Exploding Sunroof

[Jon-Paul]

My niece had this happen on  a 2016 Polo GTi, the car was with VW for three weeks waiting for a roof panel. Despite strong protest they insisted it was impact damage, she was doing 60+ mph when it happened. 

[75Type2]

It’s making me think about getting PPF fitted to my other car and this one once it’s sorted out, maybe that would limit the glass shattering all over me and any passengers. 
 

Sounds like a very good idea. I’ll follow this thread with interest.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nik]

12 hours ago, delboy01 said:

Probably should be reported below.

 

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-recalls-and-faults/report-a-serious-safety-defect

Hi, logged it this morning - thanks again. I have tried to contact them but with no luck, the phone number on their site is not working and the email address bounces back!

Car is getting recovered to Camberley VW shortly and i’m off the eye clinic to get them looked at. Had an uncomfortable night with sore eyes. My doc has suggested I go and get them checked.

Could do without all of this if i’m honest!  

 

3 hours ago, mustard said:

Nickel Sulphide (NiS) inclusions are a known issue for toughened glass, resulting from the presence of nickel contaminants in the glass melt reacting with sulphur, most likely from the furnace fuel. During thermal toughening, these inclusions undergo a crystalline phase change to a smaller form and are fixed in place within the glass upon cooling. Over time the inclusions grow and can eventually impart enough stress in the glass to cause spontaneous failure.

 

[camelsac2002]

Glad to see you’re okay! Just out of interest is your car a three door or five door? I’m guessing as you mentioned your kids you have a five door. Maybe the five door has less torsional resistance and sticking a hole in the roof reduces that further. Just a thought.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Nik]

58 minutes ago, camelsac2002 said:

Glad to see you’re okay! Just out of interest is your car a three door or five door? I’m guessing as you mentioned your kids you have a five door. Maybe the five door has less torsional resistance and sticking a hole in the roof reduces that further. Just a thought.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi, thanks. it is a five door. And not sure about having a weakness because of a sunroof, I would hope not, but at this point anything is a possibility. 

 

The car is at the dealers who have been great and VW UK have now assigned a customer relations manager (CRM)  to the case to help with investigations. I don’t know if the roof is covered by the warranty, I should know that tomorrow. As mentioned, I have logged with with the DVSA and I have spoken to them today about this. They have photos of the car and a detailed report. 

My concern is the safely of my family and myself now.  The VW CRM lady asked me what resolve I would want from this, amongst other things I have said a new roof with a protective film /wrap installed to the inside, so that if this happens again, it reduces the risk of injury to me and any passengers. 

 

I’ll keep you all posted as this unfolds. Thank you for everyone’s support. 

[Shug]

2 hours ago, camelsac2002 said:

Glad to see you’re okay! Just out of interest is your car a three door or five door? I’m guessing as you mentioned your kids you have a five door. Maybe the five door has less torsional resistance and sticking a hole in the roof reduces that further. Just a thought.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Possible but unlikely, as the roof has the same structure, just replaces a thin metal panel with a glass insert. 

[MikeHig]

Glad there were no injuries and hope your eyes clear up OK.

 

A long-shot idea on a possible cause: could it have been a sudden pressure change? I am guessing that the glass used for the roof is not as tough as that used for screen, windows, etc.. Also it is virtually flat. 

Nah, silly idea. A hefty door slam would have already triggered it.

 

Please keep us updated. I have a pano roof too.

[Nik]

Good morning. 

 

So after a long week the outcome of this is;  

- VW warranty have deemed this not to be a warranty claim. They have said that the roof has been hit by something. The dealership in their report to VW UK have not been able to confirm or deny this. 

- As a ‘gesture of good will’ they are giving me a 50% customer care discount for the new roof and labour (cost to me is £500 give or take) feels like they are buying my silence tbh. 

 

Unfortunately it’s my word against theirs. I’m told by the VWCRM who has dealt with the case that this is VW’s stance and that’s final. It’s all very disappointing from my perspective. 

 

The dealership have been great and to be fair to them have been caught in the middle. 

 

The DVSA have acknowledged my case and the Vehicle Safety Defect Report is under review. Upon the outcome of the DVSA’s assessment / review, I will look at what options are open to me and if it is worth perusing this further in a small claims court. 

 

i’m also now considering if I want to drive this car on a 100 mile daily commute, I haven’t decided yet, but i’m close to putting it up for sale and being shot.

Maybe once the dust settles I might feel different? 

 

Thanks for everyones support and advise. 

[Stevo_CT]

Devils advocate here, but perhaps VW's findings are correct. No one will ever know most likely.

 

This is very difficult for any of the parties to ascertain, I personally would accept the proposal and move forward.

 

Again, call me stupid, I would continue driving the vehicle under the assumption that the odds of this happening again, (let alone once), is insignificant enough to warrant selling it.

 

ps.. this is by no means me siding with VW, I am simply trying to be as objective as possible. GL with whatever direction/decision you take.

[PHILC]

I wouldn't sell it, I'd get the pano glass covered with Scotchshield and if I had children (which I don't) I'd probably think about getting the rear door windows and back window done as well. Most public transport these days have all windows apart from the windscreen covered for safety reasons bearing in mind the number of idiots that like throwing things at moving targets.

[GGSL]

58 minutes ago, Nik said:

Good morning. 

 

So after a long week the outcome of this is;  

- VW warranty have deemed this not to be a warranty claim. They have said that the roof has been hit by something. The dealership in their report to VW UK have not been able to confirm or deny this. 

- As a ‘gesture of good will’ they are giving me a 50% customer care discount for the new roof and labour (cost to me is £500 give or take) feels like they are buying my silence tbh. 

 

Unfortunately it’s my word against theirs. I’m told by the VWCRM who has dealt with the case that this is VW’s stance and that’s final. It’s all very disappointing from my perspective. 

 

The dealership have been great and to be fair to them have been caught in the middle. 

 

The DVSA have acknowledged my case and the Vehicle Safety Defect Report is under review. Upon the outcome of the DVSA’s assessment / review, I will look at what options are open to me and if it is worth perusing this further in a small claims court. 

 

i’m also now considering if I want to drive this car on a 100 mile daily commute, I haven’t decided yet, but i’m close to putting it up for sale and being shot.

Maybe once the dust settles I might feel different? 

 

Thanks for everyones support and advise. 

 

 

Even if an impact has caused it, if it's anything short of a brick (which you probably would've noticed) then I wouldn't think the roof would just shatter like that? Could be wrong. Either way, the fact there isn't any protective tape or anything holding it together is actually pretty dangerous. Could easily do eye damage. I'd try and get them to replace for free on those grounds, as well as the evidence earlier in the thread of multiple reports of the same thing. Hopefully this hasn't ruined the car for you

[brad7.5REST]

If you are going to pursue it, which I would , go to social media too...Twitter , Facebook Instagram... remember to include the official VW #tag

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[Alpowers]

Really you are between a rock and a hard place, and I hate to see VW get away with it, however I think on probabilities it may be best to accept their offer, and like another member mentioned have some form of film shield fitted.

 

I guess small claims is an option, however it it may be best to just move on.

[bluntcap]

So not exactly the same thing but.....In my old house I had triple glazing, it was a house I built myself, was a year old, came downstairs to see a large pain of glass had fractured and broken. It was the centre piece of the triple glazing, so it was most defiantly not hit by anything as both pieces of glass exposed to the inside and outside of the house were fine. There was no extreme temperature drop as it was spring time. The point being glass can be defective, the glazing company replaced it no questions asked and at no cost to me so I'm surprised VW wouldn't offer that as it's hardly like they get this issue every week. Hope you get a better result on this and just glad no one was injured mate.

[mustard]

I refer the honourable gentle to my previous post, the most likely cause is Nickel Sulphide inclusion in the glass, over the years I have seen this many times in toughened glass used in buildings, the first incident is usually put down to vandalism or accidental damage, but after a few more incidents, they get an expert to investigate. Having said that even if this is the cause, getting VW to stump up is likely to be difficult, but they could pass the cost onto the sunroof manufacturer.