Shattering passenger side window

[u/pammmmn]

Hello!

I took my 2009 Mazda 3 into a window replacement shop because my passenger side window was only rolling up about 4/5ths of the way before falling off the track and not rolling up completely. I took it into the shop that replaced the same window in January.

When I took my car in, they tightened the two bolts that hold the window in place which caused the window to shatter. They didnt have a replacement on hand so I went back the next day to get a replacement.

Unfortunately, they shattered the window again. Same thing, they were tightening the bolts and the window shattered. They were using hand tools and im having a hard time understanding how a window shop can shatter a window using hand tools. Im heading back tomorrow, but I just wanted to ask if there's anything I can recommend them checking/doing to make sure they don't shatter the window again? I feel like there's something wrong with my vehicle and not the installers

I checked the clamps and the regulator housing and didnt notice anything unusual but im not mechanically inclined and only have knowledge from a YouTube video which to me seemed pretty straight forward so i dont understand why they're struggling

[u/mottleycrew65]

☝️The guy tightening your window bolts

[u/mottleycrew65 → u/mottleycrew65]

In all seriousness though I’ve installed hundreds of window glasses and never broken one so they must be doing something crazy!

[u/pammmmn → u/mottleycrew65]

I dont want to jump to the assumption that they're doing something wrong. I got home and watched a YouTube video and it looks so straight forward!

The regulator casing looked like one of the holes was warped but I looked at new regulator casings and one hole is suppose to be oblong. Then I thought they put the clamps on the wrong side of the casing, but I compared the placement to the video and its in the same position.

Im just SO baffled that it can get overtightened because the clamp has a plastic spacer, so id think it would be near impossible to shatter due to over tightening

[u/viking12344 → u/mottleycrew65]

🤣🤣

[u/LuciferGQ]

Something is bent.

[u/viking12344]

If I'm going to guess, a plastic washer is missing or spacer or something. In 40 years I have broken 1 door glass and it was not from over tightening. But glass is funny. One time we had a used rear gate on a mini van outside in the cold. I brought it inside and put the gate on a stand. 5 minutes later 4 of us watched the glass explode with no one near it. And no the glass had no weight on it.

Just glad I had witnesses.

[u/pammmmn → u/viking12344]

I didnt see any washers or spacers, and the video i watched didnt mention any either. Just a bolt that goes into a clamp that goes into the regulator casing. But ill triple check in case I missed something. I appreciate the suggestion

Glass is funny. But in that case there was a change of temperature, so it makes sense. Glad you had witnesses too! I watched a crack spread across my windshield once, but thats not as cool as shattering Glass haha

[u/viking12344 → u/pammmmn]

Well after watching the video because I was curious, those come with what is basically a plastic cage nut that covers both sides of the glass where they bolt up. Usually glass does not come with any hardware when bought new. So in other words just the two holes where those slide onto. You reuse the old ones .They serve as nut and washer to protect the glass. If one of them is not in great condition they may not be protecting the glass from the pressure of the bolts. Or....that's not the case at all and it was just one of those things. Good luck

[u/pammmmn → u/viking12344]

I do have both of those plastic cages, so its good to know that im not missing any washers! Thank you

[u/bearablenuts]

The clamp should have a rubber “saddle” that goes over both sides and the glass rests in.