Rear window shattered without impact

[dantheman68]

Hey all, new to me 2021 F150 owner as of about 6 weeks ago. Its been hot here for 3+ days (mid 90's) I ran some errands mid day yesterday and parked in the driveway then I came out in the evening to take my daughter to softball and opened the back door to put her stuff in and noticed the whole rear window was spider webbed. I shut the door and the window broke apart like you see below.

Is this avoidable? Its been parked outside for a week or so and only been really hot the last 3, but I would think mid 90's aren't that hot compared to how hot it gets in other areas in the country. I didn't hear any impacts or go off roading or do anything that I would think damage the window and it was all in place so I don't think something hit it.

Sponsored

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Damn that sucks. While uncommon this is not unheard of with the 14th gen's. At least it's not a slider window so the cost to replace it will be a little less.

Most common causes are rock impacts from things like weed trimmers etc or that mean little red-headed shit that lives down the street. This can also be caused by thermal stress, defects in the glass itself, or body flex.

 

[Brent@ANParts]

Could have definitely been a micro impact, something not noticeable right away but with the heat it quickly weakened the glass. I had that happen with a sunroof once before, pretty terrifying when it happens.

 

[Dakar09]

I've noticed an odd "wavy-ness" to the glass on my '24 and have often wondered if there is a potential structural issue with any of the panes. I would be surprised if there was some sort of impact on this rear glass, at least one that was sufficient enough to initiate the breakage. I would think the OP would find something in his bed or on the tonneau cover if it struck the rear glass.

 

[dantheman68]

I've noticed an odd "wavy-ness" to the glass on my '24 and have often wondered if there is a potential structural issue with any of the panes. I would be surprised if there was some sort of impact on this rear glass, at least one that was sufficient enough to initiate the breakage. I would think the OP would find something in his bed or on the tonneau cover if it struck the rear glass.

Exactly what I thought too. Also, the glass was entirely spiderwebbed and all in place until I shut the door. There were no holes that I noticed. the giant hole you see is the pressure of shutting the door blowing all the glass out into the bed. If it was something which I cant think of what it could have been it must have been small enough to not carry enough momentum to push entirely through the glass and just shatter it and deflect off.

I drove it earlier in the day too so its something that happened in a 3 hour period.

 

[Buyer2021]

Glass is interesting stuff, even the tiniest un-noticeable scratch, divot, or rare manufacturing / assembly defect can create a stress riser that may lay dormant for days / weeks / months.

Then, when subjected to a particular heating situation (e.g. partial sun / shade), the stresses may become significant and a traumatic failure such as yours may occur.

The root cause may have happened long ago.

Personally, I'd not lay blame on the product, it's rare but I'd put it in the 'stuff happens' category of life experiences and move on.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Glass is interesting stuff, even the tiniest un-noticeable scratch, divot, or rare manufacturing / assembly defect can create a stress riser that may lay dormant for days / weeks / months.

Then, when subjected to a particular heating situation (e.g. partial sun / shade), the stresses may become significant and a traumatic failure such as yours may occur.

The root cause may have happened long ago.

Personally, I'd not lay blame on the product, it's rare but I'd put it in the 'stuff happens' category of life experiences and move on.

Especially tempered glass. Laminated and pane glass behaves completely different.

 

[Buyer2021]

Especially tempered glass. Laminated and pane glass behaves completely different.

I think all are subject to the same basic underlying damage / stress-related characteristics / failure potential, perhaps to differing degrees, though certainly the shape and retention of pieces when they traumatically fail is different among the types you mention.

 

[antho]

I ran some errands mid day yesterday and parked in the driveway then I came out in the evening

How do you know there was not an impact?

 

[dantheman68]

Personally, I'd not lay blame on the product, it's rare but I'd put it in the 'stuff happens' category of life experiences and move on.

Yes, that is what I am doing seems like there is no defect or widespread issue. so I am aying the replacement and moving on. The glass guy left a few hours ago and its good as new.

I know there was some issue a generation or two ago with defroster or some glass defects, it seems that is not the case with the 14th gen.

 

[dantheman68]

How do you know there was not an impact?

I don't. I said I didn't think something hit it.

I already paid the glass guy and am moving on.

 

[tomcaudell]

FYI, Years ago my old truck was sitting in the driveway, very hot day and my wife decided to rinse the pollen off before we went to town. Oops cracked the windshield and spiderwebed the rear glass. The water was quite cold because she had been watering the garden when she decided to do this. Lesson learned.

 

[rr11]

Years back had a windshield split on a F450-based rescue unit. Had been setting on the ramp all day, got a call in the afternoon and when we started the engine the windshield split from left to right. No chips or cracks it just split from the heat and the vibration of the 7.3 starting.

Sponsored