Concerns - Popping/Creaking Noise from Sunroof

[Kamauxx]

The problem is I can't find a suitable replacement ... Kia really did undercut the competition regarding pricing and features. Basically none of the new cars that are close to the Stinger are worth the money they're asking, IMO.

I hear ya there! I've been looking into getting a 550i and then I read that BMW doesn't offer Android Auto on ANY CAR at ANY PRICE. It's hard to believe that a car that costs so much money is missing a feature that Kia (and others) are putting on cars that cost $20k!

 

[Marc Collins]

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00823J7E2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1

This has apparently been used to stop the squeaking of the door frame rubber against the body of the car.

Where would we apply it to the sunroof for a test?

I also just started experiencing the sunroof ticking after 18 months of silence. It is getting worse by the day as the temps get cooler!

I have also experienced the heat-induced popping or clunking, but this is a completely different problem. The metallic noise I mostly got rid of by pushing hard forward on the metal bar that is beneath the front of the sunroof when it is closed. The clunking was also eliminated when you closed the headliner. The ticking is not affected by the headline, but of course it is much quieter due to the sound deadening effect, but it is still ticking!!! ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!

 

[Revvdmedia]

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00823J7E2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1

This has apparently been used to stop the squeaking of the door frame rubber against the body of the car.

Where would we apply it to the sunroof for a test?

I also just started experiencing the sunroof ticking after 18 months of silence. It is getting worse by the day as the temps get cooler!

I have also experienced the heat-induced popping or clunking, but this is a completely different problem. The metallic noise I mostly got rid of by pushing hard forward on the metal bar that is beneath the front of the sunroof when it is closed. The clunking was also eliminated when you closed the headliner. The ticking is not affected by the headline, but of course it is much quieter due to the sound deadening effect, but it is still ticking!!! ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!

You sure it's not your doors, but sounds like the sunroof for the ticking? Noises in cars have a way of sounding like here or there rather than where they are really coming from.

Also this metal bar that people are pushing, I thought it was something, but you make it sounds like something else maybe. Have a picture to represent what you pushed forward?

 

[Socalstinga]

I don’t have anything else wrong w/ the car except the sunroof creaking which is a minor thing for me... I’ve had worse issues on bmw (first year the turbo was introduced),Porsche cayenne (drive shaft issue was well known), Infiniti G (I still love the car and still own it, but sunroof/wind noise sucked, otherwise solid). If this is the worst thing w/ this car, I’m happy w/ it

 

[Revvdmedia]

I don’t have anything else wrong w/ the car except the sunroof creaking which is a minor thing for me... I’ve had worse issues on bmw (first year the turbo was introduced),Porsche cayenne (drive shaft issue was well known), Infiniti G (I still love the car and still own it, but sunroof/wind noise sucked, otherwise solid). If this is the worst thing w/ this car, I’m happy w/ it

Isn't that the truth. I openly complain about my sunroof issue (often), but in truth the car is otherwise quite fantastic. The few noises are literally glaring faults to an otherwise fantastic machine. One large contributing factor as to why I didn't dump the Stinger (yet) even with these seemingly glaring faults is that there is no suitable replacement anywhere near the price point, so I'm putting up with it for now. I still do want it fixed at some point, especially when it's still under warranty. I ain't touching that on my dime!

 

[edgarciadesign]

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00823J7E2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1
This has apparently been used to stop the squeaking of the door frame rubber against the body of the car.

Thanks for this, will sure try it!

 

[Revvdmedia]

How could anyone argue with that?

"Acceptable" is a subjective judgment. And as I've said before, hearing is our most subjective sense, and the one most easily offended. I have no idea how Kia comes to a definition of "normal" and equates that with "acceptable". They are a company pursuing increasing profit margins, just like all companies. So they walk the tightrope of costs and results. If they cut too close, then too many of their vehicles of a particular model will fail to satisfy. I don't get that vibe from Stinger owners. On this forum the overwhelming majority judgment is satisfaction.

Re-reading your statement, I think your notion that most Stinger owners are satisfied, that is what makes it hard for those of us with problems to have them resolved. I don't ask that other owners "borrow trouble" by looking for noises, but I do ask that ANY owner that is experiencing this issue not ignore it, at the very least bring it up with their dealer that a concern is there. The owner may not choose to address the issue at that time, but the first step is logging data. If right now there are 500 active complaints of sunroof noises on 35,000 Stingers, that only represents a 1.4% failure rate, and Kia may determine that number is not cost effective to pursue further. Now, if 5000 owners issued a complaint of sunroof noises, and all complaints are logged into the corporate database (not sure if they are?), now you have a common quality complaint affecting 14% of owners. That numbers may exceed the minimum failure rate Kia has set, and put them in motion to issue a proper repair.

I have no idea how many people are experiencing this issue, but I do know from a business standpoint that there is always a set percentage for non-conformances that when exceeded will trigger root cause analysis, corrective and preventative actions, and in our case, likely a TSB and remediation.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I do ask that ANY owner that is experiencing this issue not ignore it, at the very least bring it up with their dealer that a concern is there.

That is a good concept. But how do you get the attention of all Stinger owners? Because the puny pack of complaints on this forum don't amount to anything. Nobody on this thread is ignoring anything, obviously. And even out of these participants, a good portion are "satisfied": but as far as I can tell, everyone has said something about this to their dealer. The huge majority of drivers who notice a noise from the sunroof are just going to shrug it off (adapt) and Kia isn't going to hear about them.

 

[GRN D3MÖN 22]

I have actually discovered a very cheap method to stop the creaking and popping that I've been using for a while and works for months on end. It can be done basically every time we wash our cars to make sure it doesn't reoccur but you can also skip a wash or two and it doesn't make a difference. I take a silicone based tire shine and a paint brush or sponge and brush or wipe all the rubber that surrounds the sunroof tracks leaving it very wet as well as all the plastic and rubber around the sunroof glass itself front back and sides. Open the sunroof completely to get the front and side rubber, I do the front back and sides of the sunroof at this time too. then close it to a tilt to get the back rubber. Afterwards I wipe off any excess that maybe on the glass or the gloss black trimmings to the sides and front of the sunroof opening. It won't drip in the car so don't be afraid to make the rubber soaking wet. Any excess tire shine to the sides or corners can be wiped up with a rag. I've been doing this for almost a year since mine started popping and I can go a few months without re applying but I do it at every wash since I clean my door jams hinges and sunroof mesh and shine my tires anyway. Try this method out and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. All the morning creaks and pops when you first get in the car will be gone.

If several people try this method and can confirm it does stop the Cracks and pops we can sticky it on the first page as solved.

 

[Revvdmedia]

That is a good concept. But how do you get the attention of all Stinger owners? Because the puny pack of complaints on this forum don't amount to anything. Nobody on this thread is ignoring anything, obviously. And even out of these participants, a good portion are "satisfied": but as far as I can tell, everyone has said something about this to their dealer. The huge majority of drivers who notice a noise from the sunroof are just going to shrug it off (adapt) and Kia isn't going to hear about them.

There's no way to force this information on all owners, the best we can do is keep active in discussion, hopefully moving towards being more positive in the future. The only way we draw attention is to those who are actually looking. I use keywords in the YouTube videos I post, and keywords here will results in top search results on search engines. Anyone who searches something like "Stinger Sunroof Noise" will likely end up here or to a YouTube video. Those who don't care or don't look will obviously not be pushing this forward.

There is not much we can do, other than ask for help. lol.

 

[Ucinn]

Mine seems to do it when cold, if it sits in the hot sun all day, then it doesn't crack or pop. I will mention it next time I take it in to get it on the books if they ever find a fix for it. I rarely hear it though because the HK sound system rocks and I usually have it up quite a bit

 

[Socalstinga]

If owners were really to make a dent in this whole issue, the only way I see it going to make a dent with KIA is to actually communicate with KIA. Go to the dealer once, if the problem persists or you're told it's not an issue, then write to KIA. Repeated visits and complaints to the dealer probably won't get to KIA from the dealer level. if there is no financial incentive for a dealer to get that info out to KIA corp, they won't do anything but give owners the same line or only perform the warranty work that KIA is willing to pay them for. Just my $.02 on how best to grab the hold of a major corporation, perspective from someone who works as a mid-level exec. in corporate America. (Note: don't throw rocks - I wear a suit, but I'm not one of the "suits", if you know what I mean).

 

[Socalstinga]

I have actually discovered a very cheap method to stop the creaking and popping that I've been using for a while and works for months on end. It can be done basically every time we wash our cars to make sure it doesn't reoccur but you can also skip a wash or two and it doesn't make a difference. I take a silicone based tire shine and a paint brush or sponge and brush or wipe all the rubber that surrounds the sunroof tracks leaving it very wet as well as all the plastic and rubber around the sunroof glass itself front back and sides. Open the sunroof completely to get the front and side rubber, I do the front back and sides of the sunroof at this time too. then close it to a tilt to get the back rubber. Afterwards I wipe off any excess that maybe on the glass or the gloss black trimmings to the sides and front of the sunroof opening. It won't drip in the car so don't be afraid to make the rubber soaking wet. Any excess tire shine to the sides or corners can be wiped up with a rag. I've been doing this for almost a year since mine started popping and I can go a few months without re applying but I do it at every wash since I clean my door jams hinges and sunroof mesh and shine my tires anyway. Try this method out and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. All the morning creaks and pops when you first get in the car will be gone.

If several people try this method and can confirm it does stop the Cracks and pops we can sticky it on the first page as solved.

I've actually been thinking about trying this too, I did it on my Infiniti G and it worked. Although I still needed to re-apply every 4-6 weeks depending on how hot it was. that'll be my stinger project for the weekend.

 

[GRN D3MÖN 22]

I've actually been thinking about trying this too, I did it on my Infiniti G and it worked. Although I still needed to re-apply every 4-6 weeks depending on how hot it was. that'll be my stinger project for the weekend.

It works. I hope others take my advice and try. I'm sure everyone will be satisfied with the difference. I use a lot to make it stay wet for a long time and I live in SO. FL. So it's hot and rainy here all the time. Mines lasted a couple months in the winter when i hardly washed it but i been doing mine every 2 weeks with a wash lately tho just because I'm cleaning it so why not keep things fresh?

 

[Revvdmedia]

It works. I hope others take my advice and try. I'm sure everyone will be satisfied with the difference. I use a lot to make it stay wet for a long time and I live in SO. FL. So it's hot and rainy here all the time. Mines lasted a couple months in the winter when i hardly washed it but i been doing mine every 2 weeks with a wash lately tho just because I'm cleaning it so why not keep things fresh?

I have tried numerous generous applications of various lubricants on all seals in the sunroof, but unforuntately none of them fixed the noises. I think some of us suffer from a different issue. My prime indicator is how noisy the sunroof is when in the tilt position, where it's basically touching none of the seals except the front most seal.

 

[GRN D3MÖN 22]

I have tried numerous generous applications of various lubricants on all seals in the sunroof, but unforuntately none of them fixed the noises. I think some of us suffer from a different issue. My prime indicator is how noisy the sunroof is when in the tilt position, where it's basically touching none of the seals except the front most seal.

Have you tried something like meguiars endurance tire gel? Regular armorall type tire shines don't work as well. I work at a Kia dealership and I use the silicone that our detail department uses on tires and it works very good. It even stopped the noise from the tilt that you have. Give it a try if you haven't used that type of tire dressing already.

 

[edgarciadesign]

Have you tried something like meguiars endurance tire gel? Regular armorall type tire shines don't work as well. I work at a Kia dealership and I use the silicone that our detail department uses on tires and it works very good. It even stopped the noise from the tilt that you have. Give it a try if you haven't used that type of tire dressing already.

There are 2 different sounds that come from the sunroof:

- Fluttering caused by rubber, metal and glass rubbing against each other. This can be fixed with lubrication.
- Clicking caused by screws of the sunroof system not being tighten properly. This has to be serviced by the dealer.

 

[Revvdmedia]

Have you tried something like meguiars endurance tire gel? Regular armorall type tire shines don't work as well. I work at a Kia dealership and I use the silicone that our detail department uses on tires and it works very good. It even stopped the noise from the tilt that you have. Give it a try if you haven't used that type of tire dressing already.

It wouldn't hurt to give it a try. I use Carpro PERL for plastics and rubbers including tires and could maybe try that too. I could pick up Meguiars as well. Is the Meguiars a gel-like substance? The Carpro I use is a thicker-than-water white lubricant. They may perform differently.

 

[Marc Collins]

I have actually discovered a very cheap method to stop the creaking and popping that I've been using for a while and works for months on end. It can be done basically every time we wash our cars to make sure it doesn't reoccur but you can also skip a wash or two and it doesn't make a difference. I take a silicone based tire shine and a paint brush or sponge and brush or wipe all the rubber that surrounds the sunroof tracks leaving it very wet as well as all the plastic and rubber around the sunroof glass itself front back and sides. Open the sunroof completely to get the front and side rubber, I do the front back and sides of the sunroof at this time too. then close it to a tilt to get the back rubber. Afterwards I wipe off any excess that maybe on the glass or the gloss black trimmings to the sides and front of the sunroof opening. It won't drip in the car so don't be afraid to make the rubber soaking wet. Any excess tire shine to the sides or corners can be wiped up with a rag. I've been doing this for almost a year since mine started popping and I can go a few months without re applying but I do it at every wash since I clean my door jams hinges and sunroof mesh and shine my tires anyway. Try this method out and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. All the morning creaks and pops when you first get in the car will be gone.

If several people try this method and can confirm it does stop the Cracks and pops we can sticky it on the first page as solved.

Well, I was just complaining about how annoying the ticking from my sunroof had become (progressively and dramatically worse in the past couple of weeks) and have an appointment for tomorrow. We just had a huge rainstorm (maximum humidity) and then my car sat outside in the rain for a few hours (instead of its usual bunk in my dry garage where it spends 99% of its time) and guess what--the ticking is now almost completely gone.

All this is to say that @CK-19 GT2 is likely correct (for this problem, not the metallic rattles issue) since just atmospheric moisture quietened mine by 90%. The car had not been out in the rain for many weeks and it has been mostly dry and warm recently.

The question I have is whether there is a longer-lasting solution such as the tape I linked to above that has been used successfully to quieten the door frame rubbing against the car frame irritating noises?

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00823J7E2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1

If so, where would we apply it?

 

[GRN D3MÖN 22]

It wouldn't hurt to give it a try. I use Carpro PERL for plastics and rubbers including tires and could maybe try that too. I could pick up Meguiars as well. Is the Meguiars a gel-like substance? The Carpro I use is a thicker-than-water white lubricant. They may perform differently.

Yes the Meguire's is thicker and will probably last longer because it's silicone-based and not water-based. Usually the white stuff is water-based. McGuire's is expensive so you can use something cheaper like black magic or any of the other thicker silicone tire dressings.