Rear Window Explodes, No Clue Why?????

[Tabman10]

Shattering rear glass has been a Ford problem for a long time. I have dealt with it on the F150 side, where it is still too common. Be careful using the rear defrost too (if you live in cold areas), I've had mine burn up for no reason and plenty of people tying use to shattering rear windows. It would be interesting to know if Ford specs their rear windows to different standards than other OEMs...

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[Silver-Bolt]

Ford has a history with rear window failures. The F-Series trucks if you use the rear window defroster you are dancing with disaster.

 

[RHeinz]

After sitting open for several hours in the west Texas sun, mine exploded as I was closing it. May have bumped an awning pole…. but not completely sure it did.

Fortunately, when I returned to Houston, there was a replacement window in stock at one of the other Ford dealers. ”My” Ford dealer charged me around $2,200 to fix!!! This included the cost of one of the plastic hinge covers…$50.00 IIRC, as the “tech” who removed the first one obviously had no clue how to get it off and broke all of the retaining clips.

I would go to an auto glass vendor and get a replacement quote before going to a Ford Dealer.

 

[jrollo7]

Leprechauns

 

[wjtinfwb]

Exploding glass is a relatively rare, but not unusual occurrence. My Gen 1 Focus SVT windshield didn't explode but while driving down a smooth surface street at about 40 mph i heard a very loud "bang" that sounded like a firecracker going off inside the car. Immediately a huge crack occurred at the bottom right corner of the glass which quickly spread across the glass. The car was 8 years old but garaged and in mint condition. I called Safelite, their tech who came out to replace said they see this more often than you might think. The small imperfections and bubbles in the glass from manufacturing can fracture, sometimes from heat/cold, sometimes the flex in the body or even a slight about of pressure, like washing the car. If Ford won't warranty it, I'd get a price from Safelite, they replaced the rear hatch glass (our fault) in our brand new Volvo XC90 a few years ago, ordered the glass from Volvo and did an excellent job installing it.

 

[BadlandsA51]

Did you have it tinted? I’ve read on other forums that tinted glass shatters more than untinted glass. I certainly don’t have any proof, just what I’ve read.

Tint film will hold the glass together if it breaks.

 

[Big Boss]

the rear window is made from tempered glass.

a small imperfection (usually during manufacture or installation) will cause the glass to spontaneously unload from the manufactured stressed state to an unstressed state.

my aunt's new subaru's rear window exploded while parked at my mom's house. replaced by the dealer at no cost

This ^ That's what tempered glass does if theres flaws in it. Could have happened during tempering, during installation or just happened. Does it suck, yes it does.

 

[GloNDark]

I have read a few other posts that suspected that the rear defroster failed and stayed on causing the glass to shatter.

 

[Twister22]

Ford won't warranty glass! My F150 Raptor rear glass exploded for no reason, Ford denied it!!

 

[new to bronco]

Every time I close the tailgate, I see the glass flexing, can’t be good long term..

 

[Jim@WILDHORSES]

My 2021 4 door did this rear hatch exploding thing today just sitting. Looked out and saw the gas shocks pointed out the back??? Now for some context this rig was rolled over a year ago, might even be 2 years. It has been my daily since last summer. Who knows? It's still annoying and probably going to cost more than some of the soft tops I have in the warehouse. Summer time so I think it's a good excuse to take to top off. I should have a good 6 months to decide what next.

Jim

 

[younglefthander]

My 2021 4 door did this rear hatch exploding thing today just sitting. Looked out and saw the gas shocks pointed out the back??? Now for some context this rig was rolled over a year ago, might even be 2 years. It has been my daily since last summer. Who knows? It's still annoying and probably going to cost more than some of the soft tops I have in the warehouse. Summer time so I think it's a good excuse to take to top off. I should have a good 6 months to decide what next.

Jim

Interesting that it exploded year after a roll over. Was the top replaced? I had a new window put in week before Supercell, but it was an OEE. Was not happy with the way it seated, it wasn't flush with the real pillars, tech came out thinking window could be adjusted, it cannot be adjusted. So I requested a new one and just today had an OEM put in. Insurance covered the difference. The window tech said if this happens again, he would have Ford look at the top being misaligned. Hopefully I don't have to go down this road again.

 

[Jim@WILDHORSES]

Interesting that it exploded year after a roll over. Was the top replaced? I had a new window put in week before Supercell, but it was an OEE. Was not happy with the way it seated, it wasn't flush with the real pillars, tech came out thinking window could be adjusted, it cannot be adjusted. So I requested a new one and just today had an OEM put in. Insurance covered the difference. The window tech said if this happens again, he would have Ford look at the top being misaligned. Hopefully I don't have to go down this road again.

Top was completely off a while ago to swap out the air bags. Top has not been replaced. It held up pretty good in the roll, unlike the doors, fenders and quarters which all got replaced. You can defiantly tell it been on it's lid. Windshield frame and front glass still need to be fixed but it does not leak.

Jim

 

[hemiblas]

Interesting that it exploded year after a roll over. Was the top replaced? I had a new window put in week before Supercell, but it was an OEE. Was not happy with the way it seated, it wasn't flush with the real pillars, tech came out thinking window could be adjusted, it cannot be adjusted. So I requested a new one and just today had an OEM put in. Insurance covered the difference. The window tech said if this happens again, he would have Ford look at the top being misaligned. Hopefully I don't have to go down this road again.

This wasnt covered under warranty? I'd open a case with Ford.

 

[AreUgettingEnufCaffeine]

Saw this and people talking bout their experiences..mine makes noise like someone walked by and hit it, but nobody there, randomly

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