Extremely fragile top glass roof - Model Y

[tallevdude]

This is very strange, admittedly. My wonderful and excitable elementary school aged child was in the back of the parked Model Y LR (~5k miles), got excited about a movie on the screen and stood up to see better. His head hit the roof. It didn't feel great, but he is totally fine.

However, my child's head absolutely shattered the glass roof of my brand new car. Again, this wasn't a bowling ball or a collision - my child's head hit the roof when he stood up in the back seat. He did not hit it that hard, I'm glad he's fine. But how the hell did THAT cause THIS?

This should not happen, right? Shouldn't this glass roof of a $60k car be able to withstand much, much more than this?

 

[Vaildriver]

The strength of an arched structure isn't from underneath it's from up top. Also, a #50lb kid accelerating up carries a good amount of force. If it was regular glass, the ED would have been repairing a 10cm lac on his head.

 

[tallevdude]

The strength of an arched structure isn't from underneath it's from up top. Also, a #50lb kid accelerating up carries a good amount of force. If it was regular glass, the ED would have been repairing a 10cm lac on his head.

I see your point, but I cannot emphasize enough how mild this impact was. This was not something launched at the glass, it a small kid standing from a seated position. If that's "normal" for this roof, then extending your arm up from shoulder height will absolutely obliterate the glass... I don't have any answers, but wow that seems wildly fragile to me

 

[laservet]

I see your point, but I cannot emphasize enough how mild this impact was. This was not something launched at the glass, it a small kid standing from a seated position. If that's "normal" for this roof, then extending your arm up from shoulder height will absolutely obliterate the glass... I don't have any answers, but wow that seems wildly fragile to me

If that were the case this board would be inundated with similar reports of a broken glass roof from insignificant impacts.

I have some Bodum Pavina coffee and espresso glasses, dual wall borosilicate lab glass. Very strong on compression or hits from the outside, but simply stirring the contents with a metal spoon can easily break it when the spoon bonks the glass.

 

[tallevdude]

If that were the case this board would be inundated with similar reports of a broken glass roof from insignificant impacts.

I have some Bodum Pavina coffee and espresso glasses, dual wall borosilicate lab glass. Very strong on compression or hits from the outside, but simply stirring the contents with a metal spoon can easily break it when the spoon bonks the glass.

I can't speak to anyone else's cars (though there are certainly quite a few postings here about the roof glass)... but I certainly would expect the roof of my car (!) to be at least a bit stronger than your (admittedly lovely sounding) espresso glasses.

It's a great car, I like it very much, but this should not have happened this easily. I love Tesla, too, but this is just not acceptable.

 

[laservet]

I can't speak to anyone else's cars (though there are certainly quite a few postings here about the roof glass)... but I certainly would expect the roof of my car (!) to be at least a bit stronger than your (admittedly lovely sounding) espresso glasses.

It's a great car, I like it very much, but this should not have happened this easily. I love Tesla, too, but this is just not acceptable.

It does seem a little strange. Maybe there was a little defect in the glass at that point that predisposed it to break.

 

[Driver08]

Do you have tint installed on your roof glass @tallevdude? Was it a hot day?

 

[tallevdude]

Do you have tint installed on your roof glass @tallevdude? Was it a hot day?

no tint installed, cool day in New England (~60-65 F and overcast)

 

[GOVA]

@OP. It is not glass. It sucks that it has happened, but 'head at speed' has a lot of momentum hitting in small point. IMO, this is frankly to be expected.

Shouldn't this glass roof of a $60k car be able to withstand much, much more than this?

I am sure the physics does not care about the car price.

 

[tallevdude]

This was a 2nd grader standing up too quickly - not "head at speed" or some crazy collision. I would expect a light bulb to break with that force, but surely not a car window or roof. I've knocked on doors harder than that. Think a little harder than a big 'high five' - that's the level of force that shattered this roof.

You say that the "physics does not care," but designers, installers, and people who source materials sure should, and for any car in this price range to have such a key part fail so easily is very, very unnerving. It does not instill me with confidence of a well made product when something so visible fails so easily. I hope the airbags are assembled with better quality (and I hope I never find out).

[My car was also delivered to me without any hubcaps - again, not at all a big deal, but not a thing that instills me with confidence as a new owner.]

I'm surprised to see people defending this (Tesla is a powerful drug, man - I get it, I own one, too). There's simply no way this should have happened. My insurance should cover it, I'm not bitter about the cost... It's just very, very unnerving and makes me very leery of the quality rest of the car. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm spooked.

 

[DogtownTX]

"within spec"

 

[GOVA]

@tallevdude - 2nd grader standing to quickly can be very powerful. You've never been headbutted which is probably fine. Again, I am sorry it happened.

Look at this from the different perspective - what if the roof was intact, but the head or kid were severely hurt? That energy needs to go somewhere and this time it broke the roof.
Ask Tesla, ask insurnace. This might not be a big deal overall. Replace the roof, enjoy strong kid. Peace.

 

[DogtownTX]

Kidding aside, I'm surprised that sort of impact would cause a break. I've accidentally hit auto glass pretty hard with solid objects and never had a crack. Wonder if it's the nature of such a large glass area?

 

[Noflash]

This is very strange, admittedly. My wonderful and excitable elementary school aged child was in the back of the parked Model Y LR (~5k miles), got excited about a movie on the screen and stood up to see better. His head hit the roof. It didn't feel great, but he is totally fine.

However, my child's head absolutely shattered the glass roof of my brand new car. Again, this wasn't a bowling ball or a collision - my child's head hit the roof when he stood up in the back seat. He did not hit it that hard, I'm glad he's fine. But how the hell did THAT cause THIS?

This should not happen, right? Shouldn't this glass roof of a $60k car be able to withstand much, much more than this?

View attachment 720156

Very sorry to hear this. It is indefensible. You should contact your local news. That should get a design update initiated.

 

[GOVA]

Very sorry to hear this. It is indefensible. You should contact your local news. That should get a design update initiated.

You should check with a shrink if you are a human. Hope you are just a bot.

 

[Noflash]

You should check with a shrink if you are a human. Hope you are just a bot.

LOL - I'll see if my shrink has any kool-aid.

 

[brandon8387]

What did Tesla say?

 

[oktane]

Hate to break it to you, but that is not your son, he came from the planet Krypton

 

[WhiteWi]

That sucks, get your insurance to cover it. Ask Tesla how this could have happened. Glad you kid doesn’t have brain damage. Also tell him to be careful.

 

[RayB]

First, ask Tesla to cover this expense. If that doesn’t work, have insurance cover it, and pay the deductible.