NHTSA Complaint #11104476 — 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

ON JUNE 11, 2018 I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (THAT WAS PURCHASED ON JANUARY 31, 2018) ON I-40 NEAR BURLINGTON, NC WHEN THE MOONROOF ON MY CAR SUDDENLY SHATTERED. I HAD THE VISOR CLOSED ON THE MOONROOF SO NO GLASS ENTERED THE CABIN. THE ENTIRE MOONROOF SHATTERED AND THERE WAS A HOLE TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE MOONROOF. IT WAS A CLEAR DAY AND THE PAVEMENT WAS LEVEL. I DID NOT SEE ANY OBJECTS FROM THE ROAD APPROACH MY CAR PRIOR TO THE MOONROOF SHATTERING. LATER THAT DAY I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY CAR DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT LOOKED LIKE AN IMPACT HAD CAUSED THE MOONROOF TO SHATTER. I HAD THE MOONROOF REPAIRED BY THE DEALER AT A COST OF $968. I LEARNED FROM RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OF SHATTERING SUNROOFS/MOONROOFS INVOLVING MULTIPLE MANUFACTURERS. I REPORTED THE SITUATION TO TOYOTA'S NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT HOW THE MOONROOF CAN SHATTER ON THE SUNROOF WHEN I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THAT TYPE OF DAMAGE AND THAT I WAS AWARE THAT TOYOTA AND OTHER MANUFACTURERS HAD EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH SUNROOFS/MOONROOFS. I PROVIDED PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE MOONROOF. AFTER INITIAL BEING TOLD THAT MY SITUATION WOULD BE HANDLED AT NO CHARGE TO ME, I WAS DIRECTED TO A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WHO I WAS TOLD WAS SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED TO ADDRESS THESE TYPES OF CLAIMS. THAT REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED ME THAT THE MOONROOF SHATTERING WAS CAUSED BY AN "OUTSIDE INFLUENCE" AND THAT TOYOTA WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THE MOONROOF. HE FURTHER ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO "PROGRAM" IN EXISTENCE THAT WOULD ALLOW MY VERHICLE TO REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE TO ME. I ASKED THE REPRESENTATIVE IF TOYOTA'S POSITION WAS THAT THE MOONROOF WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WHEN IT SHATTERED BASED ON SOME UNKNOWN AND UNDEFINED "OUTSIDE INFLUENCE" AND I WAS THAT IT WAS NOT THE CASE.