NHTSA Complaint #11157205 — 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS

ON DECEMBER 8TH, 2018, I WAS DRIVING EASTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 10 IN PHOENIX, AZ AT APPROXIMATELY MILEPOST 141 AROUND 5:45 PM. SUDDENLY, I HEARD A LARGE, *BANG* WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED MYSELF FOR INJURIES AND FELT THE CAR TO DETERMINE IF A TIRE WAS BLOWN. I WAS INTACT, AND THE TIRES SEEMED OK AS WELL, BUT I HEARD THE NOISE OF AIR ESCAPING FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER TURNING SOUTH ON I-17, I EXITED ON THE FIRST STREET, EXIT 199, JEFFERSON ST. I TURNED LEFT AND LOOKED FOR A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER. IT ISN'T A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, SO I SLOWED DOWN AND CONTINUED TO LOOK AROUND THE VEHICLE AS I TRIED TO FIND THE PLACE WHERE THE AIR WAS ESCAPING. FINALLY, I CRACKED OPEN THE SLIDING DOOR AT THE TOP OF MY SUNROOF, AND I NOTICED SHARDS OF GLASS. I IMMEDIATELY CLOSED IT AND WAS RELIEVED IT HAD NOT BEEN OPEN WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. I DECIDED I MUST GET HOME IMMEDIATELY, PROCEEDED BACK TO THE FREEWAY, AND DROVE HOME. WHEN I ARRIVED, I NOTICED THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED - ONE MAIN HORIZONTAL SHATTER AT THE CENTER AND TWO MORE VERTICAL SHATTERS AT EACH END. I CHECKED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE FOR A PROJECTILE AND FOUND NOTHING. AFTER RESEARCHING FURTHER, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE GLASS HAD BROKEN SIMPLY DUE TO POOR DESIGN. I IMMEDIATELY FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, FARMERS. THE CLAIM NUMBER IS 910380. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED TOYOTA TO GET A RESPONSE, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. I AM FORTUNATE THAT THE SUNROOF WAS NOT EXPOSED. THERE IS A PAPER-THIN SLIDING DOOR THAT BLOCKS THE SUN. EVEN THOUGH THE SUN HAD SET, I HAD LEFT IT CLOSED, AND IT PROTECTED ME FROM THE SHARDS OF GLASS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS. IT IS DECEMBER IN ARIZONA, AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 69 DEGREES WHEN I LEFT TO RETURN HOME YESTERDAY. IT'S NOT A HEAT ISSUE. IT'S LIKELY A GLASS DEFECT. I LOOK FORWARD TO OBTAINING MORE INFORMATION.