When the glass is whole and intact, this expansion and contraction is completely harmless and unnoticeable. But when there’s a chip or crack in it, the glass gets continuously more damaged with every expansion and contraction. Eventually, this causes it to shatter as though it had just been struck by something large.
Why would a back car window shatter?
Extreme heat causes expansion. A crack or nick in your auto glass can grow as the glass expands under the heat. In addition, too much heat on one side of the glass can cause the glass to expand on that side, but not the other. … Whether heat or cold, the process of thermal stress is a common cause of auto glass damage.
Why did my window randomly shatter?
If a window suddenly breaks without warning, it is probably because at some point during the installation, the edges were chipped and caused the glass to sit improperly within the frame. This happens so much that scientists have given this phenomenon a name. They call it spontaneous glass breakage.
Can I drive with a shattered back window?
For most situations, it’s not a safety issue to drive with broken car glass, but it should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible. In the meantime, you should clear away the broken glass and cover the window.
How much does it cost to replace a driver side window?
Typical costs: Replacing the glass for a standard passenger or driver side car window costs $100-$350, depending on the model of vehicle. Windows for rare or exotic vehicles can cost more. Users report paying $70-180 to replace a standard side car window.
Can glass just break for no reason?
Exploding glass is a phenomenon by which toughened glass (or tempered) may spontaneously break (or explode) without any apparent reason. The most common causes are: … Binding of the glass in the frame, causing stresses to develop as the glass expands and contracts due to thermal changes or deflects due to wind.
How can I temporarily fix my car window?
Create A Temporary Window
- On the outside window, stretch a piece of clear tape from the top of the window to the bottom.
- Continue to layer pieces of tape across the window. …
- A clear, temporary “window” begins to take shape.
- Repeat until the area is covered. …
- Follow the same process on the inside window.