Sunroof Tinting

Is it a bad idea to tint the sunroof?

 

I took my wifes new MDX in to get it tinted on Saturday and asked them to tint the sunroof. They didn't want to do it, saying the glass would shatter. I had to sign off that I wouldn't hold them responsible. Ended up doing 15% on top of the factory tint.

 

I have 15% on my LGT sunroof and 5% on my t-tops. I've never had a problem with either of them.

 

Has anyone ever heard of a sunroof actually shattering from heat build up?

Kind of strange. I went to post a thread about tinting the sunroof this morning but the forum kind of crapped out on me.

 

I've never heard of such a problem and the guy I was talking to never mentioned it.

 

How do you like the 15% on your sunroof? Is it too dark?

 

I was going to ask the forum what percentage they'd recommend. I was thinking much lighter, like 50-70% or so.

I got 5% and it is perfect. The wagon sunroof is MASSIVE and exposed directly to sunlight. The 5% roof looks no darker than the factory 24% rear window tint.

I got 5% and it is perfect. The wagon sunroof is MASSIVE and exposed directly to sunlight. The 5% roof looks no darker than the factory 24% rear window tint.

 

Wow, that dark of a tint and it's not too dark eh?

 

It's brutal here with the Colorado sun. I never really have the panel opened on the headliner/sunroof because the sun is pounding.

 

I don't, however, want to lose the "open" feeling of having the panel slide open.

I leave my slide open all of the time and i love it that way. It still feels very open. I wouldn't change a thing. I had 20% on the front part by accident, and it was WAY too light, almost like it wasn't tinted at all. If it is sunny tomorrow, ill try to snap an open vs closed picture.

I leave my slide open all of the time and i love it that way. It still feels very open. I wouldn't change a thing. I had 20% on the front part by accident, and it was WAY too light, almost like it wasn't tinted at all. If it is sunny tomorrow, ill try to snap an open vs closed picture.

 

Please do.

 

Thanks

No where near to dark...You could probably do 5% if you wanted...

 

I have 5% on my t-tops on top of the factory dot-matrix tint and it lets virtually no light in. I either want the sunroof all the way open or closed/tilted. I love venting my car with the sunroof tilted and not having the light coming in through the top of my sunglasses.

 

Sounds like the tint guy was full of it...

I have 5% tint on my wagons sunroof. I love it!

I snapped a picture, but photobucket is blocked at work so I'll have to post it when I get home or tomorrow morning.

Thanks BAC5.2

 

I really appreciate it

Funny, In was just wondering about this this weekend too! I plan on tint in the next couple weeks and was gonna do the roof also. Anxiously awaiting those pics!

Is it a bad idea to tint the sunroof?

 

I took my wifes new MDX in to get it tinted on Saturday and asked them to tint the sunroof. They didn't want to do it, saying the glass would shatter. I had to sign off that I wouldn't hold them responsible. Ended up doing 15% on top of the factory tint.

 

I have 15% on my LGT sunroof and 5% on my t-tops. I've never had a problem with either of them.

 

Has anyone ever heard of a sunroof actually shattering from heat build up?

 

Here's a thread discussing this issue

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/sunroof-cracking-w-tinti-35700.html?t=35700&highlight=sunroof+tint

 

Guys living in AZ and SoCal haven't had any issues

Here are some pics to compare. First one is roof closed. Second is roof open.

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/IMG_20110314_084301.jpg

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/IMG_20110314_084312.jpg

 

If you compare the factory tint on the rear window, you can see how drastically the tinted roof reduces interior light.

 

If the roof were lighter, I'd have to close the shade in the summer.

 

Here is an older photo I took when I FIRST got the roof tinted. It's of direct sunlight.

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/Mobile%20Uploads/3ac1d858.jpg

Thanks for the pics. Got any from the outside?

 

Can you still see the stars at night? lol

On a clear night, I can. In the last picture, you can see the clouds.

 

I can try to get one from the outside on Wednesday. It looks black, and you can't really see in.

 

I wouldn't change it for anything.

Thanks for the photos BAC5

 

How long have you had it tinted?

I did it in September or October of 2009. No regrets.

Looks great.

 

Obviously no issues with potential shattering of the glass?

No. And if it shatters, it's a fault of the glass and should be covered under warranty. The shop that did the install, didn't bat an eye to do it.

 

There is not one scrap of reliable, scientific, evidence that says window tint will cause a roof to shatter.

I remember reading here on another thread, probably a few years ago, that a tint shop refused to tint the sunroof because of the possibility that the roof would shatter.

No. And if it shatters, it's a fault of the glass and should be covered under warranty. The shop that did the install, didn't bat an eye to do it.

 

There is not one scrap of reliable, scientific, evidence that says window tint will cause a roof to shatter.

 

It sounds like the tint guy was total BS.

 

I have 4 years with 5% + dot matrix on my Firebird, 3 years on my old Mazda 6 and 1 year with my Subaru in North Carolina heat. I haven't had any problems. Its like this is an urban myth

Theoretically, the extra heat absorption of the tint could cause excessive glass heating. When the glass thermally expands it could be sufficiently stressed that it would shatter with a minor impact (small rock, etc).

 

Realistically, the odds of this happening are extremely small... It would probably require the glass to heavily stressed by the mounting and or weak glass.