Concerns - Popping/Creaking Noise from Sunroof

[Marc Collins]

Not worth the time, IMO. I've talked with a very knowledgeable and honest dealership service manager, and the answer is simple. They don’t know what’s causing it, don’t have a fix, and don’t know when/if they ever will.

Not worth the time, IMO. I've talked with a very knowledgeable and honest dealership service manager, and the answer is simple. They don’t know what’s causing it, don’t have a fix, and don’t know when/if they ever will.

More importantly, KIA (Canada at least) is not willing to even try to find a fix. There are fairly simple process of elimination steps that could be followed to isolate it, but that would be admitting (officially) that there was a problem, which would lead to the cost of actually addressing the problem should a solution be found. Why go down that road when you can ignore it?

They followed the same path with the 2018 rear hatch rattle. Even when it turned out to be nothing more than a 59-cent washer from Home Depot and 5 minutes with a screwdriver to fox it, they didn't spread the word to dealers. I believe it was intrepid owners (likely on this forum) who actually figured-out the solution while dealers were doing one of two things:

1. Ignoring it, as KIA dealers are prone to do
2. Haplessly trying all manner of adjustments to the latch and other complicated solutions, as a few dealers who try to be helpful get stuck doing in the absence of any direction from KIA HQ

We are clearly in the same boat with this issue. Figure-out how to fix it ourselves, or live with it.

 

[Revvdmedia]

More importantly, KIA (Canada at least) is not willing to even try to find a fix. There are fairly simple process of elimination steps that could be followed to isolate it, but that would be admitting (officially) that there was a problem, which would lead to the cost of actually addressing the problem should a solution be found. Why go down that road when you can ignore it?

They followed the same path with the 2018 rear hatch rattle. Even when it turned out to be nothing more than a 59-cent washer from Home Depot and 5 minutes with a screwdriver to fox it, they didn't spread the word to dealers. I believe it was intrepid owners (likely on this forum) who actually figured-out the solution while dealers were doing one of two things:

1. Ignoring it, as KIA dealers are prone to do
2. Haplessly trying all manner of adjustments to the latch and other complicated solutions, as a few dealers who try to be helpful get stuck doing in the absence of any direction from KIA HQ

We are clearly in the same boat with this issue. Figure-out how to fix it ourselves, or live with it.

I concur that Kia (Canada), even to a more corporate level, is not willing to address this, or at least they weren't. I had my dealer, their lead technician and the service manager all acknowledge that there is an issue. When they sent it off to Kia Corp, since the other Stinger on the lot had the same defect, Corporate told them not to do anything about it, it's "normal."

As a professional working in manufacturing, I understand the financial repercussions of trying to fix something that from an engineer's perspective does not affect "fit, form or function." From a consumer's perspective, I'm not pleased with the after-sales treatment.

 

[rockydil]

Well boys and girls, my ticking noise is back! So much for my dealer correcting it. I had the car in again today and this time the dealer basically gave up and told me to live with it.

The ticking is still coming from those bolts in the passenger sunroof rails, despite my dealer's original diagnosis of B-pillar trim clips causing it.

As before, I can stop the noise by gently pressing up on the headliner while driving. I wonder if shoving a rag or piece of foam in between the headliner and sunroof rail would create enough positive pressure to achieve the same thing.

 

[Deviate]

Well boys and girls, my ticking noise is back! So much for my dealer correcting it. I had the car in again today and this time the dealer basically gave up and told me to live with it.

The ticking is still coming from those bolts in the passenger sunroof rails, despite my dealer's original diagnosis of B-pillar trim clips causing it.

As before, I can stop the noise by gently pressing up on the headliner while driving. I wonder if shoving a rag or piece of foam in between the headliner and sunroof rail would create enough positive pressure to achieve the same thing.

I had similar issues for a bit. After doing some searching on here i came across a post that talked about the headliner beng loose. The short version is to push up on the headliner right near the sunroof ( kind of where it start to roll up to the glass) and it shouls seat the clips. I did do this and i did feel the "click" of the clip going in a little. Yes it was a little nerve racking because all i could think of was crushing the form. Some pressure was needed but i didnt over force anything. May want to give it a shot.

 

[Dodger Blue]

Mine audibly clicks when I push down on the right front corner of the sunroof from outside. I can't manage to make the sound go away by pushing from inside. Last time I was at the dealer for my recall, the technician said he reseated a loose clip on that corner, but the rattle came back within a day.

 

[Deviate]

Mine audibly clicks when I push down on the right front corner of the sunroof from outside. I can't manage to make the sound go away by pushing from inside. Last time I was at the dealer for my recall, the technician said he reseated a loose clip on that corner, but the rattle came back within a day.

Mine seemed to be all inside. I also rarely use my roof. Too hot here

 

[Dodger Blue]

I don't use it often either, to be honest it's always been a feature I can do without on my cars. It's become the only thing on this car that actually bugs me.

 

[Kamauxx]

Mine audibly clicks when I push down on the right front corner of the sunroof from outside. I can't manage to make the sound go away by pushing from inside. Last time I was at the dealer for my recall, the technician said he reseated a loose clip on that corner, but the rattle came back within a day.

This may help your particular rattle.

Sunroof Rattle Fix

This is the happiest I've been with my car in a long time! I found the issue with my sunroof. The rail that the glass rides on has a protrusion coming down. I think it's a foot for the sunroof to rest on. It's circled in the below pic. Now, the sunroof housing has a cutout where that foot...

stingerforum.org

 

[Deviate]

I don't use it often either, to be honest it's always been a feature I can do without on my cars. It's become the only thing on this car that actually bugs me.

Well if my memory serves me correctly LA Winters are nice but the summer it's still just hot. That's just going off your name I'm assuming you're in LA

 

[Dodger Blue]

Well if my memory serves me correctly LA Winters are nice but the summer it's still just hot. That's just going off your name I'm assuming you're in LA

I'm not in LA anymore although I still live on the west coast. The weather is comfortable enough to have the sunroof open nearly year-round here, if I wanted to. But yeah, in the summers in LA it just cooks the top of your head lol

 

[Dodger Blue]

This may help your particular rattle.

Sunroof Rattle Fix

This is the happiest I've been with my car in a long time! I found the issue with my sunroof. The rail that the glass rides on has a protrusion coming down. I think it's a foot for the sunroof to rest on. It's circled in the below pic. Now, the sunroof housing has a cutout where that foot...

stingerforum.org

Did that fix your issue long term? From skimming the thread it seemed like results are mixed. I'll give it a try, what's the worst that can happen right?

 

[Kamauxx]

Did that fix your issue long term? From skimming the thread it seemed like results are mixed. I'll give it a try, what's the worst that can happen right?

I traded the car a couple of weeks after making that post. The rattles had already soured me pass the point of no return. It was still rattle free when I last drove it.

 

[Marc Collins]

Well boys and girls, my ticking noise is back! So much for my dealer correcting it. I had the car in again today and this time the dealer basically gave up and told me to live with it.

The ticking is still coming from those bolts in the passenger sunroof rails, despite my dealer's original diagnosis of B-pillar trim clips causing it.

As before, I can stop the noise by gently pressing up on the headliner while driving. I wonder if shoving a rag or piece of foam in between the headliner and sunroof rail would create enough positive pressure to achieve the same thing.

Did you read my prior posts?

I do think a combination of the washer fix and some gasket (perhaps not a rag ) separating the two pieces of metal rubbing against each other would fix it. Why can't dealers try this?!?!

 

[rockydil]

Did you read my prior posts?

I do think a combination of the washer fix and some gasket (perhaps not a rag ) separating the two pieces of metal rubbing against each other would fix it. Why can't dealers try this?!?!

Yes I've actually read this entire thread (which takes hours) and the similar one over on the G70 forums.

Months ago, I tried to put some tiny rubber washers under those bolts. I loosened the bolts I could access but it wasn't enough that I could actually lift the sunroof assembly to get under them. Maybe I'll take another crack at it. I was trying to avoid removing the bug guard. I'm afraid of taking something apart that I can't put back together again.

On that topic, does anyone know whether the bolts in the sunroof rails can be taken out completely and later reapplied, or will they drop a nut into the headliner if I try that?

 

[Marc Collins]

Yes I've actually read this entire thread (which takes hours) and the similar one over on the G70 forums.

Months ago, I tried to put some tiny rubber washers under those bolts. I loosened the bolts I could access but it wasn't enough that I could actually lift the sunroof assembly to get under them. Maybe I'll take another crack at it. I was trying to avoid removing the bug guard. I'm afraid of taking something apart that I can't put back together again.

On that topic, does anyone know whether the bolts in the sunroof rails can be taken out completely and later reapplied, or will they drop a nut into the headliner if I try that?

The bug guard is tricky...which is why dealers should be doing this.

G70 has the same issue??

 

[Revvdmedia]

The bug guard is tricky...which is why dealers should be doing this.

G70 has the same issue??

It seems that way. I actually went over to the G70 boards a while back when I still had my Stinger. The G70 looks to have the same style (and might actually be the same unit) for the sunroof. There were issues of noises that seemed like exactly what we were experiencing with the Stinger. Last time I checked over there (about a year ago) there was also no resolution or definitive solution.

 

[PantheraMetal]

So im not in the country right now so i cant try this for myself, but has anyone seen this video?

im definitely gonna give it a go when Im back but if anyone is willing to try it out, id love to hear the results. Seems to be the easiest of all the solutions suggested so far

edit:

here is basically the exact same fix being applied to a bmw x3 and working. Secretly trying not to get my hopes up

 

[runner1]

That doesn’t look like a solution honesty. I did the washer fix and loosened and raised the glass on the passsger side with the two bolts. Same on the trunk....she’s prettty quiet right now. Hope for the best

 

[siegs7]

That doesn’t look like a solution honesty. I did the washer fix and loosened and raised the glass on the passsger side with the two bolts. Same on the trunk....she’s prettty quiet right now. Hope for the best

Would you mind reposting the washer fix for the sunroof? I have gone through the thread but cannot find the details about using washers to fix the creaking of the sunroof. I tried adjusting the glass height using the Torx tool, but that only lasts about a day or so and creaking returns. So frustrating.

 

[runner1]

Remove the wind guard. You will see two bolts in the front of the tracking for the sunroof. Remove them and gently pry up the tracking. Slip a metal washer under the track and replace bolts. This changes the sitting of the track and kills a lot of the noise. I did the glass raise first, it helps 80%, then the washers. She’s pretty quiet. Been about 6 months.