The weidest thing happened today.....

[fergies]

Went out shopping, came home parked car in & locked garage, about an hour later there was a loud bang checked garage to see if something had fallen down.

Walked past car and there was my back rhs cargo window (station wagon) totally crazed & shattered but all intact in the frame. No sign of anything that had fallen or hit it to cause this to happen.

I suspect the only thing holding it there at the moment is the tinting.

Anyone ever heard of this happening and know the cause?

My next question is...is it expensive and hard to replace?

I assume a second hand one from the wreckers that's if I can find a wreckers or a window anywhere in the Hervey Bay area as that's where I am currently located for the moment much to my dislike. The place really sucks for decent mechanics, service and parts!

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris

[Morton]

Yeah, this has been known to happen - very rarely, but it does happen. There have been reports of it occurring with crocktop lids and glass tableware too. It's something to do with the hardening process involved in making the glass. If the window has suffered a shock of any form in its life, it can weaken the structure of the glass. If the glass was aftermarket and made overseas, some countries are known to have lower glassmaking standards. There was probably something wrong with the molecular structure of the glass during the tempering process. (I'm assuming the old glass in these cars was still tempered back in the day).

I did a quick bit of research for you, here's the best explanation I could find:

"When glass is heat-treated, the nickel sulfide inclusions are modified into a form that grows or transforms with time and temperature. Once glass is installed and the nickel sulfide inclusions are solar heated, small cracks may develop from the inclusion. If these cracks penetrate the tension layer of fully tempered glass, the resulting release of energy will cause the glass to spontaneously break."

[stocky]

dan, youre bored arent you

[azkwazere]

dan, youre bored arent you

oh he'd have to be....

aZk.

[Morton]

I have no money for petrols