10/29/2026
Thousands of drivers have filed complaints with U.S. auto-safety regulators describing jarring incidents in which their sunroof unexpectedly exploded or shattered, often while they were driving.
The number of complaints has soared recently and is set to hit a record in 2026, with nearly 500 reported so far this year.
The descriptions of those incidents listed in a federal database are harrowing: A Kia minivan’s sunroof spontaneously exploded on a Wisconsin highway. A GMC sport-utility vehicle’s moonroof fell onto seats where children ride. A Mercedes-Benz owner heard a “gunshot” sound—a frequent descriptor of these events, according to federal reports—before their car’s glass ruptured.
The sunroof failure reports target all major automakers, including 17 different manufacturers and more than 200 models over the past three years, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis.
Roughly one-in-five complaints lodged in that time involved 2025 or 2026 model year vehicles, the analysis showed. Such failures happen roughly once a day.
Even so, the issues have rarely resulted in recall campaigns. Regulators say factors other than safety defects, such as road debris, are typically responsible for these events.
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