Technical Exploding sunroof

[traveltottie]

So I was driving along at about 75mph on a dual carriageway, light rain and air temp of about 3 degrees C, and suddenly my sunroof shatters into a thousand tiny pieces with a huge bang. There was no sign of anything falling on the car before it happened and the glass was undamaged until that point as far as I know.
My 500 is an 1.2 Lounge 08 plate, so about 4.5 years old, with an opening sunroof (very open at this point in time ). I was very scared - luckily the mesh sun visor caught most of the pieces, but how come this glass is not laminated like windscreen glass? It could have been much less traumatic if it had been.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[bgunn]

Sunroof, side and rear glass is never laminated, it's always tempered glass (which is actually stronger, but can do what's happened to you).

Sadly it does happen, thermal stress usually causes it. Many, many rear windows have gone BOOM with their unsuspecting owners unaware until they return to the car.

 

[dave]

i have a glass roof (not in a 500) this has always worried me, clear film on the inside would keep it together.

 

[loveshandbags]

So I was driving along at about 75mph on a dual carriageway, light rain and air temp of about 3 degrees C, and suddenly my sunroof shatters into a thousand tiny pieces with a huge bang. There was no sign of anything falling on the car before it happened and the glass was undamaged until that point as far as I know.
My 500 is an 1.2 Lounge 08 plate, so about 4.5 years old, with an opening sunroof (very open at this point in time ). I was very scared - luckily the mesh sun visor caught most of the pieces, but how come this glass is not laminated like windscreen glass? It could have been much less traumatic if it had been.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Sorry to hear about what happened. You did well to hold your nerve. Hope your insurance covers it without impacting the no claims bonus.

 

[bgunn]

i have a glass roof (not in a 500) this has always worried me, clear film on the inside would keep it together.

You lose a possible exit route from the car though. That's part of the reason why tempered glass is used rather than laminate all around, as you need a special knife to cut through broken laminate. (Fire brigade carry them)

 

[RobinPJ]

True, but no more so than with a car with no sunroof.

 

[bgunn]

True, but no more so than with a car with no sunroof.

Granted, but the 'risk' of tempered glass exploding is no lower on side/rear windows, so arguably you'd film those too. And then you're knackered!

 

[RobinPJ]

I can certainly see the benefit of leaving the side windows breakable, although I recall back in the day when car stereos were being stolen morning, noon and night that someone did promote a film to stop your windows being smashed.

 

[bgunn]

I think I remember that too. Thankfully, the manufacturers cottoned on and started making car stereos with funny front panels that were no use in a 'generic' car. And using CAN to code them helps too.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Sorry to hear about what happened. You did well to hold your nerve. Hope your insurance covers it without impacting the no claims bonus.

:yeahthat:

I assume your insurance company were informed of the sunroof, if not hopfully they're one who don't have an issue with factory fitted extras.

Might be worth an email to Fiat Customer Services. Smart with their fortwo had a massive issue with their glass roofs at one stage, manufacturing defects causing them to explode months, and in some cases year down the line without any reason or prior warning.

 

[loveshandbags]

:yeahthat:

I assume your insurance company were informed of the sunroof, if not hopfully they're one who don't have an issue with factory fitted extras.

Might be worth an email to Fiat Customer Services. Smart with their fortwo had a massive issue with their glass roofs at one stage, manufacturing defects causing them to explode months, and in some cases year down the line without any reason or prior warning.

There was a discussion before about the glass roofs on the 500 and how they would be covered from an insurance viewpoint. IIRC someone mentioned that they could be covered under windscreen cover if the model was the Lounge i.e. it came standard with a glass roof. Could the OP use some 'poetic licence' with the fact that it is just a glass roof as opposed to an opening roof so it's not down as a extra ? Do remember that the thickness of the glass is different in the opening one verus the fixed one - unsure if it's a different size.

 

[bgunn]

unsure if it's a different size.

Totally, it's shorter at the front (there's a fixed piece in a strip sitting above the top of the windscreen), and it's mounted on the carriage to do the tilt/slidey bit.

 

[traveltottie]

I consulted with my insurer this morning (Directline) and they advised me as it was factory fitted then it was ok, but would be covered under the 'glass' part of the policy. This means I had to go through Autoglass instead and wouldn't get a courtesy car even though I pay for this in my policy if the car is off the road - which it is, as Autoglass can't replace the sunroof for 48hrs and then the car needs to be dried out. Usual glass excess to pay...

My local Fiat garage has been very helpful, storing the car in the meantime and will dry and valet it after the new roof has been fitted. They say they've not seen anything like it before and are not aware of a problem. I will drop a note to Fiat Customer Services though, just in case they're interested.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

There was a discussion before about the glass roofs on the 500 and how they would be covered from an insurance viewpoint. IIRC someone mentioned that they could be covered under windscreen cover if the model was the Lounge i.e. it came standard with a glass roof. Could the OP use some 'poetic licence' with the fact that it is just a glass roof as opposed to an opening roof so it's not down as a extra ? Do remember that the thickness of the glass is different in the opening one verus the fixed one - unsure if it's a different size.

Correct, I was working on the assumption it was a optional extra fitment and not standard spec fitment. If the latter then like you should be covered regardless.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I consulted with my insurer this morning (Directline) and they advised me as it was factory fitted then it was ok, but would be covered under the 'glass' part of the policy. This means I had to go through Autoglass instead and wouldn't get a courtesy car even though I pay for this in my policy if the car is off the road - which it is, as Autoglass can't replace the sunroof for 48hrs and then the car needs to be dried out. Usual glass excess to pay...

My local Fiat garage has been very helpful, storing the car in the meantime and will dry and valet it after the new roof has been fitted. They say they've not seen anything like it before and are not aware of a problem. I will drop a note to Fiat Customer Services though, just in case they're interested.

I suspect due to the nature of the part it'll be an OEM part at least. Might be worth checking small print of the policy, if it doesn't mention no courtesy car for glass claims I'd be kicking off.

 

[bgunn]

Indeed - I can't imagine any second tier suppliers making this. It'll be Pilkington, either with a FIAT logo, or the Pilkington one - both the same glass.