered location, perhaps held on with paracord, just over the roof and inside straight across, close the doors on it.
 
All for something people rarely use and cause lots of other problems, but “has to be included” on many vehicles or they won’t sell.
 
I actually like it. I'm a convertible guy and would not buy a new FJ40 type if the roof was not removable. I use the moon roof in the 200 and the 2012 Lexus L460 all the time. LS roof never shattered. I would prefer a solid metal moon roof rather than glass, just for general durability not withstanding the spontaneous explosion issue.
 
Last edited:
But what if this had happened on a trip? In a blinding rainstorm?!!! A stopgap measure has to be in place for such an event.
I'm drawing a blank on whose rig it was but there was a massive rainstorm in Ouray last year during the LCDC and someone had a falling rock on the Million Dollar Highway shatter their sunroof. They bought a For Sale By Owner sign and then cut it and taped the heck out of it as a stop gap.

I took a few rocks in that storm (one into my windshield which left a mark to this day, but no crack) but thankfully nothing broke.
 
I'm drawing a blank on whose rig it was but there was a massive rainstorm in Ouray last year during the LCDC and someone had a falling rock on the Million Dollar Highway shatter their sunroof. They bought a For Sale By Owner sign and then cut it and taped the heck out of it as a stop gap.

I took a few rocks in that storm (one into my windshield which left a mark to this day, but no crack) but thankfully nothing broke.

@montegofd3s
 
Yep, that was me. Some garage sale signs, gorilla tape, and some window sealing foam to support the signs from the bottom (when I closed the shade). Worked like a charm for another 4000 miles until we got home.

Screenshot 2022-03-04 183530.png


Screenshot 2022-03-04 183551.png
 
This happened in my wife’s highlander in the middle of north Texas. Not a car in sight in any direction. Sounded like a shotgun went off exploding up. TRex tape and some Plexiglass got us to New Orleans. Paid the dealer to replace it but the used a razor to remove the tape and cut into the paint… full roof repaint.

If I could find the right headliner I would remove my sunroof and weld it up and repaint the roof.
 
This happened in my wife’s highlander in the middle of north Texas. Not a car in sight in any direction. Sounded like a shotgun went off exploding up. TRex tape and some Plexiglass got us to New Orleans. Paid the dealer to replace it but the used a razor to remove the tape and cut into the paint… full roof repaint.

If I could find the right headliner I would remove my sunroof and weld it up and repaint the roof.

Woooow. Dealers are truly incompetent. Actually 80% of everything relating to automobiles is trash and comprised of incompetent people.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom