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Has anyone tinted their sunroof and had it crack?

Boje

Go Kart Champion
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Car(s)
2018 Golf R
Thought I'd follow up here in case anyone has the same question in the future – turns out that the problem is with ceramic tint only, because the film absorbs the heat, it can heat up the glass to very high temps. The guy who did mine said he's seen about 10 or so shatter over the years due to extreme temp and (presumably) a flaw in the glass. In the end I did tint the sunroof, but with non-ceramic film (I've removed the sunshade because it came off the rails so wanted it darker), and did the other windows with ceramic. Seems like a good compromise.
 

bentin

Autocross Champion
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
23 Golf R - 3 Pedals
Thought I'd follow up here in case anyone has the same question in the future – turns out that the problem is with ceramic tint only, because the film absorbs the heat, it can heat up the glass to very high temps. The guy who did mine said he's seen about 10 or so shatter over the years due to extreme temp and (presumably) a flaw in the glass. In the end I did tint the sunroof, but with non-ceramic film (I've removed the sunshade because it came off the rails so wanted it darker), and did the other windows with ceramic. Seems like a good compromise.
I'm not sure that's factual. People have had tinted sunroofs fail for years, before ceramic was available. The issue seems to be more that sunroofs are already tinted, and adding a second layer of tint is trapping a large amount of heat between those two layers, regardless of what type of tint the additional layer is. This remains a much larger risk for folks leaving cars outside, especially in high UV areas, more than people with largely garaged cars though. If you're in a garaged situation most of the time, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Our cars have enough issues with the stock sunroof though, I didn't feel like adding random explosions to the mix.

To be fair, the Mk7 factory tint is pretty mild. On a previous car, the stock tint was very dark, and there was no cover. Almost everyone who added tint to that roof seemed to have it fail, and this was pre-ceramic era. So perhaps the darkness of the factory tint has some factor in the failure rates too.
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
tint an already tinted sunroof? Mine came from the factory DARK

it’s tinted but doesn’t actually have effective heat rejection for being a pano glass roof. I’m getting 99% rejection film over my pano eventually and wanna do 50% tint / 95% rejection on my windshield too, to round it all out (already have 20F/30R 95% rejection)
 

Boje

Go Kart Champion
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Car(s)
2018 Golf R
I'm not sure that's factual. People have had tinted sunroofs fail for years, before ceramic was available. The issue seems to be more that sunroofs are already tinted, and adding a second layer of tint is trapping a large amount of heat between those two layers, regardless of what type of tint the additional layer is. This remains a much larger risk for folks leaving cars outside, especially in high UV areas, more than people with largely garaged cars though. If you're in a garaged situation most of the time, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Our cars have enough issues with the stock sunroof though, I didn't feel like adding random explosions to the mix.

To be fair, the Mk7 factory tint is pretty mild. On a previous car, the stock tint was very dark, and there was no cover. Almost everyone who added tint to that roof seemed to have it fail, and this was pre-ceramic era. So perhaps the darkness of the factory tint has some factor in the failure rates too.
Oh. Shit. Well then I guess I'll have to decide between removing it or not getting a lot of sleep this summer (car is parked outside all of the time, in NYC).
 

Boje

Go Kart Champion
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Car(s)
2018 Golf R
You sissy northerners must really be sensitive. ;)
Haha to what? Heat? Or the possibility of exploding sunroofs?

To be fair my gauge cluster cracked in two places due to NYC heat last summer
 

Boje

Go Kart Champion
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Car(s)
2018 Golf R

nosmirk

Go Kart Champion
Location
SoCal
Car(s)
7.5 DSG
Sunroof is still in one piece, sat thru temps over 100 (outside) last summer. I do crack the sunroof for ventilation, so I believe that does help with expansion vs being trapped in the frame.
 

bentin

Autocross Champion
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
23 Golf R - 3 Pedals
I honestly think it's less of an issue than it used to be. I hadn't heard much about it recently until I looked at our other car's (B9 Q5) forum where people seem to be having trouble with them again.
 

sandmangti

Autocross Newbie
Had CXP Suntek Carbon film installed on my GTI almost 6 years ago. 35 on windows and hatch, 70 percent on windshield and sun roof. Added just block heat just in case. Park outside and no issues. Darker tint not needed on sunroof. I added for heat only in case screen did not block enough. If do over I think screen OK so maybe film not needed.
 

turbo_dreams

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
AZ
Car(s)
MK7 GTI
I had my sunroof done after I bought the car last summer. I didn't even know this was/could be a concern.
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
I mean no disrespect I'm just genuinely curious. Why would you tint the sunroof if we have the screen? Is it purely to reflect heat? Does it make that much of a difference vs getting a UV tint on just the windows?

purely to reflect additional heat. The factory heat rejection is passable but less than ideal, especially if you want your car to look good after 5+ years of Parking outside
 

Boje

Go Kart Champion
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Car(s)
2018 Golf R
I mean no disrespect I'm just genuinely curious. Why would you tint the sunroof if we have the screen? Is it purely to reflect heat? Does it make that much of a difference vs getting a UV tint on just the windows?
In my case also because the sunshade came off the rails so I removed it rather than pay god knows what to have it replaced.
 
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