G55K

I have a GL550 with approx 14,000 miles on it. I was driving from Moab to Lake Powell and the panoramic rough literally exploded. Scared the crap out of me! It wasn't a rock as there were no cars around us. We were in the middle of no where when it happened. It was about 105F outside so my guess is that it was caused by the heat.

The dealership is refusing to cover this under warranty. They admit that it does't look like anything hit it and that it might be heat related. I plan on escalating this to MBUSA.

Has anyone else had this happen to their GL?

fabbrisd1

Which section "exploded" ? 1st row movable - 2nd row fixed - 3rd row fixed ?

Different "glass" in each - that's why I ask...

G55K

1st row moveable. Thanks.

VividRacing

I think you may be the first.

holycaoAMG

You're not the first, thats for sure. I've read posts on here and lots of sunroof explosions online throughout the country. Just google it and you'll see. Here is an example: http://www.usglassmag.com/AGRR/Backi...k__Feature.htm

I suspect it's likely due to the difference in temperature outside (hotter) the car and inside (cooler) temps colliding together to create enough stress in physical properties that allow them to break apart.

G55K

Just did a Google search and, you're right, it's happened several times. I'm going to contact MBUSA and see what they have to say. Thanks.

hyperion667

insanity! what's even nuttier is the dealer refusing to even help you!!


good luck to you

KrustyKustom

Had the same thing happen to my old ML rear hatch sitting there. Really hot day and cool night. POW!

How much they want for the panoramic roof?

I see they got rid of that roof for 2015.

Need4Speed

That is a first

fabbrisd1

Call MB Customer Care and with the "facts" open a case with them - sets in motion 2nd channel for "goodwill" resolution...

PkB2014

it's happened to a few C63 coupes, Black Series included, but I think it was from flexing on those.

G55K

With labor it was about $1800.

Steve Maislin

Just the bad PR they get on something like this type of decision makes the $1800 worth covering. And, it does not cost MB anything close to $1800. Sounds like something they would do to a GM Chevy owner.
;-)

screw991le

Glass is covered under insurance with no-ded. Worst case.

G55K

Not in CO.

TangoRed

Hopefully this gets covered one MBUSA gets involved. This issue isn't Mercedes specific- this has happened to a number of makes with pano roofs. People have been having this happen while the car was parked in the driveway.

Hammer1

This is sounding like a Class Action Suit.

mediaguru

Just joined.

My 10 month old 2014 GLK350 sunroof scared the hell out of me. BOOM. I thought I had a tire blowout behind my head. Then a popcorn sound as the glass cracked.

I had an independent glass company examine the sunroof and they determined that there were no impacts (rocks etc) and that a crack went all the way around all four corners.

MBUSA just called me to inform me that they WILL NOT replace this under warranty as they determined it was an "outside influence" which caused the damage.

I'm not happy right now. No car and the part is not in stock, and looks like I may be out $500 deductible from my insurance.

5280CLS55

Whoa...I'm sure you had a bit of pucker face when that thing went. Glad everyone is ok and ***** that dealer for not covering you!!

Ntuck

I had been looking for this thread recently as I had read it before. Glad someone posted again. To the people who have had the sunroof explode, what color is your car? Is it black? I don't know if that has more to do with it and the heat being trapped. I have a black '14 GL350 and within the last month or two I have heard this loud sound when I go over an edge slowly. Like if I'm going into a parking lot that has a dip in it with the concrete...don't know what else to call it/describe it. Anyway, as I go slowly I have heard this loud pop that sounds like a giant rock or ball hitting my car but there is nothing. I have wondered if anyone else has had this and also wondering if I'm on my way to having my pano roof explode. If these are any signs that you all might have had before then I would like to let my service advisor know the situation. It's not something that they can probably test out because it doesn't happen all the time or everyday but I do notice it when the car is made to angle itself with a type of dip in the road if that makes sense.

Ed Wolcott

Looking at the pattern of the broken glass, it is obvious that the glass roof is made from tempered glass. While this glass is good at resisting impacts from stuff softer than glass, such as baseballs, anything harder than glass hitting and scratching it can cause the whole sheet of glass to shatter. (this is what these hammers sold for shattering side windows to get out of a car do--they have a very hard tip). Any deep scratch on the surface, or any scratch on the edge can cause this type of blow up. I would guess the cause of this is a small scratch on the edge of the window. Over time, the expansion and contraction of the roof from solar heating could have opened this scratch up and caused this to happen. It certainly is the type of problem that should be covered by a warranty.

43221B

I noticed the other week when lifting my GL with a hydraulic jack to rotate the tires that it had an insane amount of body flex. My X164/was nothing like the X166. Honestly, I was worried the pano roof was going to blow up on me as I lifted the first corner with all the creaking and moaning the chassis was making. Perhaps the body flex is etching a scratch somewhere along the outside edge and the window just gets torqued and twisted back and forth until it breaks.

cookstar

I have to agree the body flex is ridiculous, paid close to 120k for my car and when I pull outside of driveway I can hear the entire third row creek and groan, its been like this since day 1.

paomien

Where abouts in the GTA are you? I was up there the past week and noticed 90% of the GL350s all had the AMG sport package ... Made me jealous... Lol

bobbyjo9

Glass is glass and tempering it does nothing to strengthen it. Tempering is nothing more than putting the piece into a high pressure state so that it explodes into many little pieces rather than large shards that would slice like a prison yard shiv! Non-tempered glass is much more forgiving to flex and impact but way more dangerous in its broken state. Because of the high pressure tempered glass is under, you cannot bend, flex, cut, crack, or otherwise compromise the surface without having it "explode". The reason your not wearing your windshield in your face every time you get a rock chip is because it is also laminated. My guess is that it's a bowing of the glass that is causing the failure. The larger and flatter the glass panel, the more susceptible it will be to flex with pressure from heat buildup resulting in failure. You wont see any early warning signs with non-laminated tempered glass, since failure will be immediate once the structure has been compromised.