My 2008 manual Second generation Cooper's (front) sunroof shattered suddenly when I was driving at 80kph !!


I want to share you with the story. Please give me feedback if you hear anything like this from round the world.

I was driving somewhat eagerly at 80kph, had made sudden lane changes around 20 second before, then suddenly, there was a very loud noise near my car. I didn't realise the sunroof had broken above my head, as I have put on the "sun-shield". I looked around trying to locate what had happened. Then I looked up to find that my sunroof had shattered !

Before pulliing over, I thought something had fallen right at the sunroof when I was driving. Unfortunate me. After pulling over, I couldn't find sign of any stone/metal/large object/torn mark of the sunroof surface by that object, nothing. I drove the car immediately to the dealer (it was perfectly ok to drive). We found that (1) the breakage (the large hole) ocurred right at the centre of the sunroof; (2) the glass sunroof had somewhat upward-sloping surface like a volcano; (3) there were 2 diagonal fissures (4) there were found stress marks on four sides of the sunroof. You can see the photos I attach. My theory was that my driving style had upset the torsional rigidity of the car momentarily when I was driving, causing stress to the front glass sunroof.

To cut a long story short in negotiating with the dealer in the weeks after the incidence, the Hong Kong dealer was finally willing to cover the cost of the sunroof glass in this occasion as a gesture of goodwill. The letter said
"...there was no clue of foreign impact found ... the way the moveable sunroof glass installed allows a certain amount of "freedom" against the body shell if somehow a body twist should happen.... while the cause of the incident remains unidentified,we are willing to cover the cost of the sunroof galss in this occasion as a gesture of goodwill."

Not as a warranty but as a good-will gesture. Should I let this settle like this?

Yours is not the first sunroof to shatter. Do a Search on the First Gen mini.
jc

they're swapping your sunroof for free when they really shouldn't. what more are you expecting the dealer to do ?

They're giving you a free sun roof! What more do you want a free car?

If it's a design fault then I'd want an apology for starters! It sounds dangerous and if it's a problem Mini know about (?) then they should be held accountable for not rectifying it.

But as already said, unless you were hurt somehow (cut from shards of glass for example), then there's not a lot more you can expect the dealer to do.

Not as a warranty but as a good-will gesture. Should I let this settle like this?

All comments above are valid, you are getting a free sunroof - they dealer could have refused you.

I can see your reasoning for acceptance, I would, using the "comments from the seniors above" do a search on this site and note the incidents inc. dates and locations (may want to source the website but not the users - check you can source this website). Then write a Thank You Letter, stating in Para 1, that you are very happy to accept the good will gesture offered by Mr XYZ, but in para 2 state that you were in some shock when the glass broke (which is not a lie) and as the fault is unidentified you feel a bit insecure (which you would if there is no reason why the glass broke) and through your research you note this issues have also occurred in regions xyz, sourcing www.xyz..website.com Para 3... write something to the effect; You will seek to request another replacement glass and a full investigation into any STRESS issues in your car if this were to happen again. Thank them once again as they HAVE helped you.

Get this letter delivered and a copy signed by some one at the dealership... as I doubt they will acknowledge your letter.

Good luck and hope this does not happen again. Sorry for the few negative emotions you have to put in the letter but better to have this insurance if this were to happen again. :nice:

did u have any Tint or film on your sunroof?

tint has been known to cause the glass to retain alot of heat and could have been the cause

No tint or film, factory item.

I have to agree with other posters, they're replacing the sunroof for free on what is a 4 year old car.....what more can you ask for.

Things do break on cars, no matter what car they may be. It's not like it was life threatening, the glass only shattered, this happens to windscreens everyday which is obviously far more dangerous.

I don't wish to sound negative, but seeing as they are replacing it for free on a 4 year old car, when they are entirely within their rights to refuse to (and most dealers would refuse), I think you're quite lucky. You could be facing a hefty repair bill right now.

I can't understand why so many people seem to want to get something extra out of these situations. You didn't crash, nobody was hurt, you don't live in fear...........

If it were me i'd thank the dealer, get it fixed and forget about it.

I hope it all works out for you.

Its toughened glass, there could have been a small stone chip from ages ago, a scratch even can cause a stress raiser on the surface of the glass that can eventually, depending on its position break the glass.
Ive know people cleaning windows that are misted with the back of their hand and the diamond in their ring scratching the glass, if its toughened glass, youve then put a stress raiser into the surface and risk it breaking later.
If theyve replaced it for free you should be happy, I doubt it will go again.

Hey it's a MINI lots of things break, probably quite shocking but be thankful you don't have a car with the known steering pump fault thats really quite unnerving when it fails as you get the dead weight of the car and steering system to try and control, and a few with that fault caught fire!