Busted Door Window (due to sun / heat & high humidity)

[SS Mike]

Originally Posted by 67ponycar

...hello guys, come on, give me a break! ...the car was parked...and as a german fellow I'm always locking my cars ..even in my driveway ...it was sittting there next to the BMW till 7am ...never got touched, nor moved, nor opend or what ever...
It just happend without being anybody close...
AND: The dealer had the same issue on 2 further new vehicles on its lot, evenso no Camaros.

Now this is just a thought, but is it possible that someone was attempting to break into your car by putting something between the window and seal, and possibly pulled on the window by accident causing it to break? That would cause it to bow out, and obviously shatter like that.

I'm not ruling out the heat, just throwing all possible scenarios at you since I have never seen a car window do that just from sun exposure.

Hope you get the window fixed with no problems! Take care!

[2010SLVRBULIT]

farfen squirrels!

[xpanda305x]

Woahhh! thats weird!!! they should cover it tho! because it wasnt ur fault. its a manufacture fault!

Goodluck and keep us posted!!!

[2010 SSRS]

I had a 79 Cutlass a while back and the window shattered from the heat in my garage.

[monstertodd]

Ok,

I'm not a physics guy or anything, so don't flame me.

Just throwing this out there.......

Is it possible that the excessive heat inside the car caused an increase in internal air pressure, thus exerting extra force on the defective glass window, which caused it to shatter and bow out?

I realize the Camaro isn't sealed as tight as a submarine.........but what if? (x-files theme playing in the background)

Physics majors, what is the likelihood of this scenario playing out?

Best Regards,

Todd.


*edit.

After examining your pictures closer, I think the increased air pressure theory could be a real possibility. If you look at the second picture, notice how the window is more bowed out towards the aft end of the glass than the forward end (at least, that's how it looks in the picture). At this particular area, the glass doesn't form as nice of a seal as the upper, forward, and lower edges of the glass do.

It certainly seems plausible to me that the defective glass failed when increased air pressure trapped inside the car needed a place to escape.

Call me crazy but...........anyone else agree?

[Dr Jkel]

At least you live in God's Country, ROLL TIDE ROLL, Sorry about your car, maybe they will get it fixed

[jtzako]

I've seen that happen before. Basically if the inside of the car is too hot (and especially if it is humid) and you dont have the windows cracked open, or the car A/C set on "vent" mode it can build up pressure.

It normally shouldnt happen though, I would think there had to be some weakness in the window to begin with for that to happen so quickly.

[Russo]

Originally Posted by monstertodd

It certainly seems plausible to me that the defective glass failed when increased air pressure trapped inside the car needed a place to escape.

Call me crazy but...........anyone else agree?

no, can't happen... not on any car.. there are holes and gaps every where... the AC is a big one... also, the tempering process is a cop out cause if it were defected, it would have blew up on the assembly line or at the latest, in transit... i don't see how GM should warranty it... i would check the thermal stress potential of the tint..
http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iii/otm_iii_4.html

[MikeZ28]

Yeah, there are too many vents and ways for air to escape from the interior of a car for this to be some kind of air pressure thing.

I've heard cold water from a sprinkler or garden hose can crack a hot car windshield, but I think the OP probably would have mentioned if something like that was around.

[97one]

I think is was caused by the tint foil you added or had added............JMO

As Russo also said...check the thermal stress potential of that tint..

[Dexcam1]

Originally Posted by Russo

doubt the heat broke the window... unless it got over 1200 degrees... my guess is that while the glass was hot, something hit it which is very possible

This is what happened to my dad's back window on one of his cars in Lousisana while I was visiting last week. Exact same shatter pattern. Only difference is that about 10 min. prior, one of my cousins kids hit a few cars with some rocks including my SW SS/RS which now has a few scratches on the roof . But at least my window wasn't broken. That really sucks. Sorry dude.:(

[67ponycar]

OK, guys, an update to ya'll!
First of all, I would like to thank you for all your thoughts and ideas - great ideas!
I did not expect that much respond.

2nd: The good news: The GM Area representive looked at it & GM covers everything! After a little discussion they even put my "in law sepcs" tinting back on
They had a kind of an hard argue anyway, because 2 new GM vehicles without tintig busted on theirlot during the weekend also

But let me reply with some experience I collected during my 21 years as an Engineer at Porsche AG and Mercedes Benz AG.
Pls don't get me wrong, I just want you guys not be fouled around by GM-Dealers, because I figured out, that they try to play games...
All vehicles have air outlet vents (mostly hidden behind the rear bumper ...or like my 81 El Camino right at the B-Billar or as the Porsche 911 near the Front Axle Shocks ...which might sound to some of you very weired) to get the air out out the cabin.
This air comes e.g. in trough the A/C-System, or e.g. while closing the doors (...with closed outlet vents you really have to slam the dors to close them propper).
Nowadays engineering goal is, to get the car as sealed as possible (...e.g. for ride comfort, windnoises, roadnoise, bodynoise etc.)
For example to design / engineer an A/C-System the Engineers seal those outlet vents and all gaps with tape and blow basically the car up (just like a ballon) to calculate the power/airflow of an A/C Blower Motor to ensure enough airflow under all circumstances (e.g. high speed which basically creates a vacuum on most areas around the car).
So high interior pressure (which can not occure on customer cars due to the existing outlet vents) does not bother windows at all.
During my time with both german car manutacturers we had plenty busted side windows or moonroofs / sunroofs, yes, even full glas roofs while testing in Laredo or the Death Valley (funny wise never in cold areas like Canada or Sweden at winter Tests), and analyses in the labs show always a temperature treatment issue while the glas was produced at the supliers. Those glases are built with a special designed tension for e.g. crash reasons or to resist "break in punches", but if some factors (e.g. time/ temperature) run out of target, the glases become out of spec - Results: see my pics.
OK, talking about NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) and outlet vents let me please add this too:
I read that many complain (just like me) about the loud road noise coming from the back. ...I liked all the ideas with the inexpensive HomeDepo noise dampening foils as well as the more expensive stuff (rubburized alu foils)... but an easy and very effective way is to put a "foam" (fabric) on the inside of the bumper where the outlet vents are ....and put some kind of "shell" "(e.g. a cut out tupper ware box...also insulated on the inside with this foam / fabric) on the inside (trunk side) above this outlet vent ...so this will "eat up" a lot of road noise.
For best noise cancelation results put a heavy (I would say almost rubberized foam over the wheel houses. Rubberized Alu Foil will not help much on the wheelhouses, because that foil cancels only deep (30...50 Hz)frequences which are transfered through big "flat"sheet metals. Wheelhouses (due to their design) transfer "high pitch" frequencies ...over 400 Hz (e.g. rain splash)
Well, Ok, I guess I talk to much!

[One Mean Chevy]

Hmm, Is it possible it was a combination of the Heat and the window Indexing holding the window up with too much pressure?

[u812]

Thanks for info, interesting stuff.
I will definitely do the wheel well thing as I do get allot of rear wheel noise in the cab.