[e36bmer]

I had a loaner while my X5m was getting a recall done. On the way to the dealer to drop off the loaner and pick up my car, the craziest thing happened. I was driving along, and heard a really loud bang, ear ringing-ly loud. Immediately I could tell the sunroof was shattered. I looked around, hardly anyone in front of me, at least for a hundred yards. No bridges overhead. I pulled over and saw the sunroof shattered. I didn't see any evidence of an impact or what I was expecting a brick to be sitting on top of the sunroof slide cover. I just continued to drive to the dealer to get my car. They, obviously, weren't happy about it and said they'll be charging my insurance for this. I just have a hard time seeing any rock or debris hitting this that: A. I didn't see come at me and B. didn't show any signs of impact or were left inside the sunroof on impact. I also don't imagine it just spontaneously blew up like that. The car was sitting outside in the hot sun all day and this happened just as a few drops of rain came down. Anyway, has anyone seen anything like this happen before?

[Anthony235]

Wow I can't imagine the temp change from the rain causing this.

Something fell from the sky and hit it for sure.

The cover was closed when it happened since the pieces are sitting on the cover. Are you sure the object that caused this is not sitting on the cover as well??

[e36bmer]

Originally Posted by Anthony235

Wow I can't imagine the temp change from the rain causing this.

Something fell from the sky and hit it for sure.

The cover was closed when it happened since the pieces are sitting on the cover. Are you sure the object that caused this is not sitting on the cover as well??

I had a real good look at it and didn't see any unidentified objects in there. I'm thinking that, possibly it hit and bounced off... but something that must have been so large or such a hard impact, I'd have thought it would have ripped through the glass and be sitting on the sunroof shelf, but I couldn't see anything.

[bmwx5er]

I've come across something similar before, in the E70 forums:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...hlight=sunroof

[MattTheCarNut]

Glad I keep my sunshade closed. Sunroofs suck, anyways. Hope you don't end up paying for that!

[BMWZ4]

Originally Posted by bmwx5er

I've come across something similar before, in the E70 forums:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...hlight=sunroof

Yep. I heard about this once before for 3 series. There was some sort of defect for sure. I would fight the insurance claim piece and advise them to contact BMWNA as I'm sure they have a record of this.

[e36bmer]

BMW contacted my insurance to file a claim saying it was my fault, which is what I assumed would happen. My insurance contacted me to tell me this and that they had already known that it is a problem with BMWs and happens a lot more often than you think and that they always hear that it's a really loud bang when it happens and no evidence of any debris hitting the windshield. Apparently for a glass-only claim, my deductible is really low, thank goodness, and they sounded like they are fighting BMW on where fault lies.

[Anthony235]

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...of%20shattered

[MikeT]

This is a known problem with tempered glass sunroofs in general (not just BMWs). The usual cause is sudden change in temperature. If, for example, the glass is very hot due to baking in the hot sun and then suddenly cools (e.g., due to cold air or rain), it can shatter. It's really not much different than if you took the glass cover of casserole dish out of a 375 degree oven and ran cold water on it... crack! (Don't try it at home, kids).

[AUSf22]

Looks like it was tinted.. most likely the cause there

[Sypher]

If you do a google search for sunroof/moonroof shattering, this seems like a common issue with many auto markers out there. Unfortunately, it's hard to fight for the damage to be covered by the auto marker since it's not easy to prove this isn't road debris.

[XutvJet]

That is not your fault. This a common issue with many makes of car and it often happens under the conditions you described. I'd tell the dealer to go pound sand.

[redontheline]

Looks like you've got the reassurances you need that it was not on you and hopefully you don't end up taking an insurance hit at all, but this actually happened to a friend recently in an E92.

[e36bmer]

Thanks guys. I just couldn't imagine any way that this would happen due to an external event. I'm still talking with my insurance to tell them to tell the dealer to pound sand. The dealer now wants to blame a broken sunroof mechanism, paint scratches (which the car had none) and broken interior parts on me. All of which, obviously, I think is BS.

[Cyberdemon]

This is the same phenomenon as why they tell you not to pour hot water on a windscreen in winter.

If your car had been baking in the sun all day, it's entirely possible the sunroof glass was extremely heated and one cool drop of rain was enough to stress the glass (which likely was already expanded very tightly in it's frame) and cause it to pop. It's the rapid change in temperature which is the issue.

[Taunto]

Must of Been one of those Top gear Piano's lol.
Believe it or not i've seen this a few times here at the dealer. It is kinda odd how it can happen but it does.
Most of the customers that have had this happen - Went to get the sunroof Tinted after the repair so if it does happen again there is a chance that the tint will hold the glass shards together and not fall into the car and headline - causing a big mess.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Sorry about that OP, sucks that they are trying to blame you for it

[MattTheCarNut]

OMG- what dealership is this? I want to avoid.

Cannot believe they are adding other issues with the car to your claim. WOW. So unethical...

[e36bmer]

Originally Posted by MattTheCarNut

OMG- what dealership is this? I want to avoid.

Cannot believe they are adding other issues with the car to your claim. WOW. So unethical...

BMW Houston North. And this is just part of the story. When working on the recall on my X5M, they broke a vent hose and refused to replace it, and as I was changing it, I noticed they forgot to put screw back in holding in the turbo inlet and another holding the oil fill tube. They also directly blamed me for all of this, doing their best to say that it was all my fault in every direction possible. I'd avoid them like the plague.

[PARTS@STBMW]

Wow never seen that before.

[MattTheCarNut]

Originally Posted by e36bmer

BMW Houston North. And this is just part of the story. When working on the recall on my X5M, they broke a vent hose and refused to replace it, and as I was changing it, I noticed they forgot to put screw back in holding in the turbo inlet and another holding the oil fill tube. They also directly blamed me for all of this, doing their best to say that it was all my fault in every direction possible. I'd avoid them like the plague.

I bought mine from there. Glad I never used them for service! Hope you get his resolved properly, bud!

[///MZ]

Originally Posted by AUSf22

Looks like it was tinted.. most likely the cause there

they come like this from the factory.