Can a car window break because of the heat?

(5) On August 4, 2010 at 9:30 pm Skooter [0] said:

I hear this often but have yet to hear a valid technical reason for it. Light bulbs are made of glass and get VERY hot without breaking, and cars are anything but air tight so expansion of the air inside is certainly not going to break windows. The air conditioner argument makes a little sense, but air at 50 degrees or so blowing on glass that might be as hot as 150 degrees still is not going to break a window. I must have ancestors from Missouri, I just can't buy into folklore and old wives tales without meaningful explanations.

(4) On August 4, 2009 at 6:41 am Cjll74 [0] said:

What was even more strang is that I had a case of sodas in the car that did not burst but my window exploded.

(3) On August 4, 2009 at 6:38 am Cjll74 [0] said:

This is a very strange and scary thing. I did not know this could happen til I witnessed it for myself today. While stopped at the atm machine today myself and my daughter in the back seat of a chrysler pacifica I heard a loud boom sound as if someone threw a brick at my car or shot at me. I looked in my rear view window to find my hatch window was totally shattered and beginning to crack with no one behind me at least I didn't see any on. The police officer told me that it was because of the heat. It was 106 today here in Arizona. He stated that with the car being so hot and it cooling down with the ac on the pressure from inside pushed my window out. This is very unsafe and if this is the case the car industries need to do something about this.

(2) On August 4, 2008 at 11:49 pm Amberdc [0] said:

Happen to me yesterday. All the windows were rolled up, in direct sun for 7+ hours, only 95 degrees that day. When I came home I noticed that my side quarter window on my 2004 chevy cavalier was still in place but completely shattered with no apparent impact either. I don't know if it was the heat or not, but it was crazy.

(1) On July 7, 2008 at 5:12 am Detonate [0] said:

Similar thing happened to me a few days ago. It was about 85 degrees outside. I had my windows rolled up, and the car was in the direct sunlight for 8 hours. I wasnt home where the car was, and when i got home the back window of my 97 vw gti was shattered. It looked as though the window was blown outword, all the broken glass was on the ground, and none in the car, so i dont think someone broke it. No One had gotten into the car, and people where at home when it happened, so i dont think someone would have broken my car window, when it was in the driveway with the door to the house open and people inside. Too risky.

My conclusion is that the heat shattered my window, since it looked like it was pushed outward from the inside.

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