Cracked sunroof surround

[TurboTrev]

Pain the arse, having to fight to get VW to admit there is a fault, especially when some are having a relatively smooth time getting the fault rectified.  Good luck to those having difficulty, but hopefully the forum evidence and other, will contribute to you getting sorted.

Regarding forum member's cars, am I right in saying those affected have all been 2019 and 2020 manufactured cars (7.5 model)?  Has anyone on the forum had this exact fault with a MK7 (as opposed to a 7.5)?

[Yusee]

Agree 100% with Jim and SRGTD. I wouldn't be going to a 3rd dealer because I would know that the roof hasn't been damaged, it is defective- if they want to argue the point they can do it in court.

I would take it to the supplying dealer- and I agree - a serious kick off is the best way to resolve this one.

[SRGTD]

Pain the arse, having to fight to get VW to admit there is a fault, especially when some are having a relatively smooth time getting the fault rectified.  Good luck to those having difficulty, but hopefully the forum evidence and other, will contribute to you getting sorted.

Regarding forum member's cars, am I right in saying those affected have all been 2019 and 2020 manufactured cars (7.5 model)?  Has anyone on the forum had this exact fault with a MK7 (as opposed to a 7.5)?

A couple of the cars at the links in reply #77 in this thread are 2015 cars. They’re USA Golfs, but they have the same Panoramic roof unit that the UK Golfs have. A post at one of those links mentions ‘Tons of Mk7 GTIs have the same issues‘, so assume mk7”s are - or could be - similarly affected.

If USA cars that are built in Mexico and UK cars built in Germany are affected, IMO it’s more likely a design fault in the sunroof surround rather than an installation issue, especially as the problem area has been designed out on the Pano roof for the mk8 Golf. On the mk8, there’s tno longer a panel surrounding three sides of the tilting/sliding roof panel, it’s just a strip between the top of the windscreen and the front edge of the tilting/sliding roof panel.

Edit; this picture shows the revised design of the sunroof in the mk8;

[atlasgrey]

Have arranged to take mine to the local dealership this Thursday. Took a couple of quick pics, but they aren’t great, will try again later.

The near side one is easier to see, the driver side is more faint
https://flic.kr/p/2jmbkLG
https://flic.kr/p/2jmcxjA

[Watts]

For ease:

Volkswagen Golf 7.5 cracked panoramic roof surround by blissyuk, on Flickr

Volkswagen Golf 7.5 cracked panoramic roof surround by blissyuk, on Flickr

[monkeyhanger]

^ That's thermal expansion/contraction. Right near the corner is the area under most stress and if I remember rightly, every pic I've seen has a crack propagating from around the  inner corner. If that bezel is not clamped down very tightly with adhesive, it will expand and contract then crack in the sun.

VW should've made this bezel out of a metal pressing.

Plastics have a much higher thermal expansion coefficient than metals, that's why doors and bootlegs are never made from plastics - the panel gaps would vary so much in use (Ford tasked ICI with developing a plastic bootlid for the Mondeo years ago, but they couldn't get one to work within acceptable dimensional tolerances within expected temp range in use).

[Watts]

Finally got mine booked in for three days to be fixed albeit not until early September. It'll be good to get the job done but it's going to be a bit worrying....

I wonder what loan car I'll get?

[atlasgrey]

Mine was in at the local dealer today, all helpful, part on back order but as long as it gets done under warranty I’m not fussed on when really as the roof still works, doesn’t leak and isn’t that noticeable. Good to get it sorted though, but mainly hope it doesn’t repeat

[Watts]

That's my biggest worry, if it goes again. I still think it's more to do with poor factory fitment. They must fit thousands of them and yes, we are seeing a few go but in the grand scheme they are a drop in the ocean. It'll be fine. I do enjoy the sunroof, we have it open whenever possible.

[SRGTD]

That's my biggest worry, if it goes again. I still think it's more to do with poor factory fitment. They must fit thousands of them and yes, we are seeing a few go but in the grand scheme they are a drop in the ocean. It'll be fine. I do enjoy the sunroof, we have it open whenever possible.

If it did crack again, you could always get the offending part vinyl wrapped in gloss black to hide the cracks, and maybe get the rear section of your roof wrapped gloss black at the same time.