I had quite a weird problem with my car on friday...

On Thursday I drove to my friends house in Birmingham and stayed there overnight, was driving back home on friday with 2 of my friends from down there when, 5 miles after we set off (with 235 miles still to go), this happened:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/nukez/carwindow.jpg

The window just blew out, the car was starting to steam up inside, so I put the de-mister on, next thing I know there's a huge BANG right next to me, and the window wasn't there... I was doing 50mph at the time and it scared me s**tless! Nobody was hurt, Although I had a fair bit of glass on my arms and legs, but I was wearing a jumper so none went in me.

Luckily about 100 yards down the road there was a layby. We were in that layby for 4 hours, and spent nearly an hour and a half (and £18 of credit) on the phone to my dad, insurance companies and RAC windows! A 5 hour trip back up home took 10 hours instead (we got back and went straight to the pub!).

I didn't have anything thrown at me, there was nobody around, and the way the glass shattered outwards it made it obvious that the de-mister blew the window out. I don't think temperature was an issue, it was quite warm outside (about 9-10C), and i didn't have the de-mister on full heat, plus the car wasn't that warm inside either.

When the bloke from RAC Windows finally found us (took him a while and a fair few phone calls), he pulled the door apart to fit the new window, and also pulled out a bit of plastic and told me that's from the window mechanism, so 2 things could have happened.

1. The window blowing out took the mechanism with it
2. The mechanism was already broken which weakened the old window and the slight temparature difference on both sides blew it out.

Which of the 2 above things would be the most likely/believable cause? as I'll have to say to Ford what happened when I go and get the mechanism fixed (should be covered under warrenty... Windows aren't though).

Has anyone ever heard of this happening before? I'm a bit wary now when I put the demister on incase it happens again.

I count myself lucky that I didn't panic and do anymore damage to the car.

Damn, I thought we would be discussing what's the best de-mister/heater/blower to clear the car windows after having hot sex on the back seat.

I think that window just really, really didn't want to be de-misted.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

I think that window just really, really didn't want to be de-misted.

It went out about 2 seconds after i put it on.... so you could see it as a quick way of de-misting it.

the window could have been cold, and the heat hitting the window and the air outside could have mixed and it just shattered.

I've never heard of anything like this before, even in super-cold weather. Something must've hit it - a stone or a bullet or something. Or - like you said - a broken mechanical wotsit in the door.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

I've never heard of anything like this before, even in super-cold weather. Something must've hit it - a stone or a bullet or something. Or - like you said - a broken mechanical wotsit in the door.

+1
well either that or it just got fundamentally fed up with being where it was

I've never heard of this before.

As kev said, something must have hit it without you noticing. Whether that be a small stone, or a boieng....no one knows....

Seem it happen before........was in a car park, someone got in, shut the door, 5 seconds later the window exploded similar to yours, apart from the whole thing went not just the middle section. they hadnt even turned the engine on or any heaters

Tension I would say, maybe window frame had bend or something like that caused tension and it did go past critical point as heat changed size of window and frame at different speed. But almost anything could be possible.

I know cases where rear window has blewn at hot summer day, has happened mostly in fairly new cars.

Glass is such material that it is quite difficult to weaken it without doing visible scratches or such, so it can't really go weak, AFAIK.

But indeed, weird thing :o

This happened a few times when I worked for a glazier. Car windows are heat-tempered to a state of high stress using a similar process as the safety glass we used for shower screens (not that awful shit with the wires in it we used clear panes a minimum of 10mm thick, industry standard). It makes them incredibly strong (I've seen grown, fat tradesmen ride bikes up these panes of glass into skips) but really brittle, hence the explosion of zillions of tiny granules when they do actually break. Maybe twice a year we would have someone call to tell us that a pane of their shower screen had spontaneously exploded. I'm not sure there's a single explanation other than to say that sometimes you get a pane with tiny hidden faults which express themselves at awkward moments. Glad noone was hurt!

Well, it IS a Ford...

Lol, j/k. If you were in the US, I WOULD actually blame it on that, but I know that Ford's European products are better quality. I'd say the odds are pretty low that something hit the SIDE window like that. I'd likely blame it on a faulty mechanism. Maybe that partially explains why the mechanism was broken - it wasn't quite right to begin with,and when the window finally went, the mechanism 'sproinged' apart. Maybe you hit a bump and didn't notice because all you heard was the glass break?

Quote from Stang70Fastback :

I know that Ford's European products are better quality.

I'll take same mushrooms he got

Quote from JTbo :

I'll take same mushrooms he got

Lol, are they really just as bad? I thought I'd heard somewhere that they were better...

Quote from Stang70Fastback :

Lol, are they really just as bad? I thought I'd heard somewhere that they were better...

Well, you earn place in heaven if you drive Ford

Opels do rust (Opel can make plastic to rust), Fords does not work or they just get broke, Volvos are farming equipment, so farming equipment sounds best of choices really.

Oh yes, there are some other makes but I better not get even started with those

Seriously though, Fords are perhaps not best quality products, but there are working Fords too
Anyway this Focus has had quite few difficulties, doors got rust in less than 3 years and there was problems with driveshafts, some other too, don't know how those compare to their bigger American cousins.

Can't now remember which car was famous about shattering rear window at hot summer day, I think it was Opel or Ford, but can't tell for sure.

seems the new fords are rubbish. glad i got my old ford! sat in a garage for 10 years, started first time

a ford eh? there have been incidents like this before says my lemon aid book.

I think that the demisters going on was just coincidence. Window might have shattered because something hit the window, probably a stone chucked up by a passing car/lorry/cyclist.
Then again..you did say you were just leaving Brummie land, so the odds on favourite is you picked up a stray bullet from a nearby gang war.

Quote from JTbo :

Well, you earn place in heaven if you drive Ford

Quote from JTbo :

Seriously though, Fords are perhaps not best quality products, but there are working Fords too
Anyway this Focus has had quite few difficulties, doors got rust in less than 3 years and there was problems with driveshafts, some other too, don't know how those compare to their bigger American cousins.

My dad has had many Mondeos in the past as company cars, they've stayed together without real problems for 100,000+ miles.

And I got the Focus because, well, I really like them. Handling* (even on cheap shite tyres) is superb and good fun on country lanes, plus it can be an easy to drive motorway car too.

*I am comparing it to the only 2 other cars i've ever driven:
1. 2004 Hyundai Getz 1.4 Diesel
2. 2005 Toyota Yaris 1.25 Petrol

Quote from Bladerunner :

Then again..you did say you were just leaving Brummie land, so the odds on favourite is you picked up a stray bullet from a nearby gang war.

Fair point there.


Anyway, just got off the phone from Ford, and they're going to pick the car up and drop it off when it's fixed tomorrow(free of charge), The bloke said they'll have a good look at it to make sure it doesn't happen again. Plus the mechanism will be fixed under warrenty.

Good news for my empty wallet.

Meh, 1998 Focus is only one that I have driven and it was pretty good shape as driven only 100k km(50k miles maybe?).

So let's compare that to my current tool (1983 Volvo 240 diesel)
Noise at highway, Volvo wins hands down
Handling, again Volvo wins,
-it is just impossible to loose control as you know grip all time, also on highway car drives itself, no odd vibrations or anything like that

Performance, Ford owns by a mile, until I switch to my other Volvo which outruns Focus 1.8 without too much of trouble, also Focus has no any power below 2000rpm and it stalls really easy, also it has not very much of engine braking at all, so Volvo's engine is much more pleasant to use everyday traffic, also Focus engine feels like it would be a big rubberband, no matter what revs are it works at same performance, electric motor, wtf?.

Interior space, Volvo and there is no competition at all

Luggage space, Volvo wins by a mile, I have only sedan model and that compared to wagon Focus has load more space in boot, I can fit 15 computers, printer in box, extension cords, paper for printer, toolkit, 2 ton jack, more tools, spares, backpack with 15kg weights and other sport equipment, old stereo, old speakers, spare tire, more tools, books for students and weeks shoppings in boot and I still have 5 seats available for passengers, Focus fails.

Design and style, oh come on, how that worn piece of soup could actually be a design? Yep, Volvo wins hands down again.

Rust, again Volvo wins even it is bit older, there is just fraction of rust that focus had :P

Drivetrain layout, there is only one, RWD and Focus fails again

Engine sound, in Focus 1.8 zetec there just is not much of sound at all, it is like damn electric motor, in Volvo you get glorious sound of inline 6, after few days driving it I started to think other cars do have serious engine trouble as they sound so broken

So as you can see, it is that Volvo is just better car and there you have it

Disclaimer: post is humorous joke, don't take it as truth, all opinions may not be true, love your car whatever it is and enjoy from it while we still can

Quote from mr_x :

My dad has had many Mondeos in the past as company cars, they've stayed together without real problems for 100,000+ miles.

I prefer Toyota. I judge the quality of a vehicle starting at 100,000 miles. Ford's at 100k are ready to retire. My Toyota's (4x4 trucks, BTW) have all finally felt like the engine was broken in at 100K. 1988 and 94 4Runners and an 89 Hilux, 350,000 miles worth and I've only put brakes every 50k on them and a clutch in the 88 at 150k. The 88 was sold in 2002 with 189k and is still out there running around. Drove like new. Oh, and remember my comments a long time ago in a thread, about oil changes? That 88 4Runner was the one that never had an oil change (except maybe once) from 100k through 189k and never had antifreeze in it. Also that 88 was totalled 3 times, once by icy road and into a light pole, and twice by deer. Nearly impossible to destroy a Toyota 22R-E motor.

Jeremy could have done a better job at his attempt to destroy the Toyota on TG. Not that he would have easily succeeded, but he could have done lot more than he tried. Only interesting part was the swim in the ocean tide.

My wife's Mazda Tribute (aka Ford Escape, same motor as the Fusion, aka your Modeo) is at 15k of the 48k warranty. I'm nearly 1/3 of it's life expectancy I'm figuring and it won't be a year old until February. It's due for it's well needed 15k transmission flush so the transmission can last up to the warranty cut-off.

JTbo, in terms of interior and luggage space, you are comparing a small economy sized car to a midsized sedan. Not exactly fair there, is it? It would be like me comparing hauling a piano with my 89 Hilux compared to trying to haul a piano with your Volvo.

Oh you silly, you need to learn to read white

Well of course it is foolish comparision, at 1983 240 was upper class big family car when 1998 Focus was cheap vehicle to transport you from A to B

I would say that it would be number two that is the cause.

Was it really cold outside? If so then the sudden heating up of the glass would cause it to crack, and explode at a high speed.

Interesting, though! I bet you were bloody scared!

Quote from J@tko :

I would say that it would be number two that is the cause.

Was it really cold outside? If so then the sudden heating up of the glass would cause it to crack, and explode at a high speed.

Interesting, though! I bet you were bloody scared!

It was about 9-10C outside, so not that cold, certainly not cold enough for a window to spontaneously combust. It didn't crack either, it just shattered straight out.

Quote from mr_x :

It was about 9-10C outside, so not that cold, certainly not cold enough for a window to spontaneously combust. It didn't crack either, it just shattered straight out.

So, either a bullet or maybe a mortar shell...could even have been an RPG..except that would have taken more than just your window...
Anyway, serves you right for driving a car in BrummieLand with " I LUV THE TOON" on a bumper sticker...