If you are in Zip code 92618, or Irvine CA, immediately take your car to the Costa Mesa or Santa Ana Service Center and show them the window. They can answer your question. No one on TMC can answer that question for you.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Rear row side window cleanly broke in half on 3 month old Model 3
- Thread starter Vietlam
- Start date
WilliamG
Hinge Fanatic
He clarified to say the rear door window. At least, that’s what it appears he’s saying. Still no pics.
@ecarfan I agree that is a reasonable request. However, the big piece is no longer with me (aka on the street). The small piece is deep within the door, I had a hard time to even see it with my own eyes earlier, unlikely I can get a good photo off. Tesla app asked for a photo when I placed the request for service, and I wrote to them as much. I am sure they will have to open it up to replace it anyways, and any documentation can be done then, for research purpose. But you also need to understand the level of suspicion/hostility a new member asking such simple questions is unfortunately an indication of an unwelcoming environment. Not sure if you guys have been attacked by outsiders that much to be so suspicious. Either way, I do appreciate everyone's reading the post. Off to get the kiddo to bed. Mod please feel free to lock the topic.
WilliamG
Hinge Fanatic
Why would you not just take a photo of the rear door window with it missing? Everything you are doing is the height of suspicious - especially your wanting this thread to be locked etc. Put it to rest with any form of evidence, or your wish really will be a mod’s command.
Door glass is cheap(ish). Yes, the door needs to be disassembled, but it’s really not that hard. A few hundred perhaps?
if your near a service center I’d just drive by and ask.
you said it fell on the ground. I’m assuming that part shattered? Whatever is left in the car may not be as clean if a break as you think? Or may be the carrier and not the glass?
if your near a service center I’d just drive by and ask.
you said it fell on the ground. I’m assuming that part shattered? Whatever is left in the car may not be as clean if a break as you think? Or may be the carrier and not the glass?
The typical response of something horribly wrong (like a window snapping in half of a new car) is to document the incident.
Did you just keep driving after the window "just came off the car"?
Why not document proof that it came off the car and fell in the middle of the street, or any proof that it is broken?
It still sounds like you're against taking any pictures for documentation purposes for some reason even though you've likely walked by your car to take a look at it multiple times.
Your question of whether Tesla will cover it (with no real documentation) likely will not work in your favor as there are too many unknown variables such as:
Did someone just break into the car through the window?
Did you use the emergency release lever to open the door and slam it closed?
Did you grab the window to exert force to close the door?
It's almost like someone telling you "My bumper just came off my car while driving, I don't have any proof, but it must be a manufacturing defect. Please cover it.".
Most natural assumptions would be "You probably hit something, or there's something more to the story. Pics pls.".
My bet is that you're on the hook for the window replacement (or contact insurance and file a claim under your comprehensive coverage). FWIW, depending on your deductible, it likely won't be worth the claim.
When a car side window breaks it crumbles into hundreds of small pieces. That is the nature of tempered auto glass.
I simply cannot envision how a side glass piece could spontaneously break and none of it would fall inside the car and no glass would be visible at the top edge of the door.
So when the glass broke you didn’t stop and go back and look at it, you just left it in the street. Three blocks from your house. And you haven’t yet gone back to find it.
You should be prepared for Tesla Service to express some skepticism as to the veracity of your story.
DopeGhoti
Active Member
I'll take your word for it as I have never sat in the rear seats of my Model 3 and closed the door.
SunCharged
Member
M109Rider
Active Member
Your reluctance to take and share a photo of such a thing aside;
This is the opposite of an unwelcoming environment.
This forum is flooded with thousands of passionate Tesla owners all to willing to help out.
If you stick around, you’ll see that.
Unfortunately, you can blame the short sellers, auto dealers, oil industrialists, auto advertisers, and individuals that just hate Tesla that are continually logging in to spread ridiculous stories and news to discredit Tesla.
This constant behaviour from these folks will promote some scepticism.
Sad reality of forums.
Daniel in SD
(supervised)
Haha. I had a door window broken and I was still finding pieces of glass years later!
I had a BMW with a tempered glass sunroof which exploded randomly while driving. The force of the explosion blew most of the glass up and out, but I still had a number of pieces rain down with gravity. The majority of the glass hit the trunk after it exploded, damaging the paint in that area. OP may simply be inarticulate and a bit ignorant, and what they are describing is a tempered glass failure where the majority of it blew outwards instead of inwards. It happens to all brands. My sister has had it happen with both a Volvo and a Subaru. Certain glass makers have a higher incidence of it due to lower QC standards, however.
Kilotango74
Active Member
My skepticism comes from the experience of reading multiple of these types of “my Tesla failed” posts written by brand new members that never post again and that contain no actual proof that the failure occurred. Even after multiple members have asked for photos you cannot produce one. As a supposed owner of a Model 3 I’m sure you have seen posts on the internet trashing the car that are not valid, ie “my car drove itself into the garage”. Or “ model three bursts into flames on freeway in China” or other BS meant to Demi USN the value or desire for a certain product at the gain of others. In other words you post smells fishy.
What I find strange is that the glass ended up outside the car, not inside of it. The window is leaning in, so if it failed, one would think it would fall into the car. And, as several contributors have correctly stated, the windows are (or certainly are supposed to be) tempered glass so when the window broke it should have shattered into hundreds of small pieces. Having broken several of these as a fire fighter years ago, in my experience it is virtually impossible to this without most of the glass ending up on the seats and floor of the car. I suppose that if internal stresses built up in the glass due to improper manufacturing, the whole thing could have burst outward, but I've never heard of such an event.
If there was no mechanical damage or abuse, I would think that Tesla should cover it. But it is a very odd failure, so I'm not sure what questions they will ask.
If there was no mechanical damage or abuse, I would think that Tesla should cover it. But it is a very odd failure, so I'm not sure what questions they will ask.
WilliamG
Hinge Fanatic
Personally, I think this thread should be locked. If the original poster wants to come back and post pictures and reference this thread, so be it. But until then let’s lock this?
Wondering if it was vandalism. A glass cutter across the window could make it break cleanly, right?
Also, as to ending up outside the car, a possible explanation is that the window lift mechanism did not drop the window fast enough or far enough when he opened or closed the door, for whatever reason, and the window ended up wedged outside the door gasket when he last closed the door, but in the up position. I have had that happen on my Model S in winter. In that case, if the glass cracked or split, again for whatever reason, the upper piece would fall outside the car.
Also, as to ending up outside the car, a possible explanation is that the window lift mechanism did not drop the window fast enough or far enough when he opened or closed the door, for whatever reason, and the window ended up wedged outside the door gasket when he last closed the door, but in the up position. I have had that happen on my Model S in winter. In that case, if the glass cracked or split, again for whatever reason, the upper piece would fall outside the car.
Last edited:
I don't believe so. Once glass is tempered I don't believe there is any way to cut it cleanly. Any sharp object will cause it to shatter. The effects are instant and quite complete.
As for vandalism or theft, if the car door was closed, I can't think of a scenario where the glass would end up on the outside of the car. I also can't think of anything that the OP could have done to produce this either, so as of now, it seems to be a mystery.
SunCharged
Member
The first thing anyone does in 2019 when something like this happens is they pull out their phone and take pictures and videos. Someone who buys a Model 3 is going to over index on being tech savvy and likely to photograph something like this.
