Rear Window 2005 Coupe

Years ago it was over 100 degrees out. I walk out to car, open door and my back windshield shattered into a million pieces. It stayed intact. I took a pic, showed a neighbor before it crumbled.

H'm.

Pure speculation: Possibly there are fitup issues with those curved windows and it was installed stressed. A little thermal movement of the window frame might have been the last straw for it. Was there perhaps bright sunshine hitting the car from one side or quarter, causing uneven heating around the window?

I'd also wonder if there's any possibility at all that it got hit by a stray BB shot or something.

-- Vandervecken

Bubba1 wrote:

One of the techs at the factory was trying to explain to me the bonding process for rear window that lets it "float". Done incorrectly, the stresses of heating/cooling can't be absorbed and the tempered glass lets loose all at once. These movements are minor but still need to be allowed for. Now, how badly were you hurt by the negligence of the manufacturer that is now captured on video? That bad, huh. Just kidding but it might cause some puckering if you sent a copy of the video to GM and a letter explaining how you are now afraid to drive the coupe because it could happen again and perhaps they would like to put you in a fully optioned 2006 convertible (or a ZO6 vert when they are released!) to alleviate your anxiety - worth a try.

Right on Vandervecken! My son heard his rear window shatter as he walked away from his car one night. He immediately assumed that it had just blown out for some unexplained reason. Then he saw several other cars in the lot of his apartment building with cracked glass. He called the cops who napped a kid with a BB gun in a neighboring apartment building.

I was just glad that it happened at home and was lucky that my security camera caught it. The tape only had a very few minutes left and when I realized that the tape may have gotten it, the tape was ejecten from the player. When I pushed in the tape it was just at the point of the police pulling in, for my insurence, I had to have a police report for glass coverage. I wouldn't beneifit from the tape because I do not sue people I believe that the sue me sue you laws are destroying our country, and the people that have a real lawsuit . For honest and actual damages are put through a ringer. I had glass in my eyes so a washed it out end of story. What the video did was show the, was that the car was not abused,the hatch wasn't open and slammed shut. or I didn't puy the can of wax on the window or any other dumb things that we all do from time to time. My only thought after being a lurker hear for a long time was with the vast amount of knowledge found on this news group someone may have heard of this being a problem. I may send the dvd to GM to show them what happened if I can find the correct person to send it to. It may have been a freak accident or may be something for GM to take a look at. This would have been a totally different story if it popped in a movie theater lot . I would have ssorn that it had to have been some kid. Sorry this is long but I needed a vent and you all seem to know your vettes so well I feel that you are the true experts... Thanks Again Bill

When I was in the plant last Sept. they were having an issue with some rear hatches and the window installation. There were a few sitting around in different stages of completion that they were working on. What the exact problem was is unknown to me but it did relate to the gluing process and/or fit.

ed, rear window intac

I think this should be covered by warranty. The most likely cause is a manufacturing defect in the glass. There are a lot of Corvettes out there that sit in hot sun for hours without the glass cracking.

Good luck!

Re: Sue me sue you

I know what you're saying and I agree for the most part. However, the rest of that story is that both sides would step up to the plate and do the right thing.

Seat tracks on a C5, coating coming off of the targa tops, steeering column locks (5 years to put the recal out for year 2000??) these are all "issues" that I feel GM should step up to the plate on, but they haven't. (Aside from the steering lock- I dont think they had a choice on that one.)

-Stan

That's interesting, my car was made in Sept 04, #2559

That's odd, so was mine # 4045 although I don't know the day.

My neighbor has #720 and has had many small problems and a few major that were fixed ASAP. One was the breaklines running to close to the exhaust and another was a yellow cable that controlled the driver seat. They were taken care of very quickly howewver he was told when he bought the car that it was a presentation model so he may have some problems. When he picked up his 05 it didn't have the outside emblems on it, they took a week to get. Also he was told that the first 700 cars went to Canada and Europe. I do remember him driving the car very early July / Augusty 04 and I had been calling around and no one in CT/NJ/NY had any to sell. He still breaks em off a little on that one but it's all in fun. One last thing when he picked up his car it only had 3 miles on it so it wasn't used as a demo I guess.

I agree with Mr. Lehew and the cost of the rear hatch glass has got to be pricey. I'd be a very unhappy customer if my dealer wasn't expiditing new glass along withthe factory installation support needed for the service department to get this car right. It's a Vette, you pay more, and you expect more. Your insurance shouldn't pay for GM's Q.C. issues.

The dealer did cover the glass and labor however if I didn't have the glass breaking on video it may have been another story. At the time the glass broke there were only six replacement or spare windows worldwide so I was lucky the car didn't sit around for months. Every day I thank God that I had a security camera and video on the car. Last thought ,the rear window cost was $730.00 plus shipping if I had to go that route.