Spontaneous shattering of rear window.

kifuff · 01-09-2011, 08:18 AM

Woke up to find it had been a cold night.. Ice on the car.
Few hours later came out of the house to go to the supermarket. Rear window completely shattered. Initially thought someone had vandalised the car but not the case. No alrms on the car had gone off.
Neighbours had gone out 45 minutes before and the window was fine then....

Car has been taken in to dealer but has anyone had anything like this happened to them before.

I have heard of sunroof windows going pop and rear windows on Minis but not on an M3 Coupe (2009)...

What a way to start the new year...

Z06M3 · 01-09-2011, 09:04 AM

I haven't heard of this on the M's but I have run into this problem before. I was told that the air pressure in the car built up and caused the back window to explode. Might have had a hairline crack which might was the point of failure. They should be able to determine if something was thrown at the window otherwise warranty should take care of it. I'm assuming no tint as that should have kept the window from shattering. Keep us posted!

MDyDinanM · 01-09-2011, 09:49 AM

I hope between you and the BMW dealership you can prove that there was a flaw in the window that caused it to crack, otherwise this may not be covered under warranty. If so, then hopefully your insurance company has glass replacement as part of the policy and you would just have to pay a deductible.

ersin · 01-09-2011, 10:02 AM

I never heard of it happening to glass, but I had a 1994 Miata with a plastic back window. One cold morning I was driving to work and when the engine warmed up sufficiently I turned the heater on. The resulting pressure in the cabin was enough to crack the brittle plastic window with a loud pop. This was known issue with the Miata's plastic rear windows but the newer ones with the glass windows didn't have that problem.

It shouldn't be a big deal to replace. Even if you have to take care of it yourself it won't be too expensive -- no more than a few hundred bucks, which relatively speaking, on a $60K+ car is not bad. Take care to vacuum out all of the little shards of glass in the interior before replacement, even if you have to do it yourself. Inspect it to make sure. It's a bitch to clean near the back window. Good luck.

Cheers.

Prince_of_Persia · 01-09-2011, 10:04 AM

Sorry to hear that OP. I hope your warranty covers it. It is getting really cold in my city (Calgary) as well, I hope it doesn't happen to mine

FruitCake · 01-09-2011, 11:00 AM

I think I've heard of this stuff happening back in the day on M3Forum with the E46 but never with the E92

PKL · 01-09-2011, 11:15 AM

This happened to my Toyota 4runner

DBH · 01-09-2011, 11:30 AM

This usually doesn't happen these days. Most mfg's use tempered glass which is not prone to shattering. However they can shatter if there is a crack or imperfection present. If there doesn't appear to be any evidence of vandalism, try your BMW dealer to see if they will replace under warrenty. If not, hope you have glass coverage under your insurance policy. Good luck!!

kifuff · 01-09-2011, 02:07 PM

Thanks for all the responses... This is what it looked like.

NYCMCBM3 · 01-09-2011, 02:12 PM

very strange

too bad you didn't have tints , then you would have that mess in your back seat

kifuff · 01-09-2011, 02:22 PM

Sorry forgot the rest of the pictures...

Dannys M3 · 01-09-2011, 06:05 PM

TommyK · 01-09-2011, 11:14 PM

how strange. hope it all gets settled

Sean@PYSpeed.com · 01-09-2011, 11:17 PM

I've heard of this on sunroofs. But not too sure about rear windshields.

kifuff · 01-10-2011, 05:28 AM

The service manager at the local BMW dealer came to the conclusion that the cause was indeterminate- in other words they don't know and therefore BMW's line is you pay for it but we will as they put it investigate.

01-09-2011, 08:18 AM	#1
kifuff Registered 3 Rep 4 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne England iTrader: (0)	Spontaneous shattering of rear window. Woke up to find it had been a cold night.. Ice on the car. Few hours later came out of the house to go to the supermarket. Rear window completely shattered. Initially thought someone had vandalised the car but not the case. No alrms on the car had gone off. Neighbours had gone out 45 minutes before and the window was fine then.... Car has been taken in to dealer but has anyone had anything like this happened to them before. I have heard of sunroof windows going pop and rear windows on Minis but not on an M3 Coupe (2009)... What a way to start the new year...
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01-09-2011, 09:04 AM	#2
Z06M3 ///M... 19 Rep 265 Posts Drives: 15 Z06 \| 16 M3 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	I haven't heard of this on the M's but I have run into this problem before. I was told that the air pressure in the car built up and caused the back window to explode. Might have had a hairline crack which might was the point of failure. They should be able to determine if something was thrown at the window otherwise warranty should take care of it. I'm assuming no tint as that should have kept the window from shattering. Keep us posted!
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01-09-2011, 09:49 AM	#3
MDyDinanM OIF Veteran 246 Rep 2,106 Posts Drives: ///M Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: East Coast iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M5 [6.88]	I hope between you and the BMW dealership you can prove that there was a flaw in the window that caused it to crack, otherwise this may not be covered under warranty. If so, then hopefully your insurance company has glass replacement as part of the policy and you would just have to pay a deductible. __________________ Retired: '06 BMW E46 ///M3 Current: '08 BMW E60 DINAN ///M5, Interlagos Blue, SMG DINAN Stage 2 Suspension, Exhaust, Stage III Software, Front strut braces, Intakes, 13% Underdrive pulley, 3.91 Differential, RPI Scoops.
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01-09-2011, 10:02 AM	#4
ersin Brigadier General 126 Rep 4,144 Posts Drives: 17 YMB F80 M3 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland iTrader: (1)	I never heard of it happening to glass, but I had a 1994 Miata with a plastic back window. One cold morning I was driving to work and when the engine warmed up sufficiently I turned the heater on. The resulting pressure in the cabin was enough to crack the brittle plastic window with a loud pop. This was known issue with the Miata's plastic rear windows but the newer ones with the glass windows didn't have that problem. It shouldn't be a big deal to replace. Even if you have to take care of it yourself it won't be too expensive -- no more than a few hundred bucks, which relatively speaking, on a $60K+ car is not bad. Take care to vacuum out all of the little shards of glass in the interior before replacement, even if you have to do it yourself. Inspect it to make sure. It's a bitch to clean near the back window. Good luck. Cheers. __________________ 2017 F80 YMB.
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01-09-2011, 10:04 AM	#5
Prince_of_Persia Colonel 248 Rep 2,513 Posts Drives: 6MT E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC iTrader: (1)	Sorry to hear that OP. I hope your warranty covers it. It is getting really cold in my city (Calgary) as well, I hope it doesn't happen to mine __________________ AW\|FR 6MT E92 ///M3
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01-09-2011, 11:00 AM	#6
FruitCake Banned 88 Rep 1,680 Posts Drives: '10 E92 M3 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (19)	I think I've heard of this stuff happening back in the day on M3Forum with the E46 but never with the E92
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01-09-2011, 11:15 AM	#7
PKL Brigadier General 848 Rep 3,274 Posts Drives: 2020 M4, 2022 X6 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Fernando Valley iTrader: (1)	This happened to my Toyota 4runner __________________
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01-09-2011, 11:30 AM	#8
DBH First Lieutenant 3 Rep 349 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 E92 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SE PA iTrader: (0)	This usually doesn't happen these days. Most mfg's use tempered glass which is not prone to shattering. However they can shatter if there is a crack or imperfection present. If there doesn't appear to be any evidence of vandalism, try your BMW dealer to see if they will replace under warrenty. If not, hope you have glass coverage under your insurance policy. Good luck!!
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01-09-2011, 02:07 PM	#9
kifuff Registered 3 Rep 4 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne England iTrader: (0)	Thanks for all the responses... This is what it looked like. Attached Images
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01-09-2011, 02:12 PM	#10
NYCMCBM3 Colonel 167 Rep 2,711 Posts Drives: 2012 MCB E92 M3 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: South Ozone Park,NY iTrader: (13)	very strange too bad you didn't have tints , then you would have that mess in your back seat __________________ 2012 MCB///M3
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01-09-2011, 02:22 PM	#11
kifuff Registered 3 Rep 4 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne England iTrader: (0)	Sorry forgot the rest of the pictures... Attached Images
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01-09-2011, 06:05 PM	#12
Dannys M3 Captain 71 Rep 733 Posts Drives: Jaguar F Type R Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Florida iTrader: (3) Garage List 2008 M3 [10.00]	There are many cases of shattered glass. Could be related to the glass manufacturer. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=shattered http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=shattered http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=shattered http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=shattered http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=shattered http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=shattered http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=shattered http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=shattered
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01-09-2011, 11:14 PM	#13
TommyK Brigadier General 119 Rep 3,325 Posts Drives: E90 335i LCI Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (9) Garage List 2009 BMW 335i LCI [0.00] 2006 E90 330i [0.00]	how strange. hope it all gets settled
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01-09-2011, 11:17 PM	#14
Sean@PYSpeed.com Major General 306 Rep 8,952 Posts Drives: 2009 AW E92 M3 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (22)	I've heard of this on sunroofs. But not too sure about rear windshields.
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01-10-2011, 05:28 AM	#15
kifuff Registered 3 Rep 4 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne England iTrader: (0)	The service manager at the local BMW dealer came to the conclusion that the cause was indeterminate- in other words they don't know and therefore BMW's line is you pay for it but we will as they put it investigate.
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