NHTSA Complaint #11020027 — 2010 LEXUS LS460L

ON 08/27/2018 AT 11:30 A.M. I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXTENDED ON-RAMP TO ROUTE 288 IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA AT ABOUT 55 MPH. IT WAS SUNNY, NOT HUMID AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE HIGH 70'S; THE ROADWAY WAS SMOOTH AND CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS. MY A/C WAS ON, THE WINDOWS WERE UP AND MY MOONROOF WAS CLOSED AND THE SHADE PROTECTOR WAS SHUT. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN MY SIGHT IN ANY DIRECTION. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE, LIKE A SHOTGUN GOING OFF IN A CLOSED ROOM, AND IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR I SAW DEBRIS COMING FROM MY VEHICLE AND LANDING ON THE ROADWAY BEHIND ME. THINKING THAT SOMETHING HAD COME FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR, I PULLED OVER AND EXAMINED THE REAR AND UNDERNEATH OF MY VEHICLE. FINDING NOTHING AMISS, I WAS SURPRISED, BUT WAS EVEN MORE SURPRISED WHEN WALKING BACK TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR, I OBSERVED THAT MY MOONROOF HAD EXPLODED! THERE WAS A LARGE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF MY MOONROOF, AND THE MISSING GLASS WAS OBVIOUSLY WHAT I HAD SEEN FLYING FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR. THERE WAS PIECES OF GLASS ON THE SHADE. HAD THE SHADE NOT BEEN SHUT, THAT GLASS WOULD HAVE ENTERED THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE. MY CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE SHADE ALL MORNING EXCEPT FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES WHILE I ATE LUNCH IN A RESTAURANT, WHERE IT HAD BEEN PARKED OUT IN THE OPEN. I HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE INCIDENT, AND BEFORE DRIVING THE CAR I HAD OBSERVED THE MOONROOF AND HAD NOTICED NO ISSUES WITH IT. I HAVE HAD NO PRIOR ISSUES WITH THE MOONROOF.