Concerns - Popping/Creaking Noise from Sunroof

westcoastGT said:
keep us posted in temperature changes
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It's been about 60-95f degrees and i would say my issue is 99% fixed since I loosened the screws. This temperature range is the only time I would have any issues with the roof so far. I have not had the 'popping' at anywhere near the normal frequency I used to have since loosening the screws for the handle on the driver side. Only on the steepest driveways or impacts will I hear anything close to the sound it used to make. I left the passenger side mostly alone as a control and I can still hear some of the popping, although that side was never nearly as bad (or as tight) as the driver side.

I still have an issue with the door and sunroof seals. Ill need to apply more of the Shin-Etsu grease which seemed to work for about a month. Hope this helps some people out.
 
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I think I'll give the "screw loosen" approach a try before I end up taking the car in again for mine. I figure for the small amount of effort, it's an easy way to try to isolate the problem. My noise seems to be worse on the passenger side, so I should start there. Oddly enough when the car was in a while back to diagnose the noise, there was many parts removed to try to isolate the issue, one of which was likely the grab handles, and they noted with all the parts removed and roof trim lowered, there were no sounds. That was also right around the temperature range when the sound would not occur in the early morning, so who knows.
 
My creaking noise disappeared after I pressed hard against the metal piece going across the roof opening in the front (the very stable one I mean with the more or less sharp edge towards you if you look on it) until I heard a "pop" noise. I put also some rubber around it.
Since then silence :)
I keep fingers crossed the creaking noises will stay away...
 
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pufi said:
My creaking noise disappeared after I pressed hard against the metal piece going across the roof opening in the front (the very stable one I mean with the more or less sharp edge towards you if you look on it) until I heard a "pop" noise. I put also some rubber around it.
Since then silence :)
I keep fingers crossed the creaking noises will stay away...
Click to expand...

This is an excellent theory and best aligns with the diagnostics I have ran. I don't know why I didn't notice earlier, but now when I press against the front rubber strip, and also along that metal beam, I get the same clicking type noise, only on the right side. This would best align with the fact my roof is quiet when it slid back even slightly - the glass is no longer pressing against the rubber strip which makes a clicking noise when pressed, which the glass may be causing due to the pressure.

For those curious, this is the thin metal beam just behind the wind deflector with 4 or 5 screws (I forget).

Now I just need to figure out how to make the clicking stop and see if that makes all the noises stop.
 
Revvdmedia said:
This is an excellent theory and best aligns with the diagnostics I have ran. I don't know why I didn't notice earlier, but now when I press against the front rubber strip, and also along that metal beam, I get the same clicking type noise, only on the right side. This would best align with the fact my roof is quiet when it slid back even slightly - the glass is no longer pressing against the rubber strip which makes a clicking noise when pressed, which the glass may be causing due to the pressure.

For those curious, this is the thin metal beam just behind the wind deflector with 4 or 5 screws (I forget).

Now I just need to figure out how to make the clicking stop and see if that makes all the noises stop.
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I think that a not 100% accurate mounting of the metal rails creates a tension against the glass roof, which is responsible for the noise.
So my theory is trying to find the spots with the tension and reducing it by bending the metal a little bit will fix the noise.
 
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Mine seemed to disappear when I closed the sunshade. You think that could be causing the [popping or is it just acting as a sound barrier when closed so I can't hear it?
 
Ucinn said:
Mine seemed to disappear when I closed the sunshade. You think that could be causing the [popping or is it just acting as a sound barrier when closed so I can't hear it?
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In my opinion the sunshade offers a bit of sound barrier between the noisy sunroof and the interior. The one hot day that my roof was abysmally noisy, the sunshade did not stop the noise, otherwise it does help a lot.
 
pufi said:
My creaking noise disappeared after I pressed hard against the metal piece going across the roof opening in the front (the very stable one I mean with the more or less sharp edge towards you if you look on it) until I heard a "pop" noise. I put also some rubber around it.
Since then silence :)
I keep fingers crossed the creaking noises will stay away...
Click to expand...

This also aligns with my report a month or so back that I could eliminate the creaking by just sticking my fingers in there applying some pressure to separate the metal bar from whatever is above it (the roof/glass, obviously). Didn't think that putting extra pressure on it downward might bend it or move it away from what it is rubbing on permanently.
 
Marc Collins said:
This also aligns with my report a month or so back that I could eliminate the creaking by just sticking my fingers in there applying some pressure to separate the metal bar from whatever is above it (the roof/glass, obviously). Didn't think that putting extra pressure on it downward might bend it or move it away from what it is rubbing on permanently.
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I pressed it more in the windshield direction than downward. Yesterday - hot day around 37°C - I opened the roof, closed it several times, no noise anymore.
In the past on higher temperatures it was constantly creaking.
Hopefully I also will have no noise if it is cold outside ;)
 
Just a quick self-diagnostic level update. I tried loosening the screws in the passenger grab handle and there was no remediation of the noises, they persisted this morning. I'm down to 2 more theories, one I will try, the other I will not. First, there is a chance what I am hearing is actually the seals and the lubricants I have used just aren't working. I will try using Super Lube as another has which is a silicone grease rather than just a liquid lubricant/film. This grease should provide a barrier between the sunroof gasket material and the contact points on the roof which should theoretically eliminate the noises (at least in their current form) if the noises are due to the gaskets. Failing positive remediation from this, I'm otherwise certain the issue is structural to some degree to the frame on the front portion of the sunroof. When the glass is slid backward even slightly, all of the noises of primary concern cease completely. I have recently noticed some other noises now with the glass all the way back but only in parking lots, I don't notice them when at speed. I'll consider those secondary concerns.

Following unsuccessful remediation, I am going to inquire with the service manager of the main dealership I frequent to see if I can leave the car with them for the week I will be away on holidays so they have an extended period to run diagnostics and don't need to worry about providing a loaner. I do worry about what may get wrecked in this process, but it might be the only way to work towards a fix.
 
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Revvdmedia said:
Just a quick self-diagnostic level update. I tried loosening the screws in the passenger grab handle and there was no remediation of the noises, they persisted this morning. I'm down to 2 more theories, one I will try, the other I will not. First, there is a chance what I am hearing is actually the seals and the lubricants I have used just aren't working. I will try using Super Lube as another has which is a silicone grease rather than just a liquid lubricant/film. This grease should provide a barrier between the sunroof gasket material and the contact points on the roof which should theoretically eliminate the noises (at least in their current form) if the noises are due to the gaskets. Failing positive remediation from this, I'm otherwise certain the issue is structural to some degree to the frame on the front portion of the sunroof. When the glass is slid backward even slightly, all of the noises of primary concern cease completely. I have recently noticed some other noises now with the glass all the way back but only in parking lots, I don't notice them when at speed. I'll consider those secondary concerns.

Following unsuccessful remediation, I am going to inquire with the service manager of the main dealership I frequent to see if I can leave the car with them for the week I will be away on holidays so they have an extended period to run diagnostics and don't need to worry about providing a loaner. I do worry about what may get wrecked in this process, but it might be the only way to work towards a fix.
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Would be great to see pics or diagram of exactly what you intend to lubricate. Like you, ticking disappears as soon as sunroof is open even the tiniest amount.
 
Marc Collins said:
Would be great to see pics or diagram of exactly what you intend to lubricate. Like you, ticking disappears as soon as sunroof is open even the tiniest amount.
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I will get some pictures. There are 2 seals on the sunroof, one that touches the outer edges of the glass, it runs on both sides of the black glass along the sides of the sunroof, also along the front edge on the front black glass between the windshield and sunroof and along the back edge between where the back of the sunroof and the painted roof meet. The other seal is the thick one that runs the entire perimeter of the sunroof and seals against the BOTTOM side of the glass. I intend to lube both, possibly starting with the front edge only since this is the only part touching when the sunroof is slide forward but tilted up and the roof is its noisiest.

I need to apply the lubricant on a day when it is really noisy and immediately take the car back on the road again to be sure it did or didn't work.
 
Revvdmedia said:
I will get some pictures. There are 2 seals on the sunroof, one that touches the outer edges of the glass, it runs on both sides of the black glass along the sides of the sunroof, also along the front edge on the front black glass between the windshield and sunroof and along the back edge between where the back of the sunroof and the painted roof meet. The other seal is the thick one that runs the entire perimeter of the sunroof and seals against the BOTTOM side of the glass. I intend to lube both, possibly starting with the front edge only since this is the only part touching when the sunroof is slide forward but tilted up and the roof is its noisiest.

I need to apply the lubricant on a day when it is really noisy and immediately take the car back on the road again to be sure it did or didn't work.
Click to expand...

I just got my lubricant today, so ready to test!
 
Here is a picture from the driver's side of the 2 seals. The red is the outer seal which is on all the outer glass pieces and the back where the sunroof back meets the painted roof. This is the upper perimeter seal that seals on all the outside edges of the sunroof glass. The green is the inner lower seal that seals against the bottom of the glass on the sunroof. FYI in the "front' picture I am holding down the wind deflector so you can see the seals better.
Seals 1.webp
Seals 2.webp
 
Revvdmedia said:
Here is a picture from the driver's side of the 2 seals. The red is the outer seal which is on all the outer glass pieces and the back where the sunroof back meets the painted roof. This is the upper perimeter seal that seals on all the outside edges of the sunroof glass. The green is the inner lower seal that seals against the bottom of the glass on the sunroof. FYI in the "front' picture I am holding down the wind deflector so you can see the seals better.
View attachment 27349
View attachment 27350
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Perfect and thanks for the great pics!
 
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Lube all your door and hatch rubber as well ..........................it helps are you using the Shin Etsu ??grease.webp
 
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westcoastGT said:
Lube all your door and hatch rubber as well ..........................it helps are you using the Shin Etsu ??View attachment 27366
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I'm going to try my experiment with Super Lube (silicone grease) but would move to Shin-Etsu for long term maintenance. This Super Lube I would use should either eliminate or at least change the sound of the noises if the seals are the primary culprit of the noises. If nothing changes whatsoever, I can eliminate the seals as the source of the noises since other lubricants like silicone spray and Gummi Pflege (made specially for weather stripping, German), did not help.
 
No resolution using Super Lube on the seals. Since I have used 3 kinds of lubricants and none have made the sunroof any more quiet, it must not be the seals and has to be something structural. I'm going to have to get a time to meet up with the service manager and get this process started once and for all. I'm just going to tell him I basically don't want the car back until it is resolved or Kia can buy it back, I'm not accepting anything other than remediation or buyback, I'm not putting up with this for another 4+ years.
 
Taking mine in today for the first time with the same issue noticed first as temps went up 2 months ago. Also getting the first oil change with 1500 miles as car set at dealership from November until June when I bought it with 24 miles.
 
As an owner of a 2018 which sat at a dealer from at least Nov 2018 to Feb 2019 when I bought it, so far I haven't had any noise issues. Not ANY. NONE. I'm certainly not going to meddle with success and start slathering lube around, but there has been so many with noise issues, that as far as I can see were solved mostly with lube, I should get prepared. I found a tube on Amazon, labeled {shudder}
Honda Genuine Shin-Etsu Grease. Is this really the right stuff? Better sources? I guess I could just put a note in my phone notepad to-do list with the info, in case I do ever need it.
 
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From interior to exterior to high performance - everything you need for your Stinger awaits you...
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