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Mitsubishi Outlander Exploding Sunroof

19 messages,  Last post on Sep 30, 2009 at 7:47 AM

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#1 of 19 Exploding Sunroof by blovegrove May 12, 2008 (5:27 am)
was driving down the highway at 120km and all of a sudden the sunroof exploded up and out. I didn't hear or notice anything hitting the car, just a big bang and we were showered with glass. There was a big hole in the middle of the sunroof, and it looks like someone punched a hole from the inside out. all the glass around the edges pointed upwards. It was only 10 degree celcius and the inside temp was set at 20degrees celcius. Anyone else had this happen? Replies to this message: busta4 (May 12, 2008 6:29 am) blovegrove (May 12, 2008 8:03 am) steve_ (May 12, 2008 9:44 am) comem47 (May 12, 2008 8:15 am) blovegrove (May 12, 2008 8:19 am) comem47 (May 12, 2008 8:25 am) ivica (May 12, 2008 12:47 pm) p100 (May 13, 2008 6:13 pm) rcpax (May 14, 2008 8:17 am) cjaiya (Aug 31, 2008 10:43 pm) comem47 (Sep 01, 2008 9:20 am) toomanyfumes (Sep 01, 2008 1:41 pm) tidester (Sep 14, 2008 10:42 pm) kaitytong2 (Sep 29, 2009 9:58 am) blovegrove (Sep 29, 2009 1:02 pm) and 2 more...
#2 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [blovegrove] by busta4 May 12, 2008 (6:29 am)
Replying to: blovegrove (May 12, 2008 5:27 am) I hope everyone is alright. What year is your Outlander? Replies to this message: blovegrove (May 12, 2008 8:03 am) steve_ (May 12, 2008 9:44 am)
#3 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [busta4] by blovegrove May 12, 2008 (8:03 am)
Replying to: busta4 (May 12, 2008 6:29 am) 2007 with 19000 km on it. everyone was fine, just a little shocked. now the question is, will it be covered under warranty? The dealership is looking into it, but the roof panel is $865 plus labour! Replies to this message: steve_ (May 12, 2008 9:44 am)
#4 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [blovegrove] by comem47 May 12, 2008 (8:15 am)
Replying to: blovegrove (May 12, 2008 5:27 am) Definitely a strange event. Could it be possible a stone or other object hit the glass and the low air pressure from the speed of the vehicle sucked the glass upwards once fractured? Replies to this message: blovegrove (May 12, 2008 8:19 am) comem47 (May 12, 2008 8:25 am)
#5 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [comem47] by blovegrove May 12, 2008 (8:19 am)
Replying to: comem47 (May 12, 2008 8:15 am) We didn't hear / see or feel anything hit us before the sunroof exploded Replies to this message: comem47 (May 12, 2008 8:25 am)
#6 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [blovegrove] by comem47 May 12, 2008 (8:25 am)
Replying to: blovegrove (May 12, 2008 8:19 am) But could that be essentially a simultaneous event (instant explosion covering up impact sound). Don't know, just a question.
#7 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [blovegrove] by steve_ HOST May 12, 2008 (9:44 am)
Replying to: blovegrove (May 12, 2008 8:03 am) Unless the dealer decides it was a manufacturing defect, I doubt that the warranty will cover it.   A friend of mine detailed his SUV one day and had removed his sunroof for some deep cleaning. Then another buddy called to say the silvers were running and off they went. He spaced out that he hadn't put the trim back around the sunroof.   The glass flew off on the highway going about 70 and he watched it land in the middle of the (fortunately empty) road and shatter in his rear view mirror.   The dealer wanted about $900 to fix that one too, but he called his insurance company and they covered it.
#8 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [blovegrove] by ivica May 12, 2008 (12:47 pm)
Replying to: blovegrove (May 12, 2008 5:27 am) About 4 years ago a friend purchased BMW 5 series, not sure 525 or 530, his window did the same thing as you describe. He went to the dealer and they ordered a replacement and gave him a loaner in the mean time. When the replacement glass came it too shattered while it was being installed. At that time BMW had problems with the glass sunroofs. He is now on this third sunroof and the problem has been resolved. Bmw paid for everything. This is the same BMW that the drivers seat (heated seats) caught fire while he was driving.   J.
#9 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [blovegrove] by p100 May 13, 2008 (6:13 pm)
Replying to: blovegrove (May 12, 2008 5:27 am) The most likely reason for this is badly tempered sunroof panel glass. After the glass panels are made, they are put through an annealing temperature cycle process to relieve the internal stresses in the glass. The glass article temperature is raised to near the softening point of glass (glass has no melting point as such), then the article is cooled at a slow rate. If this process is done incorrectly, the glass is very brittle due to internal stresses and may shatter any time afterwards for little or no reason. Replies to this message: rcpax (May 14, 2008 8:17 am)
#10 of 19 Re: Exploding Sunroof [p100] by rcpax May 14, 2008 (8:17 am)
Replying to: p100 (May 13, 2008 6:13 pm) Is it a manufacturing process defect? I don't think so, or else you will see a ton of post regarding sunroofs just blowing out of the sky. As to the reason why? There must have been previous events that could have weakened the glass that might have caused it to burst. Because the laws of physics and common sense tells me a sunroof doesn't blow up like that for no apparent reason. Even if say the tempering process was defective, which is very remote, will untempered glass blow up like that? If the car was a completely (airtight) sealed cabin then it might. And I think it takes more speed than 120km/h to create enough pressure to blow that glass off.   If the glass edges were pointing upward, why were the passengers "showered" with glass particles? Shouldn't the particles have blown upward? And traveling at that speed, I don't expect the broken pieces that were blown upward will come back down to hit the passengers.   I always thought the glass materials that these sunroof were made from are shatter proof? They should not fall into particles when they break. Don't they contain a plastic the holds the broken pieces together?   Hmmm, some parts of this case just don't add up?

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