Why did my sunroof break while driving my 2018 Mazda CX-9?
Asked by Joe
I was driving my Mazda CX-9 (2018 model, still another two-and-a-half years manufacturer’s warranty) on the Monash freeway three days ago on a clear day with not many vehicles on the road at the time. Suddenly I heard an explosion from the roof and I was left wondering where the noise was coming from. And I could feel the wind coming in. I realized there was something wrong with my sunroof. I just opened the shutter on the roof to find half of my sunroof glass missing.
I contacted Mazda Australia to find the reason and they came back saying they haven't found any manufacturing concern and the damage had been caused by external factors. But they were not able to say how they came to that conclusion nor what they meant by 'external factors'. Now I have to spent $900 from my pocket to fix it. Can you kindly advise about this issue please. Who should I contact? What happens if it breaks again after I fix it?
Answered by CarsGuide
10 Aug 2021It sounds like there’s a bit of confusion here over what actually caused the glass to break. It’s not entirely unknown for sunroof glass to shatter in extremes of heat or vibration, and other times, a car that has been poorly repaired after a crash can put stresses on the glass it was never designed for. The glass could simply have been struck by a flying rock or piece of debris. How you interpret those things will determine whether you think the breakage is a valid warranty claim or not. The fact that the dealership that examined your car can’t say what those 'external factors' were, only deepens the mystery.
In the end, I approached Mazda Australia with your case, who agreed to take a second look at the circumstances. The good news is that Mazda has applied the benefit-of-the-doubt judgment and agreed to fix your car under warranty.
But it’s worth mentioning that any car owner unhappy with the service or consideration given by a dealership doesn’t have to let it rest there. All car brands have a customer service department, and this should be your next port of call. From there it’s on to the ACCC. In some cases it’s worth getting an independent inspection of any damage to try to come to a conclusion over what really happened. The State motoring clubs are a good starting point for this service.
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