Nissan sentra !exploding! Winshield

[rene149]

Greetings….

Just wanted to share with you a , and I would appreciate if any of you or anyone you know have had the same experience.

I have a 2005 Nissan Sentra GSX. For the past several months I have not been using it as much as I wanted to limit the kilometer reading as I was planning to sell it. Last October 13, 2009 while I was on my way out of my house to use another car, and while my Sentra was parked in my covered garage, we heard a small explosion coming from the garage. As we looked around on what could have caused the explosion. We where surprised that the rear windshield of the Sentra had a big hole on it and the whole rear windshield shattered.

My first impression that something hit the car that made a big hole, when we where certain that no one could have thrown anything at it nor anything could have fallen, I looked back at the windshield and was surprised that the glass portion of the hole was intact – OUTSIDE THE CAR. Checking closely I noticed that a relatively large number of shattered glass where also OUTSIDE THE CAR. Checking the backseats, there where a few bits of shattered glass but not as much as the ones found outside the car.

The large portion of the glass was right at the bottom of the rear windshield like it just slid off the lower part of the rear windshield (pictured where everything was after the incident)

(view pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/rene149/...ingWindshield#)

I also did not find any explosive materials inside the car cabin, no canisters or anything. The weather that day was cloudy and cool. Definitely no one was inside since the car was LOCKED. Checking the large part of broken glass, there was also no trace of anything that could it that hard to do such damage, as there would have been a scratch or some evidence it there was.

As you look at the pictures, you will notice that the budge on the windshield coming from the hole is in an OUTWARD direction. I can only assume that the windshield gave way and just simply exploded FROM THE INSIDE-OUT—question is HOW and WHY? IS THIS A FACTORY DEFECT of this model?

I am also a car enthusiast and have owned a number of vehicles in throughout my years, and never have I experienced this. I have also worked with two very large vehicle service companies for several years and I have even did business with insurance companies but I have not heard of something like this. Unfortunately, because of the slow down in business late last year I did not have my insurance renewed this year.

Any suggestions from the group how this thing happened? What are my options, asides from shouldering the cost of a new windshield?

Can you also direct me to any other groups where I can post this? I just wanted to get some opinions and similar experiences if any. Thanks!

More power to the group!

-ReneC
Quezon City

[rai711]

Maybe naiwan mo naka ON yung heater mo sir sa windshield then naka rekta yung heater mo sir sa battery. Kaya sya nag explode or pumutok.

[Memphis Raines]

My wild guess is that the switch for the rear defogger somehow shorted and it activated the defogger which emits heat. Pair that with the closed cabin and we got ourselves a small oven.

Just a wild guess.

I guess.

[rene149]

Thanks for the input!

Could be... but as you know the climate control is off when the switch is off... Shorted.... maybe....but if that's the case since I have not used the car for 2 weeks prior to the incident, the battery should have been drained. Battery is over a year old.

[georgeousairess]

i had experienced this , sir may parking po ba un car niu??? and meaning 5yo. po nacia with u same with me if constant heating and cooling of windshield will affect the solid density of the mirror sir hindi lang po kau nkaexperience nia even me, what happened is i always use my car remember that in mm the temp is 30c, this is the explanation to this constant heating of mirror surface may be the cause of ur crack windshield remember glass can be transform to liquid to solid, thus glass windshield when heated un solid particles nia expands when solid expands it emits gas which is can cause hot temp inside car cabin or heated or hot windshield surface what u had experience is sublimation perse pansinin niu un maga natira na broken glass sa windshield maliliit un broken glass or creases. and un mga glass particles nia maliit i had experience this from hot sunny day bigla umulan my car is 7yo older tas bigla ngcrack cia then suddenly my windshield broke into pieces.

[georgeousairess]

sir not factory deffect ....... talaga ganun lang talaga or baka po nkatira kau sa humid place thats why po

[georgeousairess]

in fairness po sa nissan ok naman cia what happen to u parang asa wear and tear po.... un nga lang ngaun sobra ngkakaubusan ng parts

[speed unlimited]

Pinakamaganda kung nakaparked naman sa covered garage kotse mo maglagay ka na lang ng puwang sa bintana para lumabas ang init sa loob lalo na pag nakabilad sasakyan mo sa araw.

[dr. d]

my guess is, it's a factory defect.
contrary to common knowledge, glass is supercooled liquid. and tempered glass is supercooled liquid under pressure. prone to shattering. no need for something to hit the glass. it's a time bomb waiting to explode from the time lt left the factory. and it's really relatively common.
insurance will probably cover it. and don't you believe them when they say it's an act of God.
by the way, ang hirap talaga basahin ang message na may napakaraming "shortcut". ano ba yang ginagamit niya, cellphone? heh heh.