Imploding Windows?!?!

[GR8_ASP]

Well first off the problem of the window hitting the window seal could happen on coupes and roadsters as long as the roof is up on the roadster. Coupes have been around since the 2006 model year as well.

As far as how the window could be nicked or scratched by a tinted film installer that is easy. How do they trim the film? I would think with a knife or blade.

Still strange that this has happened to both windows on one car and few if any others (not a common problem reported here anyway). And that car had a special film added to the windows.

And I reread the thread above and did not see where it stated the regulators were not working. Only a guess at a possible cause. As far as why would they break at different intervals - well that is nature. No two things are exactly equal. The scratch (if that was the cause), the window thickness, the window hardness, the installed stress on the window, the thermal conditions on the window, etc. Do all parts fail at the same exact mileage and time in service. Of course not. That is variation.

 

[lankhoss]

Ahhh, I see. I was imagining a scratch in the middle of the window when I heard you mention that, wasn't thinking around the edges....that makes sense now.

Next question would be....what build differences are there in the '06 and '08 that could have ANYTHING to do with the side windows.

 

[vinny2]

just to let everyone know, Mark at Woodhouse has been very helpful, and has spoken with the folks at SRT, who have agreed to cover the replacement of the glass. Mark also told me that i will be able to get reimbursed for the first glass replacement as well, and he has offered to help get this done. clearly this is an isolated occurence, and mark has been very responsive and helpful, which i appreciate.

 

[lankhoss]

just to let everyone know, Mark at Woodhouse has been very helpful, and has spoken with the folks at SRT, who have agreed to cover the replacement of the glass. Mark also told me that i will be able to get reimbursed for the first glass replacement as well, and he has offered to help get this done. clearly this is an isolated occurence, and mark has been very responsive and helpful, which i appreciate.

Very good to hear!

 

[Nyoka]

Both sides imploding suggest bad final fit when doors are closed and windows seal automatically; pressure on base of window obviously extreme eventually leading to fatigue in glass. While it could be 2 pieces of bad glass on one car, I would look at window motors' calibration - not sure if they're adjustable.

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

Hows your carma?

 

[pteam]

Whats gonna happen when it does it again?

 

[VIPER PIT]

Did you finally figure it out??
What is the shade ratio of the window tint??

 

[Venomiss]

Did you finally figure it out??
What is the shade ratio of the window tint??

Glad this was resolved !

http://forums.viperclub.org/srt10-srt10-coupe-discussions/620160-thanks-mark-j-thanks-chrysler.html

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Glad this was resolved !

http://forums.viperclub.org/srt10-srt10-coupe-discussions/620160-thanks-mark-j-thanks-chrysler.html

Agreed, hopefully yours was the only one, and the check clears.

 

[OPHITOX]

recent viper owner's window implosion at 70 mph returning from Nevada race track over weekend

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Newport Viper]

OMG did that happen at speed? Tell us more...... then call Mark at Woodhouse!

 

[02 Graphite GTS]

Since Fast Eddie doesn't post much, I'll give the details:
We had a great weekend of driving out at Spring Mountain track in Pahrump and were making the long trip home. We were 3 hours into a 4 hour drive.
We were cruising along at 70 mph when his window just implodes. Half the glass goes in and the other half is sprayed all over the freeway. We pulled off to check it out and clean all the glass out of his car. That is when I took the picture that was posted. He is really lucky than none of it went in his eyes.

I'd say that this is clearly another case of the window regulator going up to high, putting too much pressure on the glass. VERY DANGEROUS situation !!!

I immediately lowered my glass 1/2 inch to make the rest of the drive home.

It would be great if we could determine if the glass adjustment needs to be fixed BEFORE this happens again. Any ideas?

 

[bluesrt]

Since Fast Eddie doesn't post much, I'll give the details:
We had a great weekend of driving out at Spring Mountain track in Pahrump and were making the long trip home. We were 3 hours into a 4 hour drive.
We were cruising along at 70 mph when his window just implodes. Half the glass goes in and the other half is sprayed all over the freeway. We pulled off to check it out and clean all the glass out of his car. That is when I took the picture that was posted. He is really lucky than none of it went in his eyes.

I'd say that this is clearly another case of the window regulator going up to high, putting too much pressure on the glass. VERY DANGEROUS situation !!!

I immediately lowered my glass 1/2 inch to make the rest of the drive home.

It would be great if we could determine if the glass adjustment needs to be fixed BEFORE this happens again. Any ideas?

sounds like a thoght- makes sense

 

[Paul Hawker]

I know that at Silver State Challenge many earlier Vipers had their windows sucked out of their seals at speeds over 130. Lots of pressure pulling out on windows at speed.

New design of windows fitting into a capturing channel will avoid the windows pulling out, but now you need to deal with windows being under constant tension.

Maybe just a bad run of glass, or perhaps the adjustments of the window pressure needs to be looked at.

Due to safety Issue I would imagine that SRT is all over this.

As Lance says, maybe a good idea to give your window switch a micro-tap down, just to remove the pressure in everyday driving.

 

[FastestBusaAround]

@ the OP - You said "Window Tint Film". Using the wrong type of after-market tint will cause this to happen...it's not unusual. That would explain it, easily. It has to do with heat buildup on the glass by using a tint that absorbs rather than reflects. The problem becomes even more prevalent when tinting thermo-pane glass in homes...due to the heat buildup between the inner and outer glass...

Dodge does not tint the glass with film...so I'm assuming you or someone else did...

 

[Warfang]

This is really odd. I had forgotten all about this thread. Talked to a client yesterday that had a mysterious implosion too... in a BMW's sunroof. Caused her to lose control of the car and roll it. She's ok. I wonder if this is related?

 

[1994viper]

Oh boy! Am I glad that I don't have windows.

 

[10BamBam01]

I had a window implode in an old Nissan pickup that I had shortly after college. Apparently the Alpine deck and speakers decide to make a break for it because they were gone too! Weird.

Sorry. Too much coffee this AM (again).

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

I can't tell from the pictures, was the glass in the orange car tinted?

 

[02 Graphite GTS]

No tint on the windows.

Right after it happened, he pulled up along side me and there was a football sized hole right in the center of the window. almost like someone threw a baseball right through the center of it.
When we pulled over and stopped, he opened the door and the shattered glass fell to the ground.

The top edge of the glass was still wedged into the rubber sill along the roof line. We had to dig all that out and it seemed like it was pretty tight/deep into the groove.

I talked to him and he said that there are all kinds of chips/scratches in is paint on the rear 1/4 panel as well from the glass shower it got.

 

[Chelseasnake]

just to let you know, i had an 08 blue coupe and i had 2 windows blow out. the first one was a few days after i got the car, i parked the car outside for a few hours, when i went back the passanger side window was shattered. then 2 weeks ago i sold the car. drove the car 2 hours to meet the new owner, and on his way home half way (2 hours) the driver side blew out, he was going 60 miles per hour. damage to the paint on the rear of car. lets hope someone finds the PROBLEM with the glass before somebody gets hurt

 

[bluesrt]

i had a 75 monte carlo- in 86 shut the drivers door one day in very hot heat- rear deck glass just shatterd-

 

[02 Graphite GTS]

I sure don't want to start a panic, but at the same time I think this is serious enough to get some attention BEFORE it happens again and someone is seriously hurt.

When the window imploded, it was already past dusk. We were heading South and any sun/heat would have been on the passenger side window. Temperatures were cool outside, high 60's/low 70's.
In other words, in this case, I know it was not HEAT related.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Maybe early Viper designers were on to something when they totally eliminated the side windows.

(Trying to make light of a serious situation. Glad nobody was hurt)

 

[Bobpantax]

Open both doors with the windows up. Step back and look at the door from the back of the door forward. See if you see any difference in shape - even if it is tiny. Do the same thing with the windows down. Perhaps, your right side window is under stress in the door when it is up because the inserts in the door frame wherein the window rests when it is up are mishaped or not installed correctly. Also, measure what the space between the window and the frame is when the window is up on both sides of the window on each side of the car. See of there is any difference. If there is, somethin was not installed correctly at CAAP.

 

[Peter Nielsen]

Seems like all incidents so far are on Coupes only, or has this happened to Roadsters too?

 

[Newport Viper]

I talked to him and he said that there are all kinds of chips/scratches in is paint on the rear 1/4 panel as well from the glass shower it got.

Have buffers will travel.

 

[VIPER PIT]

How dark is the aftermarket window tint. I used to install window tint years back, and I did have some windows blow out and I had to eat them. If you go darker than 20% light transmission the glass has ALOT of heat loading. Usually it was the back windows of coupes that had alot of surface area facing directly at the sun. As window glass designs become more complex with compound curves, they tend to have more distortion and more chances for damage. Chevy had problems with this in the back window glass of Camaros after the 1982 body syle change. This is when I started noticing it. Any film that we used that had 20% or darker color with high quantities of titanium in the film did this. We also would have some losses in some buildings with west facing glass and films with dark and or reflective properties.
Somthing to think about.

 

[ViperFangBob]

I am so glad I found this thread. The drivers side window imploded on my 2006 SRT Coupe this week. It was parked inside my garage, so vandalism did not make any sense. I brought it home from a brake job, at ~48k miles, on Monday evening. It has been raining a lot in Houston this week, so I did not try to drive it again until this morning, Thursday. When I went to open the door I saw the side window had totally imploded! There was no glass at all outside the car! I suppose I am past warranty now since I purchased it new on July 11, 2006. At least it is consistent with what has happened before....