2016 Mazda3 Sunroof BANG noise, whistling and off center

[andrewkomic]

Hello,

Last night I was driving my 2016 Mazda 3 GS on the road when I heard a massive BANG noise. As if someone slammed into the car. The sound of a metal hitting metal. Like it was so LOUD my ears were ringing for awhile.
I, of course, freaked out. Looked around. Didn't see anything noticeable, but I could hear a whistling noise coming from my sunroof.
I pulled off to the side (note: Winter in Canada, and only a thin layer of ice was on the roof of my car. A few millimeters thick.)
Got back in the car and drove to my destination, but could still hear the whistling noise.

I assumed due to the heating from within the car, and the ice on the outside, maybe the glass might have finally cracked due to the differential temperatures?

The next day, I take the car back on the road, and of course. No whistling noise. Nothing.
However, when I poured water on the sunroof, I went back in the car and saw there's now water leaking in the car. Luckily, it's inside the sunroof and going down the drainage within the sunroof.
I went back outside and now can see (in daylight) that the sunroof is slightly off center. It's flush on the passenger side, but on the driver side, it's slightly lower on the front driver side, and slightly higher on the rear driver side.

1) Anybody have an idea what that loud bang was?
2) Anybody have any idea how to manually adjust the sunroof to be flush again? I saw some videos you can unscrew something, adjust it, and tighten the screws again to make it flush, but that's on other manufacture cars.

Thanks!

 

[negusm]

How interesting.

I too would think the glass would be suspect. Tempered glass will just explode into a million pieces. I don't believe sunroof glass is laminated like the windshield which will stay together when a tempered layer is violated.

Does the sunroof open and close properly other than being off center when closed?

With your description, I'm thinking the internal assembly is destroyed. No idea how as I don't think there is anything under tension while the thing is closed.

 

[andrewkomic]

How interesting.

While, I too would think the glass would be suspect. Tempered glass will just explode into a million pieces. I don't believe sunroof glass is laminated like the windshield which will stay together when a tempered layer is violated.

Does the sunroof open and close properly other than being off center when closed?

With your description, I'm thinking the internal assembly is destroyed. No idea how as I don't think there is anything under tension while the thing is closed.

Nope! The sunroof can still open and close. Everything works fine.
I thought something metallic might have snapped within the sunroof but everything works fine.

Only thing, as I mentioned before, that's off now is the sunroof closes, and from afar looks closed, but close inspection, the front passenger side is closed and pressed up against the frame so its sealed closed, but the front driver side is closed but not really pressed up against the frame, hence you you can see water seeping into the sunroof (and into the drainage).