Glass top of Model 3 severe crack, safe to drive?

[isewell]

I have significant damage to my glass roof (front section) of my model 3. Pic attached (NSFL). Obviously I need to get this replaced, but I'm just a few weeks away from being fully vaccinated and I'm covid paranoid and I'd rather wait till then (I don't feel comfortable renting a car or getting in an uber until I'm fully vax'ed, and I don't think I'd be so lucky to have the service center give me a loaner). Unfortunately I have a few big drives planned between now and then (highway only, no bumpy country roads, and nowhere where it rains). If I run my finger along the roof inside I can feel the crack. I could duct tape it together, with apologies in advance to any Tesla fans who would cringe to see a duct taped Tesla (hmm.. duct tape inside or outside)

Can I safely defer this for a few weeks? I know the glass is laminated so hopefully it won't all come crumbling into the passenger compartment when we're doing 70 on the highway.

Thanks

 

[KenC]

You're fully vax'd by Day 12 with the Pfizer shot. And by Day 20 with the Moderna. You don't need the second shot to be vax'd. The UK is waiting 3 months before second shots. That'll make it more robust, but the Pfizer and Moderna might be more effective than the J&J injection after only one shot.

Here's the Pfizer data in a chart in the New England Journal of Medicine:

If you look in the inset, you can see the vax'd brown line deviates from the placebo blue line at Day 11. That's before injection 2, so you can see the infection rate has plateau'd after only one injection.

The same chart for Moderna is here:

Here the deviation starts around Day 15, but the plateau is around Day 20, all before the 2nd injection.

Based upon the test data, and the data from Israel and the UK, alot of epidemiologists want the gov't to delay second shots for 3 months, like the UK, so we can vaccinate twice as many people.

If you take an Uber, wear a well-fitted mask and make sure there's good airflow, by opening the window on both sides of the car.

 

[isewell]

You're fully vax'd by Day 12 with the Pfizer shot. And by Day 20 with the Moderna. You don't need the second shot to be vax'd. The UK is waiting 3 months before second shots. That'll make it more robust, but the Pfizer and Moderna might be more effective than the J&J injection after only one shot.

Here's the Pfizer data in a chart in the New England Journal of Medicine:
View attachment 650991
If you look in the inset, you can see the vax'd brown line deviates from the placebo blue line at Day 11. That's before injection 2, so you can see the infection rate has plateau'd after only one injection.

The same chart for Moderna is here:
View attachment 650992
Here the deviation starts around Day 15, but the plateau is around Day 20, all before the 2nd injection.

Based upon the test data, and the data from Israel and the UK, alot of epidemiologists want the gov't to delay second shots for 3 months, like the UK, so we can vaccinate twice as many people.

If you take an Uber, wear a well-fitted mask and make sure there's good airflow, by opening the window on both sides of the car.

Thanks for your reply. I’m aware of these graphs and that my paranoia is unreasonable. But I would just rather not be the 1 in a thousand that gets rona because I couldn’t wait just one more week. For these reasons and others I’d like to wait , if it’s safe. I promise I’ll hide the duct tape.

 

[HappyDude]

Wow what happened? Did they say how long the replacement will take? I wonder if they can do it while you wait.

I don't know if that will hold or not but I wouldn't feel comfortable taking a road trip with the glass over my head in that condition.

 

[Frank99]

I gotta agree with HappyDude. It's safe in the sense that the car isn't going to go out of control and crash into something as a result of the broken glass, but it's not safe in the sense that, on any bump or gust of wind, it may all come down on your head. This, of course, could be shocking enough to cause issues with control of the car for a few seconds.
I don't know what the construction of the glass is; but from the picture it looks like safety glass like a windshield, where a plastic layer between two glass layers keeps the whole panel together and keeps it from crumbling. If this is the case, you're probably pretty safe that the glass will stay together.

Schedule an SC visit to get it fixed; they may need to order the glass. Ask them if they can do it while you wait, or if it'll have to stay overnight. If they can do it while you wait (even if it's a couple of hours), they may have a nice customer lounge.

 

[isewell]

Thanks all. From the reading I've done it looks like the roof glass is the same as the windshield - it's got the same laminate. The side windows are easily shatterable for safety reasons but the roof glass is solid (well it should be, haha). We'll see what the SC says. I've already gone over several cow grates since we damaged it up in the mountains, and it didn't get worse. We're interstate driving the rest of the way to the SC, that's the good news. And I'll try not to draft rock-throwing semi's.. lol

 

[quentinsf]

I might be tempted to put some duck tape on the inside, or outside, or both, just to stop the jagged shards falling on me

 

[skygraff]

Was just at my SC the other day and noticed that they had a crate full of roof glass pieces so yours may have them in stock. When I had mine done a couple years ago, it was fully cured and ready for pickup the next day (IIRC).

Understand the paranoia but think, if you can feel that on the inside, you’re safer in a ventilated uber. If you give them enough notice and explain your travel needs, you may get lucky with a loaner.

 

[jjrandorin]

Thanks all. From the reading I've done it looks like the roof glass is the same as the windshield - it's got the same laminate. The side windows are easily shatterable for safety reasons but the roof glass is solid (well it should be, haha). We'll see what the SC says. I've already gone over several cow grates since we damaged it up in the mountains, and it didn't get worse. We're interstate driving the rest of the way to the SC, that's the good news. And I'll try not to draft rock-throwing semi's.. lol

I wouldnt drive my car any real distance with it looking like that, even if it is laminated glass. The idea of a bunch of broken glass sitting above my (and possibly my families) head is a hard "no" for me.

 

[aspec818]

I’ve seen multiple accidents with rolled over 3’s and all of them had the roof glass intact. The glass is more solid than you think.

 

[jjrandorin]

I’ve seen multiple accidents with rolled over 3’s and all of them had the roof glass intact. The glass is more solid than you think.

Not sure if thats directed at OP or me. If me, then my response is "sure, thats correct, the glass is pretty solid... but not when it looks like it does in OPs picture".

 

[JCtx]

Just call and ask for a loaner, and when available, go drop it, and drive the loaner home. Or rent a car. The glass is a structural member on new cars since a while ago, so you shouldn't be driving it when it's shatered like that, especially at highway speeds. And you wouldn't want your glass coming off onto a motorcyclist, would you? It wouldn't be pretty. Dealers are taking COVID precautions seriously, so I wouldn't be worried about that, especially already vaccinated once. And I have incurable cancer, with blood counts just above critical levels, so I'd die if I get 'rona. Good luck.

 

[chrisf60526]

Just had my back glass replaced. Kid cracked it with bat an no the glass is not that strong according to the glass repair company. Had my insurance fix it. Mobile glass service and within a week it was fixed in my driveway.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I have significant damage to my glass roof (front section) of my model 3. Pic attached (NSFL). Obviously I need to get this replaced, but I'm just a few weeks away from being fully vaccinated and I'm covid paranoid and I'd rather wait till then (I don't feel comfortable renting a car or getting in an uber until I'm fully vax'ed, and I don't think I'd be so lucky to have the service center give me a loaner). Unfortunately I have a few big drives planned between now and then (highway only, no bumpy country roads, and nowhere where it rains). If I run my finger along the roof inside I can feel the crack. I could duct tape it together, with apologies in advance to any Tesla fans who would cringe to see a duct taped Tesla (hmm.. duct tape inside or outside)

Can I safely defer this for a few weeks? I know the glass is laminated so hopefully it won't all come crumbling into the passenger compartment when we're doing 70 on the highway.

Thanks

No way I would feel safe to drive long drives with glass in that condition. If you insist, I would duct tape it. Both sides, outside with the tape overlapping the windshield and rear glass to give it some grab, and inside just so shards wouldn't fall down into the cabin. If forced to choose only on one side, I would probably do inside, but there is a chance the edges may give and a large section falls down.
Of course, I would get it fixed instead as the first choice.

 

[ecamp02]

Just had my back glass replaced. Kid cracked it with bat an no the glass is not that strong according to the glass repair company. Had my insurance fix it. Mobile glass service and within a week it was fixed in my driveway.

Hey Chris,
I need my top glass replaced. Did Tesla mobile service fix this for you?
Thanks!