Three plaintiffs have launched a class action lawsuit against Toyota over what they claim is a defect with the sunroof. Two of the people involved in the case allege that their glass roofs exploded for no apparent reason, and that repairs weren’t covered by the automaker.
All three plaintiffs are located in California, and the first, Jeffry Takili, claims that the sunroof on his 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE exploded in as he was driving on the freeway in November 2022, per carcomplaints.com.
He reached out to the dealer, but was told that his warranty didn’t cover sunroofs. Despite being insured, he was forced to pay $1,237.59, with his insurer covering just $759.85 of the total to have the part replaced by a third-party shop.
Read: More Mercedes-Benz Models May Have A Sunroof That Can Fly Off
Aracely Gamez, meanwhile, says that she bought her 2021 RAV4 in September 2020, and that after just a month of ownership, her sunroof shattered while she was driving on the freeway. She also claims that Toyota told her that her warranty did not cover a replacement.
She was forced to pay a $500 deductible to replace the part, and alleges that in October 2022, the glass exploded yet again. She was, therefore, forced to pay the deductible again to have the sunroof replaced a second time.
The suit says that Toyota has not issued a recall for the sunroofs, and, indeed, a look at NHTSA.gov shows that there are no recalls related to the alleged fault for the 2021 Toyota RAV4. Just what caused the sunroofs to shatter is unclear, even to the plaintiffs.
“Upon information and belief, the Glass Roof Defect occurs due to either deficient materials used to make the panoramic roof itself, and/or deficient manufacturing processes, and/or a deficiency in the structure of the Class Vehicles,” the lawsuit claims.
The plaintiffs assert that they have lost money and that their RAV4s have lost value as a result of the shattering sunroofs. They further allege that hundreds of purchasers and lessees are affected by this “widespread” problem. The proposed class action suit looks to cover all persons or entities in the U.S. who are current or former owners of a 2021 Toyota RAV4.
