Sunroof 'exploded' today on 2016 GTI. That was fun.

[ArcticFoxMN]

Seems this is an industry problem and it seems with the larger glass panels, more common (Consumer Reports Warning: https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/exploding-sunroofs-danger-overhead/ )

Got in my car, got on the freeway, BANG!!! Hear wind and was pretty obvious the glass had broken. The 'good' news is it is laminated, so it mostly held together, and I also had the shade closed. No signs of other damage or an impact, not sure where the stress point even was - the entire top looks like shattered tempered glass (thousands of tiny cubes).

Immediately called insurance, validated $0 deductible glass coverage for this, they make referral, glass company called me back, gets details sorted out. Bad news is 3-5 WEEK BACKORDER for the glass, and it is only available as a VW part from VW (glass itself is a grand, yikes, but not surprised). The glass company is coming out on Friday to wrap it up as best as they can and feel as long as I stay out of the rain I will be fine for the next few weeks.

Anyone else had this happen on their MK7...or other cars?

 

[Ghost GTI]

Was it tinted?

 

[ArcticFoxMN]

100% stock

 

[jimlloyd40]

Kinda scary. I wonder if a rock hit it?

 

[RisingFallens]

It’s definitely been a thing! Other companies haven’t been so violent with the sound I don’t think lol. Was the crack like inner / outer or mid pane? Usually the crack stems from the middle pane and doesn’t reach out that’s just stress.

 

[ArcticFoxMN]

For a rock - certainly possible! But seems they can also just do this on their own...just one last heat cycle or flex and BANG.

For the pattern - I cannot see anything obvious. The entire piece of glass is fractured (thousands of little cubes), and no area is really better or worse. Right where the glass meets the frame, it is pushed in a little, but that is just due to the glass sagging in the lamination.

 

[Joe_Mama]

Kinda scary. I wonder if a rock hit it?

I bet a rock hit the thousands of other cars with pano roofs it has been happening to as well

 

[OLD MEN RULE]

Nothing against people that have sunroof, but glad my GTI has a smooth top. Sorry to read about your exploded roof.
Will this be covered by insurance?

 

[ArcticFoxMN]

Well I didn't have a choice, so it was an easy choice to get it!

But agree, generally not a fan, not a fan of sunlight in general, and I never drive with it open, too loud and windy.

You can probably infer I am not a good candidate for a convertible

State Farm agent confirmed it is covered with glass coverage so should be good, would change if there was other mechanical damage.

 

[oddspyke]

This is further reinforcing my want for some company to make a carbon fiber roof panel to replace the glass. Won't shatter, looks cool, drops weight from the roof, and would block all sunlight when closed. How much more could it cost than the $1000 piece of glass? Maybe I should contact APR, they love to make CF crap.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

This is further reinforcing my want for some company to make a carbon fiber roof panel to replace the glass. Won't shatter, looks cool, drops weight from the roof, and would block all sunlight when closed. How much more could it cost than the $1000 piece of glass? Maybe I should contact APR, they love to make CF crap.

hahahahaha agreed

 

[ArcticFoxMN]

Hard to photograph, but entire pane is crumbled, and where you see the fracture is the edge where the glass meets the frame.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

Woof

 

[ArcticFoxMN]

Woof

Yelp

 

[KevinC]

This has been going on for years. It's not rocks causing it. Think about it - how often is your roof hit by a rock? And in the extremely rare case that it is, how hard is that impact? The roof is a flat surface, unlike your windshield. A rock is just gonna skim over the top of it, unless it somehow falls vertically from above it, which just ain't gonna happen in any normal scenario.

Great news that insurance is covering it as glass coverage. Bummer that you have to wait so long for the replacement though. Do you have rental car coverage? Perhaps your insurance would cover that while you wait.