Side window broken...fragile?

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5thdan

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I have had rock chips over the years, but this is the first time a side window was ruined in one shot.
 

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5thdan said:
I have had rock chips over the years, but this is the first time a side window was ruined in one shot.
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I had this happen a few years ago on my C-Max while sitting at work. FORD wanted $400 for that little window yet the car's giant windshield was only about $550 at the time! Luckily back then, FORD actively monitored the forum I participate on and a CS rep helped me get it warrantied (full disclosure: I was/am the moderator there). Looking back on it now, I think it was probably caused by the grounds crew using a string trimmer or mower as the car was parked nearest the grass median in the parking lot.

Yours has strong signs of a point of impact; mine was harder to tell but eventually I saw it was along the edge/rubber strip.
 
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If you have trouble getting a replacement from Honda; since that piece of glass is flat, any glass shop could cut you a new one.
 
Side windows are normally safety glass that shatter into small squares: This looks like the side window breakage on most cars. Do not have a glass shop install cut glass. Windshields have plastic imbedded to limit cracking and retain the pieces.
 
bpratt said:
If you have trouble getting a replacement from Honda; since that piece of glass is flat, any glass shop could cut you a new one.
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Definitely not the case. Car mfrs stopped using cutable plate glass sometime in the 40s or 50s I think. This will be a Honda only part (or used/salvage which will be an equal long shot to locate). It’s definitely tempered at a minimum (uncutable), probably laminated, likely slightly curved and not flat if you put a straightedge on it, and most likely an encapsulated piece of safety glass that has a molding integrated around it that cannot be transferred to new glass or reused. This glass is about $466 retail from Honda in the US. Add probably $100 to $150 labor to install by any competent auto body shop, independent shops are fine for something simple like this. Just need a partial door disassembly which all body shops do daily. And a dealership is likely to charge triple that labor for a less experienced door disassembler to do the repair if you just go thru their regular service department. Skip that desk completely.

I recommend you go directly to a body shop, dealership or non dealership, because you’ll save notably on labor and are more likely to have it done by a more experienced mechanic that won’t break trim clips during disassembly.

Add for aftermarket window tint on the new glass if it was tinted...$45 or $50. But if not, obviously you won’t add for it.

It’s also a glass breakage/comp claim, sometimes zero deductible depends on your policy and where you live. This is worth a phone call to your insurance agent, might pay the whole bill.

As with everything Clarity, simply obtaining the part may be an interesting proposition. Will love to know how soon it can be obtained and what final price of repair turns out to be.
 
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If it happened when you were moving it would be part of your Comprehensive coverage which likely has a lower deductible. Does the side of the mirror towards the window look OK? Something could have bounced off that if you were moving. Tempered glass is really strong but a bit of force across a very small area will cause the whole thing to fail. That is why the small rescue car window breakers work with so little effort, really small tip on the striker.
 
I think that Chuck hit the nail on the head. There is an impact on the side mirror. The driver "vent glass" doesn't appear hard to get, but it is definitely OEM and the first quote is $467 + $150 install!
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craze1cars said:
Definitely not the case. Car mfrs stopped using cutable plate glass sometime in the 40s or 50s I think. This will be a Honda only part (or used/salvage which will be an equal long shot to locate). It’s definitely tempered at a minimum (uncutable), probably laminated, likely slightly curved and not flat if you put a straightedge on it, and most likely an encapsulated piece of safety glass that has a molding integrated around it that cannot be transferred to new glass or reused. This glass is about $466 retail from Honda in the US. Add probably $100 to $150 labor to install by any competent auto body shop, independent shops are fine for something simple like this. Just need a partial door disassembly which all body shops do daily. And a dealership is likely to charge triple that labor for a less experienced door disassembler to do the repair if you just go thru their regular service department. Skip that desk completely.

I recommend you go directly to a body shop, dealership or non dealership, because you’ll save notably on labor and are more likely to have it done by a more experienced mechanic that won’t break trim clips during disassembly.

Add for aftermarket window tint on the new glass if it was tinted...$45 or $50. But if not, obviously you won’t add for it.

It’s also a glass breakage/comp claim, sometimes zero deductible depends on your policy and where you live. This is worth a phone call to your insurance agent, might pay the whole bill.

As with everything Clarity, simply obtaining the part may be an interesting proposition. Will love to know how soon it can be obtained and what final price of repair turns out to be.
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Excellent advice, thank you!
 
fotomoto said:
I had this happen a few years ago on my C-Max while sitting at work. FORD wanted $400 for that little window yet the car's giant windshield was only about $550 at the time! Luckily back then, FORD actively monitored the forum I participate on and a CS rep helped me get it warrantied (full disclosure: I was/am the moderator there). Looking back on it now, I think it was probably caused by the grounds crew using a string trimmer or mower as the car was parked nearest the grass median in the parking lot.

Yours has strong signs of a point of impact; mine was harder to tell but eventually I saw it was along the edge/rubber strip.
Click to expand...

Robert_Alabama said:
or a lawnmower?
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I was on the highway, IH-10 heading towards Houston. There is so much junk bouncing around on IH-35 and IH-10 to a lesser extent that it's a crap shoot every time I drive to Dallas or Houston.
 
That small triangle glass is tempered (1 layer) glass. Only the front driver & passenger side windows & front windshield are laminated (2 layer) glass.
 
Hoon, what is the source of your info? If this is true, what's holding the glass in place in that photo? Aftermarket window tint? Original poster didn't indicate whether or not his windows were aftermarket tinted or not. Straight up tempered glass would otherwise shatter and drop to the ground, not stay in place like it did in the photos shown here.

Or maybe (VERY likely in my opinion) it's actually Acoustic glass...which is also 2 layered. See Honda's repair position statement here, which says they started using side Acoustic glass in 2014 on "some models." Maybe Clarity is one. Refer to first paragraph on 2nd page:
https://asashop.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-0622-Honda-ABN09431.pdf

Automotive glass is very complex these days folks. Nothing is as simple as it may seem.
 
craze1cars said:
https://hondanews.com/channels/fuel...s/2018-honda-clarity-plug-in-hybrid-press-kit

Sure enough. Isn’t Google grand? Scroll down to Key Exterior Body Features and one thing listed is “Acoustic Front Door Glass”

So that means it’s double layered/laminated.
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I thought I read somewhere that the side windows in the front seat are acoustic, didn't think about the vent window but of course if the front seat windows are acoustic then you would expect the vent window to be also.
 
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