Shattered Passenger Side Window

[SteveInSeattle]

This morning I lightly lobbed my jacket into the car and the zipper hit the passenger window and it completely shattered. It is still in-place but consists of the tiny pellets of safety glass, and I can hear some of them falling into the door. In my 44 years of driving I've never seen this happen... wouldn't it seem there must have been some defect or pevious stress that would have made it this vulnerable. Anyway, makes me wonder how much the replacement will be and how long it will take to get it. Stay tuned here for that info, phone calls start 8 am tomorrow (Monday).

 

[TomT]

Actually, this is not as unusual as you might think. I don't believe that the side windows are safety glass - only the windshield - and a common trick that thiefs use is to flick a piece of porcelain from a spark plug at the window to shatter it. I saw a cop demonstrate this once on an old Volvo and it was pretty impressive.

In my 44 years of driving I've never seen this happen... wouldn't it seem there must have been some defect or pevious stress that would have made it this vulnerable.

 

[SteveInSeattle]

It is Safety Glass. (Read the brand markings on the window).

 

[TomT]

I can't quite decode the markings on the driver and passenger door windows but the rear windows and hatch are clearly marked as tempered and are not safety. In any event, my earlier comment about it not being that uncommon stands for either as the cop demonstrated it on both in response to a similar question from the audience...

Here is a link to a demonstration:

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/82338657/#JCKRIGRqsB9ljvRh.03" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is Safety Glass. (Read the brand markings on the window).

 

[IBELEAF]

Interesting, there are ton of videos demonstrating that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=TaYeHc2zOMs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Herm]

Tempered glass is safety glass, by tempering stresses are set up inside the glass sheet.. when it break it shatters into many smaller pieces.. instead of larger shards that can injure you.

Windshield glass does the same but has a plastic membrane lamination that keeps it in one piece. Many cars are using laminated glass even on the side windows, to keep noise down.

 

[TomT]

To me, safety glass has always meant the type of glass that has a plastic membrane between two sheets as used in windshields. Plate glass and the like have always been tempered glass in my mind... That may be old-school however so I guess the membrane glass should be called Laminated Glass and the tempered/plate glass Safety Glass to avoid future confusion...

Tempered glass is safety glass, by tempering stresses are set up inside the glass sheet.. when it break it shatters into many smaller pieces.. instead of larger shards that can injure you. Windshield glass does the same but has a plastic membrane lamination that keeps it in one piece. Many cars are using laminated glass even on the side windows, to keep noise down.

 

[kubel]

To me, safety glass has always meant the type of glass that has a plastic membrane between two sheets as used in windshields. Plate gass and the like have always been tempered glass in my mind...

I think it means any glass that is designed with safety in mind. Some are laminated, some are tempered, some are wire-meshed.

 

[SteveInSeattle]

Auto Glass stores had it in stock! $239 installed.