Drivers side window exploded - Ace 29.3

Bob Montgomery · 08-10-2016, 05:01 AM

Wow! On my way to Bretz RV to finish up with warranty work, without any warning, the window next to me exploded. Although there was a car that had passed me, I don't know how a rock could have hit the side window. Nevertheless the windows exploded. Guess what? It isn't safety glass like a windshield. It is tempered glass. It was so loud at first I thought I had been shot by a sniper .... but no injury to me. I don't know how long it will take to get a replacement so here I sit at the dealer waiting for daybreak...

The drama continues.

L House · 08-10-2016, 08:13 PM

Glad to hear you weren't injured. Hope they can figure out what happened to the window. Sounds like a frightening experience.

Bob Montgomery · 08-10-2016, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L House

Glad to hear you weren't injured. Hope they can figure out what happened to the window. Sounds like a frightening experience.

Nope, the dealer (Bretz RV) didn't have a clue. They said call my insurance company which I did. But after thinking about it, I called Thor Warranty and they said to tell Bretz to turn it in and they would see if they could get it approved under warranty (which it really is.)

Bottom line, I just drove it home without a window 112 miles. One way or another it will be replaced. I was surprised it wasn't safety glass. Really surprised.

JamieGeek · 08-10-2016, 08:53 PM

That can happen to any vehicle, just google "vehicle window shattered" and you'll see how often it does happen.

Happened to my sister in her brand new Ford Edge: Rear window just boom! no evidence of any projectile anywhere in the car.

Bob Montgomery · 08-10-2016, 11:39 PM

I Googled "Drivers Window Explodes Shattered"... wow! It happens more than you think and many times there is no apparent reason...

mustang94 · 08-11-2016, 02:45 AM

Well most people would say it isn't safety glass when actually it is. Well not like you think the windshield is. Side and back widows are made to break up into little squares and not long rectangular pieces like a house window would. Long rectangular pieces could stab and slice you up while little square safety glass pieces cause you little to no harm.

vkb · 08-11-2016, 02:18 PM

We know that feeling ! The sound !
When we had block of wood meet windshield, it sounded like a gunshot right in the coach !!

Bob Montgomery · 08-12-2016, 04:34 AM

Did I mention Bretz RV wants to charge $100 just for an estimate to replace the glass? Wow! Go figure.

The Guidrys · 08-12-2016, 01:36 PM

Happend to my 2012 Hurricane 33g 3 years ago. Drivers side window. I was shocked to learn it was tempered glass too. When I was cleaning up the mess, I found a lug nut from an car that the bolt was sheard off. I feel fortunate that it did not hit me or my wife. Insurance paid for the repair, after I paid the $100 deductible.

Bob Montgomery · 08-24-2016, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Montgomery

Wow! On my way to Bretz RV to finish up with warranty work, without any warning, the window next to me exploded. Although there was a car that had passed me, I don't know how a rock could have hit the side window. Nevertheless the windows exploded. Guess what? It isn't safety glass like a windshield. It is tempered glass. It was so loud at first I thought I had been shot by a sniper .... but no injury to me. I don't know how long it will take to get a replacement so here I sit at the dealer waiting for daybreak...

The drama continues.

When this happened I called Thor Warranty and told them all the details. They said to put in a warranty claim which we did. After many inquiries, they finally called me this morning and said the claim was denied by the glass vendor. Why it took 14 days to be denied I do not understand. So I am back to square one. I called the Hartford (I had told them about this before) and gave them the item number and said to process the claim asap as we have already waited 14 days and also requested a she call me back asap (I had only got an answering machine.) After waiting over three hours I called her back again and this time she did answer but was very short with me.

I called Bretz RV and they are ordering the glass.

How much longer will we be grounded? Who knows.... funny you get a one year warranty but that doesn't apply to things such as defective glass. I wonder if my coach had been built by Toyota how it would have been handled..In all the years I have owned new Toyota's I have never had one warranty claim...not one... but have had two or three minor recalls which were handled without any delay.

Bob Montgomery · 09-09-2016, 05:21 PM

My new window arrived at Bretz RV three days ago. I called yesterday and they have made an appointment for me on this coming Tuesday so if the right window arrived I will get it fixed...finally. You don't simply replace the broken glass...noooooo you have to replace the entire frame with both the fixed window, the sliding window, and the screen. It reminds me of the "LaWindowCostaPlentae"... I am posting a picture of it so you can see what happens when these windows explode. Mine is not the first and will not be the last. I am afraid the design of these windows may be defective and this is simply the start of something big... lets hope I am wrong on this one. Oh one more thing...did I mention Thor would not stand behind this... your perfect warranty doesn't mean anything when it comes to glass...anything? Perfect!

Bob Montgomery · 09-09-2016, 05:31 PM

Inside view....

bevedfelker · 09-09-2016, 06:26 PM

OpNot related to anything RV, but several years ago my wife was driving her mother in the country up in Conn. Unexpectedly, the glass sun roof on our VW Jetta completely exploded. The State Police arrived and investigated and found a United Airlines engine oil access panel had come off a flight taking off from Kennedy Intl Airport and struck the metal area of her roof between the windshield & the sunroof. The shock of the impact caused the glass to explode. The police had found the panel on the side of the road and the dent in our roof matched the deformity on the edge of the panel. The roof also had smears of the green undercoating on the back of the panel. There was a decal on the painted front of the panel identifying it as oil access and United Airlines.

It's possible something hit the side of your RV and the stress caused the glass to explode.

vkb · 09-09-2016, 07:02 PM

Bob ! We FINALLY, had our windshield replaced about 2 weeks ago.
It took every bit as long as your replacement did.
We had a stress crack which occurred while sitting in our driveway..but, it happened 3 days before we were leaving for our July 4, trip to family in FL.
Then, on our return, outside Tampa, a block of wood flew off a passing truck
and struck our hood (no damage..incredible) and hit the glass between the rubber trim and the wipers...we were very fortunate it did not hit 8" higher.
We dealt with Thor...they denied the claim for the initial stress fracture, because we did not report it at the time it happened...our fault for that...so insurance paid and our deductible was out of pocket.
All is well now...we just hope nothing like that happens again !

Bob Montgomery · 09-09-2016, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bevedfelker

OpNot related to anything RV, but several years ago my wife was driving her mother in the country up in Conn. Unexpectedly, the glass sun roof on our VW Jetta completely exploded. The State Police arrived and investigated and found a United Airlines engine oil access panel had come off a flight taking off from Kennedy Intl Airport and struck the metal area of her roof between the windshield & the sunroof. The shock of the impact caused the glass to explode. The police had found the panel on the side of the road and the dent in our roof matched the deformity on the edge of the panel. The roof also had smears of the green undercoating on the back of the panel. There was a decal on the painted front of the panel identifying it as oil access and United Airlines.

It's possible something hit the side of your RV and the stress caused the glass to explode.

I guess it could be possible except there was no structures for miles, no people in the wilderness where I was and I could see for miles, no trees to hide behind... I suppose it could have been a bullet from a mile or two away but I could not find any bullet or rock in the coach. There was a car in front of me so I suppose it could have come from the car but how it could have hit my side window on a straight of way I don't know. If you google "shattered window" you will find this is not all that unusual. On the iRV2 forums, if you do a search you will find others this has happened to as well. One rv was sitting in the driveway and the owner was on the porch when his window exploded. Another in an RV park. I am really hoping this isn't a design flaw on these new windows. The cost to fix one is going to be a lot with having to replace the entire frame, the sliding window, the fixed window and the screen. That seems to be the only way I could get the one fixed window replaced. The fixed window is glued onto the frame and I guess they are unable to remove it and glue a new replacement glass on... We are moving from a fix it society to a throw away and replace society. Yes, my insurance will cover all but $50, but for how long until all our rates go up in the future? Maybe this is an uncommon occurrence... I hope so. Never the less I will keep the old window and make a plexiglass replacement window that fits perfectly and glue it onto the frame making a perfect replacement window for someone in the future.

bevedfelker · 09-09-2016, 08:32 PM

Most of Thor's flush windows are manufactured by Hehr. I'd call Thor customer service and get the model number of the window in your specific VIN. Search for Hehr Windows on the internet and go to their home page. They have a Contact Us area on their home page. Send an email to their Indiana window plant and ask if the glass can be ordered to repair the window instead of replacing the whole thing.

Bob Montgomery · 09-10-2016, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bevedfelker

Most of Thor's flush windows are manufactured by Hehr. I'd call Thor customer service and get the model number of the window in your specific VIN. Search for Hehr Windows on the internet and go to their home page. They have a Contact Us area on their home page. Send an email to their Indiana window plant and ask if the glass can be ordered to repair the window instead of replacing the whole thing.

Thank you for this very important information....I hope this thread will help others to avoid some of the pain we have experienced to get this fixed.

Bob Montgomery · 09-14-2016, 01:54 AM

Good news...finally I got my window replaced... the cost of the windows is $800 + and the labor at my dealer is around $400 (Thor says is a 1.3 hr repair)... so if you have to pay out of your pocket look at $1,200 or so. The lesson is make sure you have comprehensive insurance to cover glass breakage... or take a wheelbarrow of money to your local rv shop. Remember, with these type of windows if you break one pane they replace the entire unit...both windows, frame, screen... the whole thing.

vkb · 09-14-2016, 04:38 AM

We are headed back to Binswanger Glass Friday.
This morning, at campground, a storm came through (all day) .. about 5am...
heavy driving rain...the top seal on the glass came loose a bit and we had water coming in on the dashboard...thanks to KC...he noticed the wet carpet .. we had the night shade down and had not seen the water coming in !
We will, place in our file, at Binswanger a non-release of some type, just in case we have warping of the wood used up front or electrical problems.

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