Driver side front window exploded on me today

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:42 pm

I was driving down the interstate just minding my own business and boom! I was in the left lane, nobody in front of me. It was hot here today.. bout 97 degrees.. I had my AC on high.. I honestly think the window was defective. I had my local dealer take pictures and will be submitting it to Chrysler in the morning. I'm hoping they will cover all this under warranty. It did a number on my paint on the two doors and fender flares all will need repaint. I've not heard of this happening before with jeeps. Anyone else have any experience? I'm REALLY hoping Chrysler steps up to the plate here. Jeeps a little over a year and a half old.. I was pissed at first now I'm just bummed!

I do have pics but there's nothing really to show, most of the glass is still out on the road as it "exploded" not imploded. In a few of the pics you can clearly see the glass that's shattered is leaning towards the outside of the window.

501 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:11 pm

WOW, never heard of this happening before! :shock:

cgass · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:24 pm

This is new to me. Did you have any signs of stress in the glass before it happened? Small cracks or anything like that. I guess its a good thing that most of the glass exploded outwards, it could have been a much worse scenario :dead:

I don't see how chrysler could possibly deny you for warranty repair

jonrjen · **Joined:** Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:53 pm **Posts:** 60

Let us know how it turns out with Jeep picking up the bill. Might also want to check with your insurance and see if this would be covered under your Com Coverage and go ahead and get it fixed. Chrysler could always later cover the expense or at least the deductable.
While it is rare, windows do have a limited history of explosion due to various reasons IE: not being tempered correctly.

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:13 pm

Chrysler answered today.. warranty work was denied. Their official policy (which i need to get in writing from them) is glass is covered only for 12k miles or 12months whichever comes first. I'm over both.. I guess its not worth fighting.. if its their policy its pretty cut and dried... I'll be running it through insurance.. $500 bucks down the drain!

jonrjen · **Joined:** Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:53 pm **Posts:** 60

That information is in the front of your warranty handbook under limited 36/36,000 warranty..there are a couple of exclusions. One of which is window glass.
I was going to mention that earlier, but thought that maybe it only applied to the windshield.
FWIW, Ford has the same warranty excape clause when it comes to glass. My 06 F-250 winshield has a small stress crack appear at 9,000 miles. So in my great wisdom I figured I would wait until it either spread or nearer to 36,000 miles and then enjoy a new windshield at Fords expense....WRONG!!!! Glass only carried a 12/12,000 warranty.

sota · **Joined:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:44 pm **Posts:** 379

Make sure you write back to the warranty peeps and thank them for their time. also inform them that you'll be reporting the incident to the NTSB as exploding window glass on a vehicle is a definite safety hazzard. and make sure you DO report it.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 04, 2011 1:10 pm

sota wrote:

Make sure you write back to the warranty peeps and thank them for their time. also inform them that you'll be reporting the incident to the NTSB as exploding window glass on a vehicle is a definite safety hazzard. and make sure you DO report it.

Yeah and waste more tax payers $$$$ :roll:

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Thu Aug 04, 2011 3:21 pm

Update, I did end up calling the warranty 800 number and they created a case and someone will be calling me back within 1 business day. When the gentleman pulled up my vin he saw no record of a warranty claim but said he can't see some that get entered. He definitely said he had NEVER heard of this before and created a case. I guess its worth another shot. Crossing my fingers. Maybe at the very least they would offer to assist with part of my deductible??

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Thu Aug 04, 2011 3:35 pm

I now think I may know what happened.. After I've thought about it, when I used to roll up the window on the drivers side it stoped at the top and then it would creak a little. I'm wondering if the window motor or "guide" is off a little and was putting too much "closed" tension on the glass. Glass tends to expand am i wrong? Also right before it went boom I had hit a stretch of interstate that has a large dip in it that really flexes the suspension and body. pair the body flex, with a tight window and expanded heated glass..
Anyway - here are some pictures from my cell.

sota · **Joined:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:44 pm **Posts:** 379

tjkj2002 wrote:

sota wrote:

Make sure you write back to the warranty peeps and thank them for their time. also inform them that you'll be reporting the incident to the NTSB as exploding window glass on a vehicle is a definite safety hazzard. and make sure you DO report it.

Yeah and waste more tax payers $$$$ :roll:

hey, it's my money... i can waste it if I want.

DoubleK · **Posted:** Tue Aug 09, 2011 12:15 pm

Damnnnnnnn never heard of that happening before... wow :shock:

jon153 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 09, 2011 9:14 pm

I'm not sure about your state but in South Carolina all perimeter glass is a no-deductible replacement if you have full coverage by state law. So you may just want to check with your insurance to see if it is also the case. Where I live is so backwards-assed that I can't believe that we are the only state to have that law.

Rulez · **Joined:** Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:25 am **Posts:** 37

Report it to nhtsa, not ntsb. And its not a waste of taxpayer money. They're there and getting paid anyway!! You think they're going to hire an extra person just to process this claim? Remember the pinto? Side saddle gas tanks? Toyotas sticking accelerators? Report saftey defects. It's the only way they get fixed.
Rant over.

BrendonR · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:14 am

SD-KJ wrote:

I now think I may know what happened.. After I've thought about it, when I used to roll up the window on the drivers side it stoped at the top and then it would creak a little. I'm wondering if the window motor or "guide" is off a little and was putting too much "closed" tension on the glass. Glass tends to expand am i wrong? Also right before it went boom I had hit a stretch of interstate that has a large dip in it that really flexes the suspension and body. pair the body flex, with a tight window and expanded heated glass..
Anyway - here are some pictures from my cell.

Sounds like a reasonable assessment to me... certainly sounds plausible anyways...

Good luck.

JetRollin11 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:36 pm

gotta get that ish tinted mang... xtra protection against death-shatter. :grim:

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:15 am

Heard back from Jeep on monday with a letter... Their not liable for any damage. Thanks and have a nice day. :evil:

That was a complete waste of two weeks of my life! On to insurance BS..

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:18 am

jon153 wrote:

I'm not sure about your state but in South Carolina all perimeter glass is a no-deductible replacement if you have full coverage by state law. So you may just want to check with your insurance to see if it is also the case. Where I live is so backwards-assed that I can't believe that we are the only state to have that law.

I looked through my entire policy, nothing like that in South Dakota. The only glass assistance i get is to fix chips free of charge. Any other glass or damage is either your deductible or out of pocket.

Driver side front window exploded on me today

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