Component

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

3,461 NHTSA complaints about visibility:sun/moon roof assembly issues across 48 makes and 541 models.

The visibility:sun/moon roof assembly is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 3,461 filings from 48 manufacturers and 541 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 28 crashes, 14 fires, 228 injuries, and 3 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD EXPLORER with 110 filings, followed by KIA SORENTO and SCION TC. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

3,461
Complaints
541
Models Affected
28
Crashes
14
Fires
3
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD EXPLORER 110
2 KIA SORENTO 87
3 SCION TC 83
4 HYUNDAI VELOSTER 75
5 FORD F-150 72
6 FORD EDGE 68
7 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 67
8 NISSAN MAXIMA 60
9 HONDA ACCORD 55
10 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 53
11 MERCURY COUGAR 53
12 HYUNDAI SONATA 53
13 TOYOTA CAMRY 49
14 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 49
15 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 49
16 JEEP LIBERTY 45
17 KIA OPTIMA 43
18 FORD ESCAPE 43
19 HONDA CR-V 41
20 CADILLAC SRX 41
21 TOYOTA RAV4 40
22 NISSAN MURANO 37
23 HYUNDAI PALISADE 32
24 FORD EXPEDITION 32
25 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 31
26 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 31
27 NISSAN ALTIMA 30
28 SATURN OUTLOOK 27
29 NISSAN ROGUE 27
30 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 27

Recent Complaints

2018 FORD EDGE

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the panoramic sunroof unexpectedly exploded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where i

2020 TOYOTA RAV4

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked, there was water leaking from the sunroof. While driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a

2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at 58 MPH, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the sunroof, and it was discovered that the sunroof glass ha

2022 NISSAN ROGUE

The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, there was an abnormally loud banging sound coming from the vehicle, and the contact pulled over. The contact became

2020 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC 300

The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the panoramic roof unexpectedly shattered. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehi

2024 KIA SPORTAGE

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof exploded. The contact stated that there was no evidence of an impact on the sunroof gla

2025 HONDA CR-V

The contact owns a 2025 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the sunroof glass exploded and shattered. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The contact was not

2015 BMW X1

The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for maintenance, the contact was informed that the water pump had failed. The vehicle was not r

2025 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated that while her mother was driving approximately 25-30 MPH, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the vehicle. The driver pulled

2020 TOYOTA CAMRY

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the sunroof rose up independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the sunroof n

2023 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER

The contact owns a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the sunroof failed to close properly. The contact stated that on several occasions, the sunroof wa

2021 MERCEDES-BENZ C 300

I am reporting a safety defect involving the panoramic sunroof on my 2021Mercedes-Benz Coop vehicle. The panoramic sunroof has malfunctioned due to an apparent design or manufacturing defect. The sun

2021 TOYOTA RAV4

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the contact heard a loud bang and then heard wind entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the sunroof h

2026 KIA EV9

The contact owns a 2026 Kia EV9. The contact stated that while driving at 68 MPH, the sunroof made an abnormally loud banging sound. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, inspected the sunr

2025 KIA TELLURIDE

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. While driving 70 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound like a gunshot coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact became awar

2019 AUDI E-TRON

The contact owns a 2019 Audi E-Tron. The contact stated that during rainy weather, there was water entering the vehicle through the roof, and water was leaking onto the infotainment system, the shifte

2025 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC 350 E 4MATIC

The contact owns a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC350E 4Matic. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the sunroof made an exploding sound and shattered. The contact stated that the shattered glass fe

2022 FORD F-350 SD

The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-350 SD. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the roof. The vehicle was taken to a local independent

2020 FORD EXPEDITION

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof fractured. The contact stated that there was no impact on the sunroof. In addition,

2022 TOYOTA RAV4 PRIME

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4 Prime. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, there was a loud bang like a gunshot heard, and the sunroof shattered. The vehicle was pulled ove

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve visibility:sun/moon roof assembly issues?
The NHTSA has received 3,461 complaints about visibility:sun/moon roof assembly problems across 541 vehicle models from 48 manufacturers.
How dangerous are visibility:sun/moon roof assembly defects?
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY issues have been linked to 28 crashes, 14 fires, 228 injuries, and 3 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most visibility:sun/moon roof assembly problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for visibility:sun/moon roof assembly issues is the FORD EXPLORER with 110 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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