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Spontaneous rear window combustion (blowout)
Anyone ever had their rear window spontaneously blow out?
I was sitting at a traffic light a couple of hours ago when I heard a sound similar to a shotgun being discharged about 10 feet away and the rear window 'jigsawed' into hundreds of sections. It initially remained in place, but as soon as got out and shut the driver's door it began to implode. Edits: 1. I ought to have said, "the exploding glass made a sound similar to...." I know what a pump action sounds like... if anyone shot at me, which I am now beginning to wonder about, it wasn't anything more than a pellet gun. 2. Anyone know if I am likely to find a rear window from a glass supplier? And cost? Or am I in for a visit to Uncle Merciless?
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Mac 2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d “Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22 Last edited by Zacharias; 02-25-2012 at 07:27 PM. |
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I don't think I'd drive thru that neighborhood anymore.
Can't imagine that happening on its own.
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Chief 1991 350SD |
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One of mine did that about 7 or 8 years ago.
Uneven rear window defroster, I think. Some of the elements were not working. Scares the heck out of you when it happens, LOL. Good opportunity to fix the rust under the gasket......
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Palangi 2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz 2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser 2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg 2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE 0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE |
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Well that happened to me about 5 years ago right now, with my 85 300D. Late winter and we get a lot of freezing rain here in central God's Country. So while I did my morning bus run, it got a nice build up of ice on it. I headed for home, turned the rear window defrost on and in about 5 to 7 minutes, KABOOM. This was while I was waiting for a traffic light. As soon as I opened the door, it all fell out, what a mess. I did read after the incident, in the owners manual, it said do not use the rear defrost under a buildup of ice. Now I know why. I did find a good rear window in the P&P, cut it out so I didn't break it, and found it easy to install using directions found here on the forum.
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Junqueyardjim Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis 1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA 2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage, Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it! |
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Is your car made out of rust? The fact it broke when you opened the door is scary. Body mega flex?
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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life- '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k) |
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The tempered glass was broken at that point. The pressure change from opening the door just sucked in the pieces.
-J
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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states! Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels. 2014 Cadillac ELR 2013 Fiat 500E. |
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Quote:
Make sure that the glass is pristine & not delaminated at all. Class gets cloudy when it begins to come apart. It will become worse once started.
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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do. |
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Quote:
First the muffled BOOM and the initial failure, with the glass still intact but spider-webbed with cracks. Then silence for maybe 10 secs. Then the glass starts to fissure into fine cracks in a continuous muffled cracking sound. After maybe 30 seconds to a minute it's gone from semi-opaque to opaque, almost a frosted appearance. By the time I opened the door and got out a few minutes later, it was just hanging in place (by the defroster wires, maybe?). When I shut the door the vibration and pressure differential were enough to collapse it onto the parcel shelf. I have seen something similar happen in a car that was left parked for weeks in direct sunlight during a heatwave. In this case someone bumped the car and the window went. I had several defroster wires out, but that was the case with every Mercedes I've driven in the winter. Wow.
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Mac 2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d “Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22 |
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Geez, I've done this hundreds of times with many different cars. Guess I won't do it with my 126! Zacharias, was that the situation with yours, iced up and heating? Hope you find a good use one- don't think new would be cheap!
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Chief 1991 350SD |
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Actually this unit was the weakest of any Mercedes I have owned. It could never have cleared ice on the outside, not even heavy snow, I tried once months ago then gave up on that idea. Only a couple of wires weren't heating... about halfway up the glass.
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Mac 2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d “Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22 |
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I've had a couple cars with dead lines and never had an issue. I use it to clear ice too. Guess I've gotten lucky
-J
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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states! Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels. 2014 Cadillac ELR 2013 Fiat 500E. |
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Both it and my '83 SD had several dead wires and worked just fine. I guess it's a fluke? Oddly this car is the lowest-mileage and best-condition car of the lot. The problem with looking for used in the yards around here is that I likely to find 'foggy' rear glass. I hate to install that on a nice car like this one. Ask me how happy I am that I sent a 240d to the crusher two years ago with perfect glass
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Mac 2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d “Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22 |
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Wow jolly bad luck old chap...
X2 on the junkyard replacement - though Canada seems a bit hit and miss with old Mercedes parts from what I read... It might be worthwhile asking the normal windscreen repair shops... at least if the quotes are silly you can be safe in the knowledge that you are saving mega bucks by doing it yourself. PeachPartsWiki: Rear Window Seal Replacement Though I've not tried them myself - rumour has it that non dealer seals are a waste of time (if you plan to fit a new seal that is)
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#14
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I've not had it happen in a car, but a window in my parents house did that while I was in high school. It's from the flexing of all the material during temperature changes. Tempered glass will shatter with the slightest tap if you hit it on the edge in just the right spot.
I too would find a junkyard specimen. When was replacing my rear window seal I called around for a new one with defrost, people wanted upwards of $600 for it. I think the cheapest was $350. That was just for the glass no install.
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Andrew '04 Jetta TDI Wagon '82 300TD ~ Winnie ~ Sold '77 300D ~ Sold
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Problem with used is that the only PnP with any intact w123s is only open Monday to Friday, bank hours, and it's currently -15 C here. So that suggests paying a yard for used, which will likely be $100-200. I do have a friend a couple of hours away who has parted a couple of w123s in the past, but I don't know if he kept any glass... can't reach him today he's probably off skiing somewhere.
However, I just stumbled upon this NOS for $250: Original Mercedes Rear Glass - W123 - City of Toronto Other Parts, Accessories For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada. Toronto is about 400 kms from me, but cheap to ship stuff via intercity bus. I've fired them off an email and have my fingers crossed....
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Mac 2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d “Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22 |
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