NHTSA Complaint #10519838 — 2005 SCION TC

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 10-15 MPH (GOING VERY SLOWLY BECAUSE IT WAS A DIRT ROAD), I HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD POP WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. IMMEDIATELY STOPPING TO INSPECT, I DISCOVERED THAT THE MOONROOF HAD SHATTERED COMPLETELY. THE WEBBING OF THE BROKEN GLASS WAS MORE CLEARLY VISIBLE FROM THE INSIDE THAN THE OUTSIDE. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SIGN OF ANY IMPACT. NO OTHER CARS WERE AROUND ANYWHERE AND NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE HIT THE GLASS. AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME, THE PIECES BEGAN TO FALL INTO THE BACK PASSENGER SEAT AND FINALLY THE WHOLE THING STARTED TO FALL INSIDE. I CALLED A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME A GLASS REPLACEMENT WOULD BE $1158.00. I HAD PREVIOUSLY NOTICED THAT IN MY DAILY DRIVING, WHENEVER THE CAR STRUCTURE FLEXED IN ANY WAY (AS IN ON UNEVEN TERRAIN AND SOMETIMES EVEN ON HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE DRIVING), I WOULD OCCASIONALLY HEAR POPPING SOUNDS AS IF THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF STRAIN ON THE FRAME. I SUSPECT SOME TYPE OF MANUFACTURER DEFECT, ESPECIALLY SINCE I SEE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME TYPE PROBLEM WITH THE MOONROOF OR SUNROOF EXPLODING WITHOUT CAUSE. ON A DIFFERENT NOTE, THE REAR HATCH LIFT KEEPS FALLING OFF. IN CALLING TOYOTA TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE MOONROOF ISSUE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY DID ISSUE A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT FOR THE HATCH LIFT. I HAD RECEIVED NO INFORMATION IN THE MAIL ABOUT THE ENHANCEMENT, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID IT MUST BE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL REGISTERED UNDER THE PREVIOUS OWNER IN THEIR SYSTEM. DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED SINCE WE PURCHASED FROM A DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE TITLE. *TR