Shattered b.g. 1-2 days after tinting

[Blackdout]

I tinted a 2013 Hyundai Elantra a couple days ago and he just called me to tell me his b.g. cracked and spider webbed around the whole b.g. Has this ever happened to anyone? It was fine when it left my shop. Should I take responsibility for this?

[Mr paladin]

I am sure if you take a look at the window you will see an impact point where something hit it but No I doubt its your fault Unless you cut around the defroster tabs and it arched when turned on.  Last time I got this call was about 13 years ago and when I looked at it there was a hole the size of a baseball in the back window.

Edited March 22, 2018 by Mr paladin

[Blackdout]

When he brings the car by I’ll be sure to look for any signs of impact on the glass.

[Tintguy1980]

Here's a link to a discussion on spontaneous glass breakage (building tempered glass) that also applies to tempered auto glass. The addition of film to a window glass that contains an inclusion simply accelerates the breakage through the extra heat the film attracts to the glass (through absorption). Heat causes inclusions to grow and place outward pressure on both inside and outside surface areas where the inclusion is located. This can also display similarities to an impact break once the glass can no longer contain the outward pressure. Kind of like a balloon (auto glass) that pops after continuous injection of air (inclusion growing); the air volume (inclusion) grows until an area of the surface fails.

 

http://glassed.vitroglazings.com/glasstopics/spontaneous_breakage.aspx

 

Edited April 12, 2019 by Tintguy1980

[Tintguy1980]

😁

Edited April 12, 2019 by Tintguy1980

[Blackdout]

Thanks for the response. After looking at his bg it didn’t look like anything had hit the glass so I’m assuming it might be this nickel sulfide inclusion. Looks like I’ll be eating the cost since his insurance deductible is more than the glass

[CaliTINT]

Hmmm... I don't agree that you should eat the cost of this. But that's just me

[Tintguy1980]

8 hours ago, CaliTINT said:

Hmmm... I don't agree that you should eat the cost of this. But that's just me

Agreed but, sometimes it may be the best course of action based on client demeanor.

 

In this case, it IS a defect of the glass going back to its manufacturing and not the fault of the tinter. Just because window film was installed and may have sped up the growth of an inclusion does not mean the window film is at fault, nor the tinter. There is no way to 'see' and inclusion to be able to say, 'Hey bud, I don't think it'll be a good idea to install film to your glass'. The glass would have spontaneously broke sometime in the future without film being applied.

[Sisqouc]

I recently posted a link in a thread about exploding sunroofs that Kia/Hyundai are the top brands experiencing spontaneous breakages. 

[CaliTINT]

On ‎3‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 4:04 AM, smartie2shoes said:

Agreed but, sometimes it may be the best course of action based on client demeanor.

 

In this case, it IS a defect of the glass going back to its manufacturing and not the fault of the tinter. Just because window film was installed and may have sped up the growth of an inclusion does not mean the window film is at fault, nor the tinter. There is no way to 'see' and inclusion to be able to say, 'Hey bud, I don't think it'll be a good idea to install film to your glass'. The glass would have spontaneously broke sometime in the future without film being applied.

Yes you are right as it might be better to eat the cost.  I'd try and feel out the customer and get away without paying in part or whole. Perhaps if they got upset I would agree to cover at least half and if not then the whole thing. I still don't think its right for the shop to bear the responsibility nonetheless. 

 

I did have a customer mention to us once that their windshield cracked after we tinted it. They started off by saying they don't blame us for it but believed it was because of the tint. So I took it as they weren't going to expect us to pay for it. Upon closer inspection I see an impact point which was likely from a rock and pointed it out to them.