Toyota Scion Is Subject of New Probe for `Moonroofs' (Update2)

July 11 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s Scion Tc cars are being probed by U.S. safety regulators because of reports that glass ``moonroofs'' on 2005 and 2006 models can shatter.

The investigation covers 112,800 of the two-door cars, which sell for about $17,000 and are marketed to younger buyers. The probe was opened after nine incidents and one report of an injury from the broken glass, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today on its Web site.

This is the second problem with Scion Tc roofs reported to the safety agency. About 71,000 of the cars were recalled last year because a plastic wind deflector that pops up when the moonroofs are open could shatter.

NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson said the moonroof investigation made public today is unrelated. Moonroofs are glass panels in an automobile's roof.

One in four of the agency's initial investigations are upgraded to a second step called an engineering analysis, and the rest are closed without further action. Seven in 10 of the upgraded investigations lead to recalls.

The wind deflectors on all 2005 and some 2006 models were recalled because road debris could hit the part and break it, said John Hanson, a spokesman for Toyota's U.S. unit. Adding a laminated layer to the deflector fixed the problem, he said. Toyota doesn't know why the glass panels are breaking and is opening an internal investigation to determine that, he said.

Scion, a unit of Toyota, sells three subcompact models in the U.S., all with base prices of less than $20,000.

U.S. shares of Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker, rose 22 cents to $105.71 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. They have gained 43 percent in the past 12 months. General Motors Corp. is the world's largest automaker.

 

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