m1964

yesterday went to a alarm/tint shop I have used before and asked for price to tint the sunroof-the tinter guy said no tinting over panorama roof, because it may "explode", said the heat instead of penetrating the glass is absorbed by the glass if roof is tinted, and the glass may not tolerate the heat...

Any one tinted their sunroof? and what temps did you have since it was done?

thanx

billypete

LOL that's a good one. My 20% tint on pano works well here in Phoenix, AZ. and yes it has been known to get a tad warm here, especially in the summer months.....
Still waiting for the explosion on my Q5

Jusforfun

Same objections dogged Q7s. Just Google it before you laugh. It is a legitimate concerm! Some tinters will do it some not. Havent come accross or recorded any problems Q5 or Q7. 20% seems the norm.

I suspect the problem arises from putting tiny knife blade scratches on the edge while trimming. I took part in a demo of how to/dangers of breaking toughened glass a few years back. We were able to whack away with sledge hammers on the pane but put a tiny scratch especially on the edge and a pane will explode.

Same thing applies to oven doors. Thats why they say never push the shelf back in by closing the door. And yes of course I do it

kleinbus

That is the same BS I heard and until I see the cracking by my own eyes I have to say it is just a excuse because the tinter is unable to do parabolic window (radius both ways).

All my previous car's have had sunroof tinted and no cracking, previous Tiguan with panorama was tinted with 5% and current Q5 is tinted with 20% and I'm happy as it cuts down the heat.

As an engineer I work for the vehicle industry and all window professionals I have worked with, even with building window professionals points out that it is all about the installing procedure and the cutting blade.

I have cut glass into the shape by myself and like Fun said, breaking the glass surface by hard object (usually diamond tipped or similar industrial tool) does weaken the glass. That is the point that separates the "backdoor" fiddlers from professionals as past 10 years with truck and bus manufacturing industry I have not seen window crack by film tint or by film tint installation.

Though I have seen brand new glass to crack and break into the million pieces by internal tension while next glass, very same model taken from storage was able to flex during the installation and this is why most professional shops have policy that if glass breaks during the installation, it will be replaced at no cost.

I could write long story about glass manufacturing and reliefing the glass to stabilize it and to reduse the internal tension but that is another story.

The latest installation procedure I saw was not cutting the film against the window, instead with marking pen to outline it against the window and then cutting it on designers drawing table.

One tint shop owner even refused to install anything darker than 30% as darker is dangerous holy cow I'm screwed....

deutschmick

I have 20% on the sunroof too. This was done at Scottsdale Audi. The tint for the windows and sunroof is pre-cut before application so no trimming done while on the glass.

I'm in northern AZ so I guess your explosion should occur before mine!

edwyun

i just wish someone made an aftermarket screen that is not meshed for the pano roof.

m1964

billypete,

did you have yours tinted before of after last summer?
do you know what kind of tint they used?

For my peace of mind I'd like to know that tinted sunroof "tolerates" high temps well...

thanx again.

kleinbus

My both, Tiguan with 5% roof and current Q5 with 20% on roof have been under sun from all states from middle to west and been baked by temperaturs from -10 to +105F.

What is this fear of cracking?

m1964

the sunroof is expensive to replace -I'd guess $5K or so...

kleinbus

Well why you so worried folks don't show us couple cracked or at least find few owners with cracked roofs. Until that day comes I say roof cracking is just another urban legend.