noise from roof - pop

[TrailBossLT]

Has anyone found any new solutions? 6500 miles on mine and its only getting worse.

[Thomcat]

Now that it's getting warmer it's time for more roof popping complaints. Got my first pop today  parked in the Sun and another waxing the foil thick aluminum roof.

 

But no way I'm taking to the dealer to screw around and compromise the seal of the rear spoiler for a noise fix....it pops but the rear sliding window doesn't leak and I'm keeping it that way.  So, I'll live with it; doesn't affect mileage or driveability............and it's a truck anyway and not a luxury sedan.

 

Not taking a chance letting the dealer screw around trying to take the pop out of my spoiler. Better the devil you know than the one that you don't.........Good news is we got rid of the pop; bad news is now the headliner is staining and the rear window leaks like a sieve.

[Thomcat]

On 2/13/2020 at 10:43 PM, Usmc249 said:

So I took my brand new 2020 to the car was for the first time and it has blowers on the crane that move the length of the truck when they hit the roof it popped very loudly. When I got home stood on the running boards and you can move the roof very easily almost like plastic. I’m guessing it very thin sheet metal. I guess a lot has changed since 2005. Come on GM 

I hand wash mine.....no way I'm having some quickie car wash blowing 300 mph air onto that foil thick aluminum roof and also compromise that wafer thin water seal on the spoiler. Push that roof panel in too far in and it may not pop out and paintless repair using a suction cup may leave a permanent crease.

[Officer972]

I recently bought a 2020 Sierra SLT, took it for its first wash at touch less power wash. As soon as the water hit the roof it would pop hard. When the wash finished I pulled up to a parking spot to inspect. What I found is that the roof is very weak. Seemed almost  hollow and would easy dent with pressure. Don’t know if this is a manufacture problem. 
 

[Memphis87]

9 hours ago, Officer972 said:

I recently bought a 2020 Sierra SLT, took it for its first wash at touch less power wash. As soon as the water hit the roof it would pop hard. When the wash finished I pulled up to a parking spot to inspect. What I found is that the roof is very weak. Seemed almost  hollow and would easy dent with pressure. Don’t know if this is a manufacture problem. 
 

The hood is debatable in a car wash too. Although I haven’t seen anyone mention it yet but it happened to me. Mine got dented in a car wash from the blowers. Dead center along the crease closer to the window. Although the gmc has a different hood, mine was a TB Silverado 

Edited April 23, 2020 by Memphis87

[Thomcat]

The roof is made of aluminum only slightly thicker than that of a soda can.......hood is no bargain either. Have to be careful waxing the roof because it flexes under very little pressure....under a lot of pressure the metal may crease and not pop back and time for a suction cup. Hood is a slightly thicker gauge but can be dented with too much pressure.

 

And there is no consistency among car wash equipment may be 200 mph, may be 300 mph and angle of the jet of compressed air to act as a squeegee, whether straight down or angled toward the rear, on some depends upon rollers used to maintain distance above roof....if not counter balanced properly they can dent the roof or if not properly maintained put a racing stripe scratch in the clear coat.

 

Getting my free car washes today, storm should hit around 2:00, give it ten minutes, on goes the slicker and soap them down. Rain water rinse here is clean and doesn't spot ....even better than using the pool/hoptr tub water treatment cartridge hooked up to the hose.

[smit303]

2019 Denali. 22000 miles. No popping ever.

[Ferrari Eater]

On 5/7/2019 at 6:10 PM, Smoothie said:

No noises from mine, but I also have the sunroof.

Same here. Wonder if the sunroof adds structural integrity and prevents it from popping? 

[GMCustomerService]

Hi, all. This is certainly not the experience we wish for our customers.  Our team would be more than happy to take a closer look into these concerns. To do so, please send an email to [email protected] ATTN:forum username/GMTrucks with your contact information, VIN, and preferred dealership. We look forward to hearing from you. To learn more about GM's privacy policy, please visit http://bit.ly/2h3ZUnC.

Aleigha W. 
 

[Smoothie]

10 hours ago, Ferrari Eater said:

Same here. Wonder if the sunroof adds structural integrity and prevents it from popping? 

I was also wondering the same thing.  17k miles and 16 months old and good so far (knock wood)!!

[Thomcat]

Here's another .02.........Seems there may be actually two separate noises in the roof area..

 

The spoiler noise responds to heat and with the Summer heat it will occur more frequently, evidently it is the ABS (or other plastic) spoiler expanding at a different rate than the aluminum in the cab roof. Sound is more like a loud snap than a pop.

 

The roof noise is more intense and it is more of a loud pop or metal flexing. A light pressure on the middle of the roof will generate this noise irregarless of temperature......and the pressurize air from a car wash will cause the surface to ripple and flex. A sunroof will certainly requires a more reinforced roof, more rigid glass and less flex metal surface so it should flex less, but wouldn't reduce a spoiler noise.  

 

The scary part of the roof noise is the aluminum construction of the cab. Even assuming the same gauge thickness, aluminum is not as strong or as ductile as steel, the latter property making it more prone to fatigue. Pop it often enough and not only may it just lose strength and the noise occur more often, but fatigued portions at the edges of the deformation may eventually delaminate the paint and clear coat.

 

Doesn't appear to be anything that can be done about the thin aluminum roof other than keeping it out of overhead pressure car washes that can flex the metal. Spoiler can likely be corrected by torquing down on the retainers under the headliner, but no way I'm doing that or taking to a dealer for fear of compromising the spoiler seal and causing a leak at the rear window (which has been leak free) or headliner. With all these thin aluminum horizontal surfaces......just glad that cows can't fly.

[TrailBossLT]

Well I bit the bullet and let the dealer take a look. The spoiler was jammed up against the roof bc of a factory defect, it should have had a 1/4"-1/2" gap. They gave me a loaner and i can clearly see the difference between it and mine. They're calling GM to report it and figure out a fix. Just hope it comes back in the like new condition it was and without damage or leaks. I'll share what I learn when I get it back.

[turborenegade]

My 19 Denali has this same roof pop. When I first heard it and investigated sound. I wondered why a engineer would put plastic/ABS spoiler on steel/thin steel roof. Not aluminum!!!  The expansion rates between the two is substantial. Mine has been much quieter throughout the winter but warmer weather coming back so is the acorn smacking roof noise returning.  

[TrailBossLT]

40 minutes ago, turborenegade said:

My 19 Denali has this same roof pop. When I first heard it and investigated sound. I wondered why a engineer would put plastic/ABS spoiler on steel/thin steel roof. Not aluminum!!!  The expansion rates between the two is substantial. Mine has been much quieter throughout the winter but warmer weather coming back so is the acorn smacking roof noise returning.  

There should be a big enough gap between the two that it doesn't matter. Was told this is a known issue, the spoilers either leak or pop. Mine was mashed up so tight it had no where to go when it expanded. Replacing the spoiler should fix it...we'll see.

Edited May 8, 2020 by TrailBossLT

[Soto88]

2020 AT4, no sun roof. I noticed my roof popping noises around 500 miles. 1200 miles in now and still getting pops when out in the sun and heat and I live in Louisiana. It’s always hot. Glad I decided  to search and see if anyone else has this issue.