So my G70 sunroof exploded on the highway today. #&@!

[Husky]

Driving on the highway today, at about 75mph in rush hour traffic, with my sunroof closed. It suddenly just explodes! It was a mild 50 degree day, so no thermal stress. I wasn't driving under any overpasses, I don't believe anything hit it. Sounded like a bomb went off.
I pulled over at a rest stop and tried to clean it up a bit and break off most of the cracked glass that was left. I had to drive two hours on the highway to get home, with the sun visor/headliner open part way because it was buffeting so violently with no glass to cover it. Got glass all over the interior. What a mess!
I called Genesis right after it happened (even though I'm out of warranty). They opened a case, for what that's worth. I'm not sure if they're going to cover it. It's going to be pricey. I'll talk to my insurance agent tomorrow. Argh. Not feeling too good about this.

 

[Slip_Angle]

Wow that sucks! I was researching this problem a couple months ago and it's much more common then I thought across all brands... Not that that makes you feel any better but damn...

Hope they take care of you because warranty or not, that's a safety issue...

 

[Husky]

Agreed. Fingers crossed. I imagine it's going to be in the shop for a while.
It's true, glass can be pretty fickle.

 

[dareckibmw]

Didn't the Genesis extend warranty over those problems with pano roofs?

 

[fourthirteen]

Wow. Never heard of that happening. You have my sympathy.

 

[Husky]

Thanks, it was a new experience for me, that's for sure. I haven't had a chance to research if Genesis will cover this. Hope so. And the loaner while it's in the shop.

 

[Slip_Angle]

Didn't the Genesis extend warranty over those problems with pano roofs?

Good call, I found the thread.

New Hyundai Genesis Panoramic Sunroof Guaranty

Just got a letter in the mail concerning the Pano Sunroof in my car - It's now guaranteed for at least 100k miles - guess the complaints finally got through to them. I'll post a copy of the letter when I can scan it. oh yeah!

genesisowners.com

 

[Husky]

Thanks to both of you. Good to know, although the letter someone posted was for 2010 - 2016 models. Did I miss somewhere that the newer vehicles like the G70 were also included?
I was surprised at how thin the glass was

 

[Volfy]

Holy crap! That must've been quite a shocker. Glad you are okay.

This must be like the 6th or 7th such incidents I've read about within just Stinger and G70 community. Boy, am I glad neither of ours has sunroof. I don't like it for a whole host of other reasons, but these RUDs (Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies) are reinforcing my not wanting them on my cars.

 

[Bigsaucy71]

wow thats crazy,hopefully they make it right!

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[WilcoJunoHotel]

Good thing it wasn't raining too!

I have often wondered about the validity (sanity?) of such a large piece of glass in the roof structure being subject to airborne trash as well as structural flexing over time.

 

[Husky]

Yes, I wonder if it's too thin for it's size.
In this case I was driving at a constant speed in a relatively straight line, not hitting any bumps or anything, so no flexing, but I know what you mean. I also don't think anything hit it, but those are all good reasons to wonder about the design. I'm really concerned about the newer SUVs that basically have glass roofs, especially in the case of accidents/rollovers.
After this experience I'm not likely to want one like that, even though I do really enjoy having the sunroof open in nice weather.
Luckily, if Genesis doesn't cover it my insurance will since I have full glass coverage with no deductible.

 

[WilcoJunoHotel]

Or, it might just be the glass manufacturer that they are using: Bad production run or inferior materials, poor tempering, etc..

Some years ago I was driving down I-95 in my Yukon on a clear sunny day with little traffic. A big rig threw up a small stone that hit my windshield in the top left corner of the glass. I saw it hit and I saw exactly the spot where it hit and I was relieved that it didn't crack the windshield; However, as I drove on the tiny mark it left slowly grew into a crack and by the time I got to my destination (350 miles later) the crack went all the way from the top left to the bottom right corner of the windshield. This was not an explosion like your sunroof but it certainly was strange watching how quickly that crack spread in such as short time under benign conditions.

 

[tarhoosier]

Glass is a liquid?

Is glass really a liquid? How can this be?

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

www.scientificamerican.com

 

[Volfy]

Automotive glass can do some strange things. It is fairly common for auto makers to warn against putting window tinting on sunroofs. Just the reflected solar heat could add to the thermal stress and possibly crack the glass. I tinted a few sunroofs way back when and got away with it. Now, I wouldn't dare.

When we got my wife's '18 Fiat 500X, we wanted the top trim for all the goodies that came with it... except the sunroof. We didn't care for it, but there was no way around that. First thing I did was to cut a piece of reflective foam insulation sheet to block out the two panes of sunroof. I figure if the sunroof did explode while the factory warranty is still in effect, I could remove the reflective insulation sheet before taking the car in for warranty claim. Thankfully, it never did.

 

[Husky]

Yeah, glass is considered a liquid, pretty wild. I think I read somewhere that if you check the thickness of window panes in very of New England houses, you'll find they're thicker at the bottom, because the glass has slowly " cold flowed" over the years.

 

[Husky]

Or, it might just be the glass manufacturer that they are using: Bad production run or inferior materials, poor tempering, etc..

Some years ago I was driving down I-95 in my Yukon on a clear sunny day with little traffic. A big rig threw up a small stone that hit my windshield in the top left corner of the glass. I saw it hit and I saw exactly the spot where it hit and I was relieved that it didn't crack the windshield; However, as I drove on the tiny mark it left slowly grew into a crack and by the time I got to my destination (350 miles later) the crack went all the way from the top left to the bottom right corner of the windshield. This was not an explosion like your sunroof but it certainly was strange watching how quickly that crack spread in such as short time under benign conditions.

It's not unusual for glass to crack badly as soon as there's a tiny defect. I once accidentally caused a tiny little chip on the lower edge of my son's M3 windshield when we were replacing some trim. I thought I got away with it, but a few days later it developed a big crack that started right at that small chip

 

[Husky]

I just heard back from the service manager at my dealer, who I called this morning. They heard from Genesis that it's been raised to the national level (whatever that means) and assigned a case manager. I'm supposed to hear from them in 3 to 5 days. Don't know yet if they'll cover it, or cover the rental car while it's in the shop. I also don't know if they'll cover the cost of a new windshield if it breaks while they're taking it out to replace the sunroof (the service guy said they often break! WTF!) Hooowee .

 

[Nameneeded]

Glad you are OK. Some people have panicked and caused accidents when something like this happens. (My friend di when his roof exploded from hail while driving.

Could have been a stone/ debris. You wouldn't have heard it hit as the glass shattered.

Hope INS takes care of it though.

Keep us in the loop as to projected costs and such.

 

[Husky]

Will do.
Yeah, I was really glad my wife wasn't with me, never mind driving. She's really jumpy with sudden loud noises.