V90 tailgate window shattering

[Andy Mcl]

Hi all
My father's car (V90), he was driving on Sunday along a country lane very gently when the rear window shattered with a bang with no warning.
My question is has anybody heard of this happening before - We have had 940's for years no problems.
Or is it as I suspect some sort of flying object that caused this?
Any thoughts??

Cheers Andy

[Peter Milnes]

I have known of several windscreens, side windows and rear windows shattering due to being parked in the sun for a few days with all the vents closed, but the only reason I can think of is the unfortunate presence of youths with airguns that shoot at anybody and anything. You would not notice the little sods as they tend to be well hidden or even up a tree.

All the best, Peter

[Al115]

I have a '99 V70 T5, and my rear screen shattered spontaneously as well.

I was in the middle of St Albans city centre, on that day early this year when it really snowed hard and the A1(M) got blocked up for days.

I thought it could be -
# someone throwing something at my window (ruled out by lady in car behind who said she'd seen nothing)
# faulty rear screen heater element (possible)
# some kind of contracting effect due to the low temperature (unlikely as it wasn't actually that /cold/, and anyway these things are built to live in Sweden)

... or something else.

Still haven't worked it out.


Alastair

[KeithR56]

I realise this is an old post, but as this seems to be a rare event, I thought I'd add my experience. (Actually, if you Google the subject, it isn't that rare after all)

I had my V60 windows tinted last week. Two days later on a sunny and clear, but slightly chilly morning, the rear screen went pop and shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

I was slowly reversing into a parking space at work when it happened. Nothing behind me except a large lawned area. The heated window had been on when I left home, but would (or should) have turned itself off long before I got to work.

The window fitter told me he sees hundreds of these every year. He showed me the discoloured mark on window film where the heater element had overheated and said the cause was almost certainly a faulty relay. He isolated the circuit and suggested I get the electrics checked out.

My Volvo dealer gave the electrics the all clear and suggested the element must have been damaged in some way.

<snip>

So the cause remains a mystery. Was the window tinting to blame? Some people on the internet say their rear window shattered after having their windows tinted, but there are tens of thousands of people driving around with after market window tint who haven't experienced any problems.

Costly though...Paid for window tinting that lasted 2 days (the replacement glass isn't tinted), paid the insurance excess for the new glass, and paid my Volvo dealer to check out the electrics and reconnect the heater element. At least the window film held the shattered glass together until I could get it fixed.

[rogerthechorister]

If the vehicle had been a saloon I'd have suggested body flex (due to corrosion weakening something). I had that happen once on a FIAT 124 Sport Coupe.

[KristinD]

While driving (temps 70F) on the freeway, my rear passenger window spontaneously shattered. I purchased the car in April 2020. The dealer refuses to acknowledge that it could have happened spontaneously but I see many articles on the subject.

[volvo always]

A few years ago I had one of my boat windows shatter in the early hours. I was up and live in a Marina and no-one around.

Toughened glass fell into the bath.

A boats steel work moves in the sun and any stress in the glass and it can go.

A relative years ago closed their daughters passenger door on a ford escort a bit hard and the glass exploded! Rather impressive to watch!

Patio glass top tables are well known to shatter.

James.

[Laird Scooby]

Going back to the days when Mk2 Cavalier hatchbacks were common as much (when did you last see one though?) this was ery common. The usual cause on those was worn or maladjusted bump stops on the outer edges of where the tailgate sits.

This caused the tailgate to flex using the striker plate for the latch as a fulcrum. Sooner or later, one pebble on the road too much perhaps the flex would become excessive and BANG! The glass shattered!

Given the tailgate is near vertical on the Volvo this shouldn't be as much of a problem but certainly worth looking into. Even a tailgate that isn't properly shut can cause this.