Geoff Daniels

I have a 1996 C2 and last summer my window exploded in the garage about 15 minutes after I got home from work. My wife and I heard it from our kitchen. I called my insurance company (USAA) and told them exactly what happened. I had to pay a $50.00 deductable.

Aussie Alan 993

I can't speak for everyone who has ever had a rear screen shatter but I can say with 100% certainity that ALL 3 of my shattering rear screen incidents were related to an electrical device in or on the glass (not in the car).

The first 2 were to do with the third brake light. Porsche installed the third screen and they confirmed that it was not uncommon when these cars were new, in fact I was told that they replaced many rear screens without question back in the mid 90's. They wired round the glass for the brake light and the screen only had 2 terminals on it not 3.
The 3rd glass shattered 10 minutes after I got home the day I used the defroster for the first time since that glass was fitted and there was an obvious starting point for the fracture.
Porsche replaced it under the new parts warranty, they had a glass specialist look at it and he confirmed my thoughts about the defroster.
I have not used the defroster yet and am going to disconnect it next time I have access to it.

My car is a NB '95 and at the time had no mods to wheels or suspension.
First time no tint, second and third was tinted.
No structural damage.

I really feel for anyone who suffers the trauma of a mysterious glass breakage but please don't ever say that the third brake light or defroster cannot be related because I know otherwise.

GabiOsz

Mine blew up, it almost gave me a heart attack it was suck a bang.

I have the 3rd brake light and was using the rear de mister minutes before it happend, I guess it could have been either.

luv2ride

Thank you Aussie Alan 993.

I'm not crzazy.

I'll forgive you Dan.

peace

Ryan

ENTROPY

Had it happen to my 95 a month ago. I have the high mounted third brake light. Insurance denied my claim saying they only allow $400 for this glass. I asked them to send me 10 of those $400 windows. Ultimately they sent me $1100 which is about what it cost to replace. Funny thing was that I have a $500 deductible.

SR71BLACKBIRD

This cracking rear glass makes me nervous. Any 95s with basket handles that had blown out windows before?

dcchen

i am getting mine fixed next week. its going to cost $1100...from talking to the shop, the glass is original porsche glass (not sure if thats good if its likely to happen again)...insurance will pay for most of the cost (i pay my deductible)...

c993k

Here is the South Florida heat, we are warned that if we tint out windows with reflective tint, the window could explode if it starts to rain from the sudden cooling.
I also wonder if the glass repair shops read Rennlist for pricing out this stuff, maybe that's why everyone gets the $1100 bill from! I just find it hard to believe this price is always the same.
Chris

Ray Calvo

I personally witnessed one. A fellow in a Turbo came up to our registration area at one of our track events and got out of the car to do the paperwork. He closed his door (wouldn't exactly say "slam" and the rear window shattered into a million pieces. To say that everybody was shocked (none more than him!) would be putting it mildly.

At the time (late '90's) the story I heard was it was due to undue strain on the glass inposed by the car body flexing. The closing of the door would send a pressure wave pulse through the interior that would be enough to overwhelm the glass. Aso, the problem was limited to the fat body cars (C4S and Turbo, etc.). This might not be true from what's coming back on this forum.

ceboyd

are your guys 'exploding' windows also have a rear wiper?

now I'm worried about my 96 -- usually don't use the defrost though..

GabiOsz

I have a rear wiper on mine.

Aussie Alan 993

Mine has a wiper, but that glass was in my car for years before I bought it, with the third brake light disconnected.

It shattered the day after I re-connected the third brake light, my first P-Car DIY.

Also, no suspension mods at that stage.

ientre9y11

Dan, interesting, makes sense.

Doug, I think you might be on to something. I know when I installed my PSS9's, the garage said to spray the window seals with silicone to get rid of the creaking. With the PSS9's, the car rides quite differently. Prior to the silicone spray, the windows creaked. After the silicone spray, the creak went away. Seems that the stiffer suspension is causing the car parts to move slightly differently. Glass being pretty rigid won't bend or sway the way metal will.

Do the people with exploding windows have suspension mods?

zwoobah

I'd also be curious to know if anyone with a roll bar has had a rear window blow up. If the issue is related to twisting of the chassis, I'd think a bar would help to prevent it.

jlb_94611

Mine hasn't exploded but I continually get these CRACK CRACK CRACK noises from the rear window.. just like my car is getting hit by a BB gun.. typically after some spirited driving on rough pavement. Does't happen all the time.. maybe once every 6weeks or so. The rear window is tinted. I'm in No CA so heat isn't a factor here right now. Brrrr.. and growing mold everywhere from all this damn rain. The car does have hd bilstein/h+r springs put on by VB.