Busted glass

Tinted a 2001 Cadillac Deville Friday with 20% on back. Early today the customers walks in and the back glass has completely shattered? Has anyone else had this happpen. Any thought's on how to resolve this with the customer?

not your fault. Tint or the process of tinting would not cause this. Tell him to cough up the dough to have it replaced

So the customer is blaming you? Hell-he could have broken it mowing the yard-or any number of ways! You cant take the blame! I mean-is it your fault if he had pulled out of your shop and got hit by a train???? Some people!!!!

It was pretty clear nothing had hit it. I talked to a couple of glass guys who mentioned spontaneous shattering as something that happens every once in a while..........but two days after tinting. Seems like a pretty big coincidence.

Possible, but still, it's not like you broke his glass, it's just one of the downsides of modifying anything beyond factory specifications. There are always unknown variables that can pop up, and while they are unfortunate, it's one of the chances the owner of the vehicle chose to take, whether he knew it or not. It's like the guys who's cars blow up after they supercharge or turbocharge it. Sure it's can be done, and sure it can be done safely, but you are doing something that the vehicle didn't have in it's design parameters, therefore unknown side effects may occur. I would apologize for the unfortunate event, explain that it it is extremely unlikely that something like that would happen because of the tint, not impossible, just very unlikely and maybe offer to re-tint it for free as a kind gesture after he get's it replaced. The worst he can do is get pissed, but he has to prove that you or the tint caused the breakage, and I think there are a few million other cars out there with tint that do not have broken back windows.

I have now learned the customer had just turned on their rear defrost before their glass broke. Anyone ever heard that?

Yeah, not sure of the cause, but I do think it's actually a rear defogger, not a rear defroster, I do believe it's a common misconception. If there is frost on the backglass, that means the glass is frozen, putting on the defogger will make the inside hot and the outside is still frozen, and I do believe that would be the cause. Glass doesn't like to be hot on one part and frozen on the other. Kinda like pouring hot water in a forzen glass, a lot of times it will break

where do u need your rear defrost this time of year?

I had a customers back glass break on a conv. benz. She was parked on an angle and put the top up. She said it sounded like someone shot at her.

I assume he turned it on because of dew in the morning not frost. Hopefully we won't see that for another couple months!

crazy coincidence is all it is. not your fault.

it's like spontaneous human combustion

....it wasn't McDonalds fault

very wierd that happened...i dont know why people are always concerned about there defrosters, i cant remember ever using it in any vehicle i have ever been in

move to spokane, washington. you'll use it daily for atleast half the year.

well even though it is not your fault the customer is seemingly reasonable. I like the idea of him replacing the glass and retinting it for him for free.

i guess your right blade...not every one lives along the california coast like us eh buddy

coolzone -- no coolzone, bad, bad coolzone no

If the defroster was cut around were the taps are It can arc and shatter when the defrosteris turned on

Mr. P is right about the arcing, but I personally have never seen one do this. I solder the defrost tabs back on glass regularly on GM vehicles including these and I have never seen one break. I have a Sebring conv. to do tomm. on a conv. Looks like the tinter (hack, not me) broke it off judging by the slice in the solder, not the glass, where it was trimmed on the inside. But all the same, I didn't see it, so I'm calling it a bad solder on thinner then normal glass and repairing it and charging the customer.

Bad coincidence, let him or his insurance pay for it. NOT your fault

When you tinted the backglass did the defroster tab come off?? I worked with a guy that constantly unplugged them, rarely they would come off. He would either re-solder or 2-part conductive epoxy the tab back on.

There was one case where the backglass shattered, because the glass got too hot caused by a resistance difference?? not too sure.

I actually had a guy who was convinced that it dried the dew off the window during his morning drive to work!!! I convinced him to try driving to work without it once.