We load up and head down the road to Kroger . Since we have aftermarket tint , we do NOT use the rear window defroster . We made quick work of shopping , return to the lot , load up and get in . I look into the rear view mirror and see the rear window in a million pieces . we go back into the store and ask the manager to look at the film from the lot . Nobody was around the HHR ...
Has anybody else had a window break because of cold weather ?

All State will do a replacement on Thursday .... Zero deductible ...

 

I have had this happen to friends (not HHRs). Basically, tempered glass windows are strong because the glass surface is in extreme tension. It's like a tight shrink-wrap around it. Once that tension is broken the glass basically disintegrates into small pieces due to the internal stress. It only takes a chip in the right place to cause a weak spot and then expansion/contraction from temeprature variations do the rest. Except for the windshield, the car windows are all tempered glass.

Steve

 

My 84 Trans Am the tinted rear window shattered while parked in my garage, never used the rear defroster. the dealership replaced and retinted it, the car was only 7 months old.
They explained it the same as fastsuv did. Glad to see that the insurance will replace with no deductible

 

Tempered glass is kind of a funny animal. Its pretty resistant to breakage from impacts, you would think would shatter it, but it is, under the right temperature and stress conditions prone to just shattering into thousands of pieces, for seemingly no reason. Have seen this over the years on pretty much any make of car, most usually the rear window. Someone years ago once told me that uneven temperature across the glass will often cause this, so I guess beware if part of that window is in the sun and part in the shade????? I would guess, and I am just guessing, within some range uneven temperatures are ok, beyond that range, not so much.

 

That's explains it . Wicked cold in Atlanta right now .... small chip .....
Thanks

 

Had it happen to me in the summer once, got in, hit the A/C, set it on high....and once the cold air hit the back window.....bang!

In the Charlotte area, we're supposed to get down to the neighborhood of 5-7 degrees above zero tonight, too cold for "The Sunny South".

 

I had a door window implode once, no other cars on the road, nearest place anybody could have been was the other side of the Potomac river at the Navy Yard. Didn't find any foreign objects inside the car.

 

not even a silver dollar! Don?

 

That would be the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg. That is a common mistake, one river south at his boyhood home.

 

I am a little embarrassed I did not know that!