Mystery of the shattered hatch glass...

[texasz]

So I'm in the garage this evening doing the final packing of two Z car parts orders and decide I don't want to carry these two large boxes out to the street to put them in the 4Runner. So I back the 4Runner in to the driveway and load up the two boxes close the back and set the alarm. I'm now done with Z work for the night and glad to be ready to ship some more parts off.

I just happen to glance over at my 240Z on the other side of the driveway and about die...the entire rear hatch glass is shattered!!! The whole thing is still in place though it's spiderwebbed and every now and then I can hear more cracking taking place.

I'm doing my best to remain calm and not totally freak out. I closely look over it and see what appears to be a slight outward bulge in the lower right area as if someone or something had hit it from the inside causing it to break. My first thought...it's got to be the girl (she's 5, can open the car doors on her own, and loves the Z). I march straight inside to the living room where both she and her brother (3yrs old) are watching TV (again remaining calm). Turn the tele off and sit them both down in front of me asking if either of them were playing in/around the Z today or yesterday. Of course nobody has a clue what happened and neither child claims to have been anywhere near the car. True or not I may never know. I advise them that this is their one chance to tell the truth and if they don't and I find out about it later they will be in big trouble for lying. Still nothig. Ok then, we are done.

I called my wife who's at work to see if she knows anything about the window or either kid playing in/around the car...another dead end.

Well I may never know what happened to the glass (unless anyone here knows anything about spontaneous glass shattering)...though I do know one thing, part of my weekend will be spent replacing it.

For anyone who wants to see here's a link to a few pix I took of it: http://www.pape.ws/gallery/v/Our_Life_Together/Our+Hobbies/Allan_s+Hobbies/240Z+Car/My+First+240Z/Mystery+Of+The+Shattered+Hatch+Glass/?g2_fromNavId=xa62b5e15

[Z train]

Wait a day and ask them again.And however you phrase the question,DON'T phrase it so they can give you one word answers(ie:yes or no)

[IdahoKidd]

I had what sounds like the very same thing happen to my glass in my RX7 years ago. Simply shattered in place. It didn't even fall in until I touched it. Never did figure out why. The equivalent of spontaneous human combustion I guess....................

[hls30.com]

I had the same thing happen a couple of weeks ago-with almost the same questioning and answers of my soon to be five year old monster and his 2yr old brother.

completely spidered with no entry wound. In cleaning up the mess, I found a .177 caliber pellet inside the car in the hatch area it must have come through the open door window and popped the hatch glass.

The neighbor across the street had just given his 12 yr old a pump pellet gun for his birthday...and the next day they were in the front yard tearing holes in cans, when another stray shot popped out one of the front windows on my home...Dad should have known better...

I visited them within seconds and brought them over to politely show them that plinking a can (especially in the wrong place)does not mean the pellet can't get into trouble. The young man gave his pellet gun to his Dad without prompting, and promised to have my glass replaced.

At that I offered to help father and son build a suitable range in their backyard so the gun can be used safely.

Will

[texasz]

Ok, after about 2.5 hours spent digging out one of my spares, cleaning it up, cleaning up all the broken glass, and installing the new one all is right with the world again.

Well, at least my Z no longer has a broken window.

[Darrel]

K cars-- had a couple at the rental lot that had the back glass shattered while closing the door.

Driving home from the ski slopes in a '80 510, the drivers door glass shattered. This was probably about 6pm and no other cars around going 60 along I-70.

[SteveJ]

One time I got into a Dodge Intrepid (Gov't vehicle), closed the door, and heard the back glass shatter. It was the 3rd time the back window shattered on that thing.

[Mr Camouflage]

Well I may never know what happened to the glass (unless anyone here knows anything about spontaneous glass shattering)..

Yep sure do. Toughened glass, like that used in car windows will spontaneously shatter due to thermal stress. Doesn't happen very often, but often enough for it to be a known phenomenon. Happened to the sliding door in the house last summer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_glass_breakage

[bigoak]

It would require a mistake on the installation side or possibly some rust developing along the edges of the hatch.

A friend of mine had a similar issue on his 300ZX where a small amount of rust put tension on the glass and when he hit a bump, the pane developed a 12 inch crack. If the pressure had built up sufficiently, I suppose the glass could have shattered as in your case.

[texasz]

Very interesting tid bits...ya learn something new every day!! Thanx for the info.

[Darrel]

But then it could also have been caused by a drop bear. Been to Australia lately?

[bigoak]

We've all missed the obvious...the crazy ex-girlfriend...