Randomly exploding car windows raise safety concerns: What to do if it happens to you

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Published  November 25, 2024 8:25pm EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Randomly exploding car windows raise concerns

Randomly exploding car windows are shattering drivers' safety. Concerns are also growing for mechanics, who say some windows and windshields can burst without warning in vehicles.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Randomly exploding car windows are shattering safety for drivers.

Concerns are also growing for mechanics, who say some windows and windshields can burst without warning in your vehicle. 

It happened to one woman in Brevard County, and FOX 35 found out she wasn’t alone. 

Jamie Blaszkowiak’s normal drive took a turn for the worse when she heard a loud bang in the back of her car. 

In dashboard camera video she shared with FOX 35, you can hear Blaszkowiak erupt into a frenzy of fear behind the wheel when she thought her car was shot at.  

"I saw a big hole in my window, and I was like I got shot at," said Blaszkowiak. 

When she pulled off the road, she saw a gaping hole in her back windshield. She thought bullets barreled through her car, but Melbourne police proved her wrong. 

"They verified there was no bullet in the car," said the driver. 

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Her window had just burst into pieces during the drive, and she said there were no signs anything had hit it.  

"I didn’t even know a window could explode for no reason whatever," she said. 

FOX 35's Esther Bower didn’t know that either until she reached out to experts at Gatto’s.

"These glass windows will rupture. They’ll ‘grenade’ into what looks to be millions of little, tiny glass shards," said Joe Stanson, who is the store manager at Gatto's Tire and Auto Service. 

Stanson said most cars on the road today use tempered glass. He says certain stressors can cause it to shatter without warning.  

"It’s very random, but when it happens – it happens very quickly," said the auto expert. 

Stanson said common features like rear windshield defrosters and tinted windows can cause random explosions.

"Rapid temperature fluctuations will cause thermal shock, and that’s what we’re seeing with the tempered glass in those vehicles," said Stanson. 

Gatto’s said there's no way to predict if or when your car window will explode, but one easy step you can take to try and prevent it is making sure you park your car under an even amount of shade.

Don’t park somewhere where part of the window has sun on it and another part doesn't.

"You have two halves of the glass trying to level their temperatures back out," said Stanson. 

Unfortunately, mechanics are seeing the issue more often.

We poured through documents with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

In just the last four years, we found several complaints from consumers across the country that all had a similar narrative:

  • "My rear window spontaneously shattered."
  • "...rear window exploded and totally broke."
  • "...rear window exploded while pulling into an intersection and no impact."
  • "...suddenly shattered as I was pulling into my driveway."

Our victim’s exploding window cost her $500 to fix.

"I am paying out of pocket now to replace this window," said Blaszkowiak. 

It’s also apparently difficult to prove who is really at fault.

"Product liability cases are complex," said civil litigating attorney, Carlos Martin.

Martin is an attorney at Forest Lake Law. He says car manufacturing isn’t a one-stop shop anymore.

"Most of these cars nowadays, they don’t manufacture the glass. They’re getting that through a third-party window," said the legal expert. 

Martin said Blaszkowiak may have a hard time filing a lawsuit because she was driving when it happened and can't prove if something hit her window.

However, he said she did do the right thing when she filed this report with the NHTSA.

"We’ve gotten 10. We’ve gotten 100. We’ve gotten 1000 cars complaining and then that’s what will trigger the manufacturer to try and remedy the situation and fix what’s going on,"added Martin. 

The driver wants officials to investigate and possibly issue a recall, so others aren't in danger.

"I just want everyone to know that it’s a possibility," concluded Blaszkowiak. 

If this happens to you, there are two main things you'll want to do:

File a report with the NHTSA and contact your insurance company.

You can also make sure your attorney general is aware.

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