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Exploding Sunroofs!

116 messages,  Last post on May 21, 2013 at 6:36 AM

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Messages Page 11 of 12

#97 of 116 Re: Ford Focus exploding sunroof [pismopat] by 2003focus

Aug 17, 2012 (1:46 pm)

Replying to: pismopat (Aug 17, 2012 12:51 pm)
It is so typical of car manufacturers to not accept responsibility. I really think Ford is using defective glass as this has happened to me twice already, and to numerous other Ford owners.

#98 of 116 Re: 2011 Optima sunroof explodes [kylen2002] by maritak

Sep 09, 2012 (4:23 pm)

Replying to: kylen2002 (Apr 25, 2012 10:51 am)
Re: Kylen2002:
I just had the sunroof explode on my 2013 kia sorrento, which I have had for 6 weeks. Very similar situation to yours... driving along then boom! Kia is supposed to call me tomorrow. Curious - where did you end up with Kia on this? God forbid - after the fix did it happen again?

#99 of 116 Re: 2011 Optima sunroof explodes [maritak] by greginaz

Sep 09, 2012 (8:24 pm)

Replying to: maritak (Sep 09, 2012 4:23 pm)
Lexus fully covered ours in the IS-250 3 years ago and it didn't happen again. I think it is a weakness in the glass and once it is fixed it won't happen again unless you are really unlucky.

#100 of 116 Re: 2011 Optima sunroof explodes [kylen2002] by thornt4

Sep 11, 2012 (2:21 pm)

Replying to: kylen2002 (Apr 25, 2012 10:51 am)
I had this happen to me in April2011 on my 2011 Kia Sorento. Same story, I was driving, loud pop and glass fell all over me. Got it towed to dealership and they covered everything under warranty. Now, get this, I was driving the same car today and the exact thing happened...yep, explosion #2. I again had it towed to the dealer and they gave me a rental. They will keep me posted. I don't expect a problem, KIA should cover the defect under warranty; however, I am concerned since my car is much older now. They will be in for a battle if they tell me it isn't covered!

#101 of 116 Shattered sunroof glass sunroof recall by kkiimm

Sep 16, 2012 (11:54 am)

My sunroof suddenly shattered recently too. I have a older Ford SUV but it turns out the make and age don't matter so much as the details on the sunroof itself.
 
On another forum about this issue I found the below post and it turns out my sunroof is part of the recall and I never got the notice, though I have had it fixed at least 3 times as the open/shut mechanism is constantly breaking down. So I am posting this in hopes that others might read it and not spend their own money if they don't need to. I would not have known if I hadn't spent 1/2 hour or more researching the issue on the net. The glass shattering suddenly is exactly what happens in the defective sunroofs though supposedly it is "rare".
 
I was driving down the highway and heard a loud bang, like a large boulder fell on the roof. Then there was a rattling, crunching noise like the boulder was rolling around on top. When I stopped a couple of miles later off my exit, the glass on the sunroof was totally missing. This happened after I had been stopped in the traffic on the highway, heard a screeching and looked in my side mirror to see a little red car behind me swerving widely across three lanes or traffic, nearly tipping over and forcing other cars to swerve and screech as well. The person had jammed their brakes on to avoid rear ending me as I guess he wasn't expecting stopped cars on the highway. No one was hurt and no cars collided amazingly but my nerves for sure where on edge. And then the sunroof thing happened 5 minutes later. What are the chances of that I wonder? Especially because the defective sunroof issue is. "rare" ( riiiiigggght, but common enough to deserve a recall??!!).
 
Good thing I didn't have the sunroof's inside cover slid back or I would have been showered with glass going down the highway at 65mph. Good thing also that I didn't panic and swerve or slam the brakes on since I could have had a accident. But then again, having had many "clunker" cars in my life this is not the first time something drastic and unexpected has happened to my car while traveling 65 in the fast lane. Try the car stalling suddenly at this speed or the hood flying up and covering the front windshield so that you can only see through the little air vent grate; both of these happened to me in different cars and more than once, since the problems weren't easily fixable.
 
I thought a rock hit it, though, since I wasn't going under anything or near the edges of the road, I couldn't see how that was possible, since it would have to drop straight down with a lot of force. As they mention, actually, I did notice more wind noise than usual from the sunroof over the past month or two but I thought it just wasn't fully closed, since the mechanism to close the roof never seems to work right. And I guess you might not know if your sunroof is aftermarket either, since the dealer or the person you bought it from may not have told you. This only applies to aftermarket sunroofs, i.e. installed after the car leaves the factory assembly line.
 
So, to make a long story short, everyone reading this might want to check their sunroof unless they are positive it is factory installed. I don't think this is only for older sunroofs either. The website http://sunroofcheck.us/identify-your-sunroof.html shows the pictures of the sunroof open/close buttons and if your sunroof control buttons don't look like that then you are all set. If it they do then all you have to do is open the roof and look at the serial numbers pasted inside the front frame of the sunroof opening and if they are between 6000000 and 6396298 you need to replace the roof ( for free but not at the dealer; the website will list the places to take the car)
 
Webasto Product North America, Inc. ("WPNA") has decided that a defect that relates to motor vehicle safety may exist in vehicles equipped with certain Hollandia 700 and 600 ("700/600") aftermarket (non-factory installed) sunroofs manufactured from 2002-2009 and all TVS 900 ("900") series aftermarket sunroofs. These sunroofs are involved in a voluntary safety recall. In rare instances, conditions existing with the adhesive bond between the glass and metal frame in these affected Hollandia 700/600 and Hollandia TVS 900 series aftermarket (non-factory installed) sunroofs can increase the risk that the sunroof glass may completely debond from its frame. Completely debonded sunroof glass can detach from the vehicle while driving and could strike another vehicle or injure a pedestrian.
 
Complete glass-to-frame debonding can develop gradually and may be evidenced by metal corrosion around the sunroof frame, wind noise, vibration, visual bond separation and/or water leakage. These conditions may be observable for several months before complete glass-to-frame adhesion debonding can ultimately occur.
 
Determining If You're Affected: The most recognizable components of the sunroofs affected are the switches and presence of a Webasto logo on the sunshade handle. Below, we have provided documentation so you can identify whether your sunroof is included in the recall. All affected sunroofs will have one of the following switches (I can't post the pictures of the switches, so check the webpage, http://sunroofcheck.us/identify-your-sunroof.html )and have a Webasto logo on the sunshade handle.

#102 of 116 2012 Cadillac SRX - Sunroof Exploded by larryz2

Oct 05, 2012 (1:31 pm)

On Thursday August 2, 2012 my wife and I we traveling from Simi Valley Calfornia to Vancouver, BC Canada. We purchased our SRX in June 2012 and had less than 2,000 miles on it when we started our trip. We got a far as Gilroy, CA (about 300 miles into the trip) when we heard a loud explosion and then the sound of wind and broken glass. We were traveling about 65 mph on highway with no cars in front or to the side. The Sun roof was closed at the time and the shattered glass could be seen through the head liner. We got off the freeway quickly and asked ON-STAR for the nearest Cadillac dealership. Luckily it was only 1 mile away. ON-STAR downloaded turn by turn instructions and we got to the Gilroy Cadillac dealership at about 2:30 pm. They looked at the damage and tried to locate a replacement part, however, none were available in California. The dealer coordinated with the regional Cadillac rep and ordered a part from Detroit. The part was overnight shipped but would not arrive until Monday. The Cadillac people provided us with a rental car and we continued on to Oregon. We shortened our trip and returned to pick up our repaired SRX on Monday evening (4:00pm). We put over 1,300 miles on the rental car. Cadillac covered everything under warranty including the rental car.

#103 of 116 Re: 2012 Cadillac SRX - Sunroof Exploded [larryz2] by azharleyrider

Oct 05, 2012 (4:59 pm)

Replying to: larryz2 (Oct 05, 2012 1:31 pm)
Consider yourself lucky - or just smart for buying a US brand .. my son had to use his insurance and pay the deductible, Kia wouldn't pay anything!

#104 of 116 Re: 2012 Cadillac SRX - Sunroof Exploded [larryz2] by gmcustsvcsarah

Oct 08, 2012 (8:35 am)

Replying to: larryz2 (Oct 05, 2012 1:31 pm)
Thank you for taking the time to post this, larryz2! We're glad that the dealership took such great care of you, and wish you many more happy miles in your SRX!
 
Sarah, GM Customer Service

#105 of 116 Exploding Sunroof Volvo s40 by jerseylady

Oct 16, 2012 (8:42 am)

This just happened to me while driving to work. I was on the highway here in Raleigh and doing about 70. Suddenly, just as everyone else described, a loud gunshot noise and glass flying everywhere. It was nice yesterday afternoon so my sliding cover was open since I had been using my sunroof recently. I have been in touch with Volvo USA and it sounds like they may cover the costs. Nothing hit it, I am sure, because the glass is coming upwards. A cop stopped to help me (nice folks those NC troopers!) and told me weirder things have happened, but that this was pretty weird! The glass is still cracking and I'm going to have to drive it, but with the cover closed... VERY VERY scary. Thankful I was in the right lane and was able to pull off quickly in rush hour traffic. Whew. Any other reports of this from Volvo owners? I have seen some on Volvo forums.

#106 of 116 Re: 05' Accord Exploding sunroof [ajgrantcsh] by jerseylady

Oct 16, 2012 (12:17 pm)

Replying to: ajgrantcsh (Mar 11, 2011 4:14 pm)
Could you please email me the doc? alogg24gmail.com Sunroof on my 05 Volvo s40 exploded this morning while on my way to work (on the highway, glass fell all over me...) and I'd really like some answers/possibly use this to get the $950 bill paid for. Thank you so much!

Messages Page 11 of 12

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