NHTSA Complaint #11288519 — 2012 NISSAN MURANO

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH IN GOOD WEATHER AND LIGHT TRAFFIC OUR CLOSED SUN ROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED WITH INTENSE FORCE. WHEN WE GOT OUT TO LOOK AT IT, IT WAS CLEAR THAT IT EXPLODED FROM WITHIN AS THE EDGES OF THE HOLE (ABOUT 2 FT X 1.5 FT) WERE PUSHING UPWARD. ALL OF THE GLASS WITHIN THAT AREA BLEW OUT WITH NO DAMAGE BELOW IT NOR WERE THERE ANY REMAINING GLASS FRAGMENTS BELOW IT EVEN THOUGH WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE SUNROOF WAS COMPLETELY FULL OF SMALL SHATTER LINES. WE'VE ALWAYS MAINTAINED OUR VEHICLE AND HAVE RARELY USED THE SUNROOF. OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY CARRIER REFUSED TO PAY BECAUSE IT WAS GLASS. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED OUR CLAIM BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AN EXTERIOR IMPACT. NISSAN (CORPORATE) REFUSED TO COMPENSATE US BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROOF AS TO HOW IT HAPPENED. AFTER LOOKING ON THE WEB, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. THE EXPERIENCE WAS VERY JARRING AS IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING BLEW UP JUST ABOVE OUR HEADS. WE THOUGHT A PLANE DROPPED SOMETHING FROM ABOVE OR SOMEONE SHOT AT OUR CAR BUT THEN REALIZED NOTHING CAME INTO THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT INJURED, DID NOT VEER INTO ANOTHER CAR, AND THANK GOD IT DIDN'T HAPPEN NEAR ANY PEDESTRIANS. WE PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED, BUT FOR ALL WE KNOW, IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME.