Exploding back window

Becks123

Has this happened to anyone before? Went out on New years morning and started the car with the front and back window heater on. Turned off the engine after 10minutes and suddenly the back window exploded Its costing me a fair bit to get it fixed...any thoughts/comments??

Redvers

Have you just bought the car, have you upset someone, did you notice a red dot on the dashboard?

Becks123

No, no and no!

oisin_t

was your car window frozen/very frosty? this can happen when something very cold is heated very suddenly.

v300

Thermal shock / stress caused by heating the window un-evenly.

The heaters heat the centre of the glass and some of the
the edges remain cold, and the window cracks.
It's a common enough complaint in sub-zero temps on the continent !

I bet your car is a Ford, yea ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_shock

Thermal shock is the name given to cracking as a result of rapid temperature change. Glass and ceramic objects are particularly vulnerable to this form of failure, due to their low toughness, low thermal conductivity, and high thermal expansion coefficients. However, they are used in many high temperature applications due to their high melting point.

MarkR

Did you only use the in car heater? No boiling water?

bladespin

As someone above mentioned, possibly a faulty heater unevenly heating the window, if 1 side expands while the other stays cold there's a lot of stress put on the glass.

cantdecide

Are you sure a 'helpful' someone didn't throw hot water on it when you weren't looking?? Is it possible if was (badly) replaced any time recently?? Did the window break into a pattern pointing to a particular spot??

Becks123

The car is a 2005 Siat Ibiza. No water- just put the heaters on for 10mins and then turned off the engine..Never heard of it happening before

emcc

Becks123 wrote: »

The car is a 2005 Siat Ibiza. No water- just put the heaters on for 10mins and then turned off the engine..Never heard of it happening before

Mafia hitman it is then.

Gregor Samsa

Becks123 wrote: »

Its costing me a fair bit to get it fixed...any thoughts/comments??

You probably have already, but just check if your insurance includes windscreen cover. If so, it shouldn't cost you anyting.

oisin_t

are you fully comp? because alot of insurance companies will replace windows for you with out any penalties on you ncb. iv unfortunately had alot of experinece with broken windows!

corriganalan

I burst a window out of a tractor before like this but the other way around. Air con on inside with tractor running and went to wash the window. I didnt realise the power washer was set to hot and wham I had a mess

Becks123

Nah i checked and im not insured...waiting for the garage to order in the glass so untill then im driving around with 3 binbags for a back window..tis pretty cold! the gaurds wouldnt pull me over for driving like that, would they?

Becks123

To reply yo cant decide: The window smashed in two places towards the bottom of the window...looked like someone threw two tennis balls through the window...what does that mean?

oisin_t

Becks123 wrote: »

Nah i checked and im not insured...waiting for the garage to order in the glass so untill then im driving around with 3 binbags for a back window..tis pretty cold! the gaurds wouldnt pull me over for driving like that, would they?

thats pretty harsh.

iv had to drive on the motorway a fewtimes with a black bag for a window and the gards never said anything to me. to be honest theres not much they can say to you like, your already getting it fixed...

Sandwich

Similar happened to Tiger Woods back window before Christmas.
Take care your case doesnt end up like him: investigated by police, has to take an indefinite period off work, old girl friends coming out of the woodwork to spill the beans on him, sacked by many of his clients, and wife going to divorce him and get millions.

jimmyw

Jees I remember that happened a good few years back to our 90 honda civic hatch. They were driving down the road when suddenly BANG! goes the rear window. Must be related to the HRW, I think it was cold weather aswell. It was covered under the insurance policy I think.

JHMEG

The brother had the lend of a peugeot 20something a couple of years ago and the exact same thing happened.

johndaman66

phutyle wrote: »

You probably have already, but just check if your insurance includes windscreen cover. If so, it shouldn't cost you anyting.

I understsnd that Becks123 has susequently mentioned that they do not have windscreen cover on their insurance but does windscreen only cove the windscreen I would have assumed and not a back or side window? I stand to be corrected though.

Esel

^ I think most policies cover all glass.

bold_defender

Just came out this morning and rear window in Wife's yaris shattered, seems to have cracked itself in frost. No heating of car or anything. Two small holes at either side about size of a large orange, rest of window shattered.

corktina

emcc wrote: »

Mafia hitman it is then.

was there a horses head on the back seat?:eek:

stevenmu

Becks123 wrote: »

Nah i checked and im not insured...waiting for the garage to order in the glass so untill then im driving around with 3 binbags for a back window..tis pretty cold! the gaurds wouldnt pull me over for driving like that, would they?

You'd be better off with some kind of clear plastic if you could, but I think most guards would realise you're having a sh1t enough day already.