Insulate the moonroof?

:
Protege5 2003
Is there a good/cheap way to insulate the moonroof?

It was a sunny 85 today and as we cruised down the highway we could feel the heat radiating from the closed moonroof. The retracting cover (the inside part, not the glass part) was quite warm to the touch. This does not bode well for daytime travel on 105 degree days. However, the ceiling lining nearby was not at all warm, so at least the rest of the roof seems to be reasonably well insulated.

100% reflective film on the top of the glass should cut down on the heat transmitted to just about nothing. Presumably that's legal since it isn't a glass area that one needs to look through while driving, and I don't care about losing the view since I never drive with the moonroof open in any case. But I'm a little worried that the film might gunk up the mechanism if I ever do open the moonroof.

Thoughts?
 
Duct tape over glass. Tell friends it's the latest "space age", heat resistant coating developed by NASA.
 
Bala de Plata said:
I tinted mine with the windows - helps out a great deal.

Tint on inside or outside?

Googled around and found anecdotal reports of sunroofs shattering after being tinted. Some people blamed this on different coefficients of expansion for the glass and the tint plastic. Seems to me this would be more of a problem if the tint was on the inside since then the glass would still get very hot. If it was tinted on the outside the glass should be a bit cooler, and the tinted plastic a bit softer (since it would be reflecting most or all of the light.) Not sure I believe the reports in any case, since side windows don't typically shatter when tinted, and they too are tempered glass.

(EDIT) Forgot to mention, a thicker 100% reflective film on the top might work as a rockblocker - keep the roof glass from shattering, or at least hold it together better, when a rock gets kicked up high and lands on it.
 
Last edited:
pasadena_commut said:
Tint on inside or outside?

Googled around and found anecdotal reports of sunroofs shattering after being tinted. Some people blamed this on different coefficients of expansion for the glass and the tint plastic. Seems to me this would be more of a problem if the tint was on the inside since then the glass would still get very hot. If it was tinted on the outside the glass should be a bit cooler, and the tinted plastic a bit softer (since it would be reflecting most or all of the light.) Not sure I believe the reports in any case, since side windows don't typically shatter when tinted, and they too are tempered glass.

(EDIT) Forgot to mention, a thicker 100% reflective film on the top might work as a rockblocker - keep the roof glass from shattering, or at least hold it together better, when a rock gets kicked up high and lands on it.
I live in Canada, where our temperatures go from one extreme to another (see under my avatar), and my moonroof has been tinted from day 1... no issues yet, and I'm going on 5 years now.

If there are stories about tinted moonroofs shattering, I've never heard them - and truth be told, if something like that is a possibility, I would chalk it up to the place doing the tinting not doing a proper job, either applying the tint itself or reinstalling the window properly.

just my .02
 
oh, sorry - my tint is on the inside, as with the rest of my windows and eyebrow (windshield banner).
 
MyZmZm said:
oh, sorry - my tint is on the inside, as with the rest of my windows and eyebrow (windshield banner).

Same here - no probs. No need to overthink it. If you're from the Pasadena in my area - having JPL that close may be rubbing off on you ;)
 
My moonroof has 20% tint on it and it's much better at keeping heat out. I'd go for as reflective of a tint as possible when you do it.
 
Tint it! Best way to go...I don't have a sun/moon roof, but my friends do and with your all around tinted windows, it should (and will) help.
 
Windshield Reflector

My first though was tint too. However, the space blanket idea made me think of the windshield reflector/sun deflector. Whatever, you call them. Good luck.
 
i have seen a pic of a tinted moonroof shattered, some people were saying this was a problem with the scion tc but persionaly i think it was manufacturing prob. as for other cars i would also blame the people doing the tinting. if it is a real issue for you i would tint
 
Back