Leased a 2017 XE with 4300 miles. Over past 6 weeks about every 2-3 days there is a sound coming from the roof that I can only describe as a hammering sound or someone slapping their palm on the roof. Get 4-5 blows and it stops and all is fine. Happens only when I first start the car and it doesn't have to be moving. The info screen/backup camera go dead till the sound stops. Anyone else have this issue? Spoke to dealer who had no clue but a technician said it sounded like the rails for the sunroof (I never open the thing). Scheduled to bring it in a 2 weeks (no loaners till then) but has to stay there since it is an intermittent problem.

 

Wow.

Strange.

When you say "Happens only when I first start the car", do you mean the first start of the day when the car is cold or does it do it randomly any time you start the car?

 

Reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode with William Shatnerm Nightmare at 20,000 feet"

 

this was happening every once in a while in my car they did a software update and its gone . I had to edit and add since after reading the rest of your post and what the dealer said kind of way off , that sound is coming from the speakers as the infotainment reboots , I do not think it has anything to do with rails on the roof .