Car Owners Report Cases Of Shattering Sunroofs
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A series of incidents in which car sunroofs shatter for no apparent reason has gained the attention of federal investigators, CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.
Retired Cook County Judge Doug Simpson pulls out what's left of his original Toyota Sienna sunroof.
Three weeks after buying the certified used car, Simpson, of Tinley Park, says the sunroof simply shattered last month, while his son had it at a Michigan music festival.
While parked, the sunroof exploded upwards, resembling a volcano.
There was no evidence of vandalism or an object that would have hit the roof.
It had to be a defect, said Simpson, because "the car wasn't even moving."
Simpson took his car to Orland Toyota where, despite a bumper to bumper warranty, he says the dealer denied coverage.
He also filed a complaint with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration after learning it was investigating so-called exploding sunroofs.
A NHTSA spokesperson confirmed Toyota is one of the manufacturers the agency is investigating.
None of this surprises body shop tech Steve Medrano-who sees five to ten cases like this a month.
"We deal a lot of shattered sunroofs, he said, whether "defects or mechanical issues"
Simpson says he isn't looking for a lawsuit or even repayment from Toyota.
"i just want them to do the right thing."
Toyota did not respond to CBS 2's request for a comment