Mysterious Smashed Rear Window

[c_doughty1]

Ok I had my window smashed last November, and after 6 returns to the window by a leading car window replacement company it's finally stopped leaking, and has been leak free for 11 days. But yesterday I went out on my lunch to see the same rear window has smashed not totally through but has gone like crazy paving.
The window company are telling me it's my problem, saying it could be the weather that's caused it.
I think this is bull jobby, it wasn't even frozen over when I drove to work.
Nor was it hot enough to cause a rapid heat change to smash it.
I have got my insurance company to put a complaint to their third party window replacement co.
And apparently the only way they will come out to fix it again is if I pay a further £85 window claim.
I don't think this is right, surely there was a defect in the glass.....

[mercutio]

or the fitting the rear screen like the front is a stressed member an integral part of the chassis if not fitted correctly at best it will leak at worst it will shatter the frame needs to be totally clear of any residue of the old screen or sealant

[Donald]

Defect is possible. Many times I've encountered toughened glass that has what's called a shell, basically a flake of glass from the edge has lifted from the edge leaving an area that's thinner than the rest and so then becomes a weak point. They don't always go, I've sealed 180 Celsius melted butyl over a shell and nothing happened.

Can you tell where the start of the smash originated? If it's clear it's run from an edge then it's reasonable to say it's a fitting fault.

[c_doughty1]

Defect is possible. Many times I've encountered toughened glass that has what's called a shell, basically a flake of glass from the edge has lifted from the edge leaving an area that's thinner than the rest and so then becomes a weak point. They don't always go, I've sealed 180 Celsius melted butyl over a shell and nothing happened.

Can you tell where the start of the smash originated? If it's clear it's run from an edge then it's reasonable to say it's a fitting fault.

I don't think I can tell where it originated, but I'll take some photos and post them on here and maybe you will be able to tell.

[wurlycorner]

Can be difficult to tell where toughened glass shattering has originated from, because it just shatters all over rather than cracks

Needing 6 visits is ridiculous though. What have they done on each visit? Has the screen been completely out and re-sealed from scratch? If not, they've been drokking you about - you can't 'patch up' a sealed windscreen if it leaks from the start, it's fundamentally been put in wrong and needs to be stripped down and refitted from scratch.

[c_doughty1]

5th time it was removed and started from scratch again but it still leaked into the boot which was found to be coming in through the rear wiper arm rubber

[Gayno]

Removing bonded windscreens carries a risk of breakage. I had to agree and accept this before the company doing my front one last year would do the job.

I'd kick up a stink about it, it can't just have happened like this just after they've worked on it.

[c_doughty1]

I am kicking up a stink! I'm going to be on them again in the morning

[Thebusofwoe]

Its a little bit suspect that they have had it out and back in on the 5th visit, then suddenly it shatters!!!! My betting is on its been stressed/fitted wrong. Or damaged when they removed it last time.

[c_doughty1]

I don't see how I can ever possibly prove that, and they will come and fix it but it would cost me my £85 excess, and it's not a lot but it's the principal of the fact that I have paid already once and I'm not paying again.