so yesterday AM I go out to my 09 MCSa and lo and behold the passenger rear quarter window is completely shattered. No sign of break-in, just shattered. No indication of any impact, but from the interior looking out one can see a stress point near dead center, because the cracking fans out from this point. most of the window has crumbled away around the B and C pillars, and when I picked up a remnant, it just collapsed in my hand like dust.

No huge swings in weather here, nor have I washed the car in over a week, it just happened

Safelight glass is coming by t'row afternoon to replace it(good thing I have $0 deductible on glass) because the rep told me the part is over $900 and now I have it all taped up. Yet the SA at my dealer seemed shocked that it had happened, and still wants to charge me $90 to replace the tint.

So add me to the list of shattered driver windows, moonroofs, rear hatch glass etc etc. Not a pleasant surprise, by any means.

 

I'm betting someone shot it with a BB or pellet.........

 

nope, for when I got home fri afternoon I wiped clean the outside of all windows, and it was perfect (unless my wipe down stressed it). I park in a garage, and did not go anywhere that night.

And, before I taped the mess up a friend and I ran our fingers over and examined the shattered area from the outside and there was NO impact pitting anywhere that'd lead one to think it was purposeful damage--the whole center area was intact and as smooth as a newly Zaino'd bonnet. Like I said, from the back seat looking out one could see the center stress point where the crack originated, then fanned out. If someone shot it, there would be a pit at the point where the cracks fanned out from, and there werern't any. Smooth as glass.

So since there is precedent here, so I'll just chalk it up to crappy German glass and bad luck, for now, and be glad Im not out $900.

 

I've had 100% good luck with my glass so far, but my wife's mother's 2008 Mercedes ML350 had glass problems up the wazoo... no spontaneous explosions, but the glass definitely seems weaker than others...

Could be luck, could be manufacturer... hopefully my MINI doesn't explode with shards while I'm driving! Good thing it didn't happen to you while you were driving, either!

 

That the window glass is tempered, and backed by tint film on the inside, prevented any shattered glass from getting inside. When I taped it the window was about 95% intact, just the area around the C-pillar had literally crumbled into dust.

Interesting tho about the Mercedes...

 

Man what luck... First bad LuK with the clutch in the '05 and now bad LuK with the glass made by seKurit.

 

Man, so sorry to hear this! The broken window phenomenon is really disturbing to me.

 

The Elite guy came by yesterday and performed a flawless replacement using the same oem glass. He said that yes it was a stress fracture--he could tell by looking inside out, and that our high winds and blowing dust this winter was the best bet as a prime contributor. So it gets retinted t'row, and all's well. but still...

 

I had the same problem and my rear drivers side window shattered also for no reason. I came home from down the shore the window was fine. I woke up in the morning and the window was all shattered for no reason. Did mini cover your shattered window under warranty? When I opened the rear dutch door all the glass fell inwards, but it definitely is a manufacturing defect or a defect in the glass. Did anyone else ever experience this problem with their mini cooper clubman?

 

BMW's with Moonroofs have had this same issue. People have also reported in MiNI's back in 05







See http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24605

Most likely caused by some type of stress on an existing crack or chip not visible to the eye. Actually this happens with a lot of cars.