Back window exploded

steele · Mar 29, 2015

I have a 2013 Ram 1500 crew cab today I opened my driver side door and my girlfriend opened the passenger door we climbed in and shut the doors about the same time and my back window exploded on the driver side from the inside out has anyone ever heard of this before?

rob2388 · Mar 29, 2015

You mean one of the passengers window or like the back sliding window? lol That sucks man!

steele · Mar 29, 2015

Yeah no kidding, it was the actual back window, it blew glass all over my headache rack and toolbox it just blew out

SomeGuyInTexas · Mar 29, 2015

Wow, haven't heard of that happening in a long time. Happened to me in high school (27 years ago) in my Ford F100, but was caused by a guy who was throwing rocks in the parking lot. One hit my back window, but I couldn't find a crack or nick or anything. After getting in and closing the door hard exactly what you described happened.

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EagleChief · Mar 30, 2015

Damn, that sucks. Never heard of it happening.

Gotta say, though. When I first read that, I took it as you two were climbing into the backseat. I thought you really ruined your night. HAHA!

Brakelate · Mar 30, 2015

Some ******* with a Pellet gun was trying to snipe your ass.

You have any punk kids or neighbor beefs going on? Glass sometimes "kicks back" outward when fired on from externally.

I would really search the interior for a pellet, BB or small arms round.

Anyone shooting or hunting off in the distance? Could have been an accidental strike, if you are out in the country. Inner city, random rounds fall miles away and hit all sorts of things. Especially on New Years, 4th of July etc. when dumb ***** fire all sorts of things randomly into the air.

My two cents. But, I am a paranoid retired cop. I've responded to many plate glass windows hit by birds as well, where people swear someone had shot at their place. But, it would be obvious as the impact required to shatter a auto / safety glass window is much higher than a simple single pane older residential window.

I would look around.

TRXHemi · Mar 30, 2015

Sounds like there may have been a chip in it or something like that.... then when the pressure of the doors closing happened, it let go.

mountainbigbull · Mar 30, 2015

I had a truck with a headache rack, rear window smashed out while sitting back into my drive way. I'm guessing a rock hit the rack, (I do recall hearing one hit it) bounced into the window, then temperature change (winter night) next day total spider webbed rear window...

Brakelate · Mar 30, 2015

Well, I've sadly sat there and watched as a little nick in my front windshield of my previous '07 Dodge 1500 "spiderwebbed" it's cracks in all directions as I sat there stationary and ran the heater / defroster on it to clear off all the ice on one freezing night. Amazing how it warmed, expanded and got ruined from one little speck.

That said, his using the term "exploded" seems quite a bit more than just a heat expansion / contraction issue.

But, again, after having some experiences with car windows being blown out in close proximity, this is what came to my mind.

YMMV, as they say.

7777xm · Mar 30, 2015

A badly scratched or chipped piece of tempered glass could have done this with the sudden quick pressure change of closing the door. A impropriety seated rear glass may have as well. Tempered glass is very strong except along the edges and if it was not installed right, a light tap on the metal frame could have done it.

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steele · Mar 30, 2015

Well after further review the only thing I can think of is I must have thrown a rock while I was mowing and it must have chipped it and then when I opened and shut the door it must have exploded it, it had to have been an impressive shot though to go from where I was mowing and to pass my headache rack and hit it just right even though I don't have any other dings anywhere but that's all I can think of

Brakelate · Apr 1, 2015

I'm telling you; It was an ISIS ******. You hear anyone yelling Allahu Akbar immediately following this cowardly ambush? I would be very, very careful and properly prepared, mentally, physically and with appropriate weaponry before I went back out to the truck.

preachp · Apr 1, 2015

HI Steele,
I have heard of this and I tired to find the thread on it , but I think it may be on a different RAM forum. You are not the first nor alone in this. DO a web or Google search you should be able to find info.

preachp

Paradeedle · Apr 1, 2015

Brakelate said:
Well, I've sadly sat there and watched as a little nick in my front windshield of my previous '07 Dodge 1500 "spiderwebbed" it's cracks in all directions as I sat there stationary and ran the heater / defroster on it to clear off all the ice on one freezing night. Amazing how it warmed, expanded and got ruined from one little speck.
...
That said, his using the term "exploded" seems quite a bit more than just a heat expansion / contraction issue.

As far as I know, the front windshield is laminated and the rear windows are tempered. This means the windshield will spiderweb like you mentioned and the rear window would shatter into little pieces.

DAVECS1 · Jul 25, 2016

This just happened to my truck. When the window let go the center frame portion bent about an inch out from the center sealing surface

07MegaCabRam · Jul 25, 2016

yeah, no way a door opening and closing/pressure caused it to do that. It might have been cracked a bit already.. or was done and you didn't notice it.

But I've had a window replaced. The entire black glass will need to be replaced INCLUDING the motor and guides.

If you have a good insurance company as I did (State Farm) I had FREE glass replacement and trust me it was $700+ to replace if I didn't have glass coverage!

Something to look into!

Hootbro · Jul 26, 2016

I have seen this before on other vehicles. Most seem to happen in the heat of summer and seems to be a combination of thermal stress on the tempered glass and possible binding, interference or already chipped glass. The summer heat just throw it over the top for failure.

lonestar21 · Jul 26, 2016

Damn that sucks specially unexpected expense that you don't really ever need to replace.

As mentioned above I hope you have good insurance that will cover it. If not it can get pricey.

Nicholas Prather · Apr 20, 2021

Just happened to me on my 2017 rebel. Back glass was hot from sun and when I shut the door it exploded.

Brian2081 · Apr 22, 2021

You might want to check the vents in the back wall of the cab, behind the rear seat to see if they are stuck closed. Could be that closing both doors at the same time caused more internal pressure than the cab vents could handle, thus causing the weakest window to pop.

Back window exploded

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