[grannydriver]

Damn, sorry to hear about your experience, wonder why the sunroof would just explode, hope it doesnt happen to me, hate going to the dealerships.

[Quasimodem]

Can somebody tell me the option code for this exploding sunroof? I don't see it on BMWUsa website configurator.

[Bill65]

Another case of an exploding sunroof... mine inexplicably shattered and popped up like a volcano, while driving at 60mph. BMW totally denying that they have a problem with their sunroofs and refusing to treat it as a warranty claim. Bill

[OlivaresAnthony]

I'm scared. I don't want my sunroof to blow up on me...

[MOTHRA]

this is definitely an installation issue combined with that back pressure to set it off. Do we know if it happens when the window cover is open or closed?

[CarForHire]

Originally Posted by Quasimodem

Can somebody tell me the option code for this exploding sunroof? I don't see it on BMWUsa website configurator.

[bmw2006x5]

My sunroof exploded while driving on the expressway! No overpasses, no trucks, rocks, flying debris, etc...it just all of the sudden combusted inward....chards of glass all over me and all over the interior of my car (2006 X5). It's the panoramic sunfroof, and only the front window exploded. Thank god my kids were not in the back seat.
I brought it into the dealer and am waiting to hear back from them. I was so baffled by this incident - which led me to the internet to see if anyone else has ever experienced such a thing. And wow! It seems this has happened to many people before.
After reading about some of the poor service and resistance on bmw's behalf, I'm preparing myself for the same. We'll see!

[Potty_Pants]

i cant wait to see bmw get the toyota treatment for these things....

ppp

[RoundelM3]

I've had three 3-series with sunroofs over the past 10 years, never once had the glass break. My 03 330iZHP had problems with the shade panel getting off-track, but was always quickly fixed by my dealership.

It all comes down to customer service - some people understand what that is and how it's done, others haven't a clue and eventually get replaced. Getting angry with your dealer for poor service is one thing, but letting BMW NA know about it is a step in the right direction.

[duffinvestor]

I know I have a 5 series (530d GT) and this is a 3-series forum but I had to post my experience. Brand new car, sitting on driveway, alarm goes off and we find the sunroof has exploded outwards like a Volcano. Nothing inside car to show impact, nothing outside to show something bounced off it. No trees or similar near car. Bad luck, maybe.

But the dealer quoted £800 to replace the glass, and then later in the week another member of staff (who did not know we had a quote already) quoted £4,200. I queried this and he tells us that they need to replace the whole mechanism. Sounds like a design flaw to me!

And surely we should have been told that the sunroof option included a risk that we would have to pay 10% of the value of the car if it broke.

Is this a BMW wide issue, or just my dealer!

[pits200]

My buddy just told me a few days ago here in Pittsburgh that his brothers 328 e92 sunroof exploded while driving and it blew outwards.

I told him how this has happened to some other people and to look into it.

[Potty_Pants]

Originally Posted by duffinvestor

I know I have a 5 series (530d GT) and this is a 3-series forum but I had to post my experience. Brand new car, sitting on driveway, alarm goes off and we find the sunroof has exploded outwards like a Volcano. Nothing inside car to show impact, nothing outside to show something bounced off it. No trees or similar near car. Bad luck, maybe.

But the dealer quoted £800 to replace the glass, and then later in the week another member of staff (who did not know we had a quote already) quoted £4,200. I queried this and he tells us that they need to replace the whole mechanism. Sounds like a design flaw to me!

And surely we should have been told that the sunroof option included a risk that we would have to pay 10% of the value of the car if it broke.

Is this a BMW wide issue, or just my dealer!

Any chance you can provide weather information...

Temperature ?
Was the car parked in a shaded area or direct sunlight ?
Did you have the interior shade open or closed ?
How long since the car was last driven ?

thanks for the answers

ppp

[jlc1978]

At 135 you'd get a bit of a lower pressure outside due to Bernoulli's theorem. The car acts like a wing so the moving air pressure is lower. That's what produces lift on the car.

[TotalBlackout]

Sounds like an insurance thing. I had a windshield crack on my mx5. Lots of people had this happen and believed the windshield to be faulty.

Oh well. Insurance covered the bill 100%.

[THE335]

I was just browsing the forum & came across this thread. I think I can offer an explanation for the exploding sun roofs.

I have been in the commercial building glass industry for 20+ years so I have learnt a thing or two.
The breakages are probably caused by nikel sulphide inclusion (NiS).
This is an extract from link below.....
"Over a certain period of time NiS will slowly convert to the original low temperature structure. This means the NiS increases in size, and the mechanical stresses caused by this cause the tempered pane to shatter, for no apparent reason (hence spontaneous glass breakage).[1]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_sulfide_inclusion

I hope this helps.

[smass]

FYI if you have state farm (at least in FL). They cover any glass with zero deductible. This includes sunroof, headlights and even tail taillights. Confirmed with my agent this week.

[BMWBS]

Hi Guys,

BMW 325i 2006 Sedan, bought 3 yrs ago CPO. Happened to me last night, exactly as everybody's been posting: Highway speed (carpool lane no less, no trucks ahead so don't suggest rocks, it wasnt), sunroof inner lid was closed, all a sudden it sounded like a blast and fireworks as glass scattered and scratched roof and trunk, got off at next exit and found that glass had exploded outwards, jagged edges were pointing up.

http://s7.postimage.org/hykilmdqj/IM...109_091734.jpg

Posting the best picture I took of the carnage. That jagged edge you see? It's not loose. It's rigid, and looking at the angle, the entire sunroof BLASTED outwards with some force, then the tempered glass shattered into a million pieces as it was supposed to. I'm sorry, but some heads have to roll for this mess. No rock hit the car, and someone could've been injured inside the car if the sunroof lid was open and/or behind me as this thing exploded and showered everywhere on the freeway.

[mvanvleck]

I parked my car in the lower level of the parking garage at work and on my return, twelve hours later, my moonroof had blown "out". It looked as though someone had hit it with a bowling ball from the inside. The entire rear panel of the panoramic roof had shattered and was literally bulging outward. The outside temperature was about 40F, and a significant low front had just come through. My engineering friends seem to think that some kind of micro flaw in the edge of the glass might have been responsible. My dealer is replacing it under warranty and has given us an X5 loaner for the two days until the part comes in. crazy...

[xxcferrarixx]

This thread has come back from the dead so many times lol, started in 07. Anyways thats some crazy stories, good luck with all your repairs and hopefully this doesnt happen to anyone else.

[Lesm]

It happened to me. Sunroof closed, all windows closed, 60 degrees outside and driving on the freeway when I hear a loud bang and then feel glass dropping on me. I look up to see the entire sunroof completely shattered and piece by piece it's falling into the car. This is definitely a freak occurrence but real, as my story is just like everyone else's. BMW at corporate did not want to cover it but my dealer is still trying to work with them for me. My insurance (State Farm) will cover all damage for my $250 deductible. The paint damage to my dark gray sedan is estimated at over $3000 from glass tumbling over the roof and onto the trunk and scratching the paint down to the metal. I am so thankful that my dog, my passenger and I were not hurt. This is a serious defect and one that BMW has been aware of for more than 6 yrs. Wouldn't you think they could at least have the glass adhered to a laminate at the bottom that would prevent it from falling into the car should it break?

[toicy4ya]

Sup guys,

I guess I'm another victim of the exploding sunroof. I was driving down the highway with my windows down and my sunroof on tilt. I must have been cruisin at about 65-70mph when i heard a loud explosion. Immediately after, it started raining glass inside the car. Luckily no one was hurt. I immediately pulled over check the sunroof and the damage looks identical to the others posted on this thread.

Initially i thought a rock must have chipped up and shattered it but after finding this thread i cant help but feel it was self induced. I got a few quotes to fix it around the $150-$200 range but i would like to find a DYI to see if its something i can take care of. Anyone know where I can find a DYI to just replace the glass?

BTW, I'm not interested in pursuing a claim with the local dealer or insurance company. That may take time and i really don't have the time or patience for some of the BS i might hear. Additionally, I need the car for work.

Thanks in advance

[NorthernCAE90]

wow I wonder how they "explode" out??? that's really insane....

im just glad I drive like a grandma 87.8% of the time im in a car.

OK I just realized this thread started in 2007!!! this should be a recall wtf......