Panoramic Roof blew up!
#1
Panoramic Roof blew up!
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?
![](http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/673/g3M9eN.jpg)
![](http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/745/DCnjqm.jpg)
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?
![](http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/673/g3M9eN.jpg)
![](http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/745/DCnjqm.jpg)
![](http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/745/18SSC1.jpg)
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Shelly9971 (06-15-2020)
#3
#5
Senior Member
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.
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.
#6
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.
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.
#7
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insanity! what's even nuttier is the dealer refusing to even help you!!
good luck to you
good luck to you
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#8
On a ML
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.
How much they want for the panoramic roof?
I see they got rid of that roof for 2015.
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Shelly9971 (06-15-2020)
#12
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2013 GL450
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.
;-)
;-)
#16
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.
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Shelly9971 (06-15-2020)
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Shelly9971 (06-15-2020)
#18
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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.
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.
#19
Super Member
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!!
#20
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.
#21
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.
#22
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.
#23
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2005 ML350, 2008 GL320, 2013 Gl350
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.
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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
#25
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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.
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YodaSyrup (05-07-2016)