When broken, will the back window shatter or crack?

[invisible4Runner]

Probably seems like an odd question, I know.

I have my son in a rear facing car seat, and always have the cargo cover pulled across the cargo area. It occurred to me today that with the cargo cover pulled tight, if I was hit from behind and the back window shattered, the cargo cover would probably act like a trampoline for the thousands of glass shards - which would hopefully otherwise be more likely to stay in the cargo area.

In which case I'd probably be less inclined to use the cargo cover when on road trips with him sitting in the middle seats.

But if the window just cracked like a windshield, I'd leave it in place.

Can anyone confirm what happens when broken?

 

[Saker]

Probably seems like an odd question, I know.

I have my son in a rear facing car seat, and always have the cargo cover pulled across the cargo area. It occurred to me today that with the cargo cover pulled tight, if I was hit from behind and the back window shattered, the cargo cover would probably act like a trampoline for the thousands of glass shards - which would hopefully otherwise be more likely to stay in the cargo area.

In which case I'd probably be less inclined to use the cargo cover when on road trips with him sitting in the middle seats.

But if the window just cracked like a windshield, I'd leave it in place.

Can anyone confirm what happens when broken?

I don't think it is laminated.
With that said, you could always go to the tint shop and have a layer of tint placed on the said window and prevent the shards from moving.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

It will pretty much shatter like all the other windows in the car (with the exception of the Windshield which is laminated), they're all "Safety Glass". Though those tiny 1mm sized bits of glass can still cut you up decently; though not as bad as old plate glass.

 

[RedSled]

It will pretty much shatter like all the other windows in the car (with the exception of the Windshield which is laminated), they're all "Safety Glass". Though those tiny 1mm sized bits of glass can still cut you up decently; though not as bad as old plate glass.

Confirmed, it was a terrible weed wacker accident.

 

[barryhiram]

With that said, you could always go to the tint shop and have a layer of tint placed on the said window and prevent the shards from moving.

^^ X2 ^^, film doesn't even need to have a tinted shade. Might want to consider doing the side windows too.

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[invisible4Runner]

Thanks folks - I will keep the cargo cover rolled up for road trips, to keep my paranoia at bay.

Looking forward to him being able to sit forward.... and fasten himself up.... and mow the lawn.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

^^ X2 ^^, film doesn't even need to have a tinted shade. Might want to consider doing the side windows too.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VyKlP2trTrc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

See, the thing is that I don't get why you can't just break the glass and pry the now solid sheet out of the car body. You see in some of their crash videos how it pops out of the door panel. I mean if it was as secure as they claim, that'd be dangerous for people trapped inside the vehicle.

 

[barryhiram]

See, the thing is that I don't get why you can't just break the glass and pry the now solid sheet out of the car body. You see in some of their crash videos how it pops out of the door panel. I mean if it was as secure as they claim, that'd be dangerous for people trapped inside the vehicle.

The reality is it just makes it much tougher to break, tint will hold all shattered glass pieces together. You would then push inward/outward to remove the entire section. Btw, an auto center punch or any of the emergency glass breaking tools will still shatter glass tint or no tint.

True story that happened to me a few years back (before 4Runner), was driving to work one morning when my car overheated. I pulled into the breakdown lane and in my haste to find out what happened, I shut the car off, popped the hood, and opened it. About 10 seconds later, I heard a chirp, my alarm had set itself locking all doors with my keys in the ignition and cell phone in center console :wtf: Not a good way to start the day.

After contemplating all my options (which was only one), I decided to break the right rear window since I had a spare at work. So I grabbed a very large rock to break said window (getting to point.......all windows were tinted), after hitting window with a lot of force about 8 times, it finally broke! I was amazed at how hard I had to hit the glass and that the tint held the shattered glass together. I just pushed the entire piece in far enough to reach the door lock, and gained access to my vehicle.

Was able to a temporary repair the overheating problem, made it to work, during lunch time tinted replacement glass, and installed after work......like nothing ever happened.

 

[Ezlife45]

I just question the direction the glass will fly when you are rear ended...
When a mower threw a rock from the outside95% of my window was inside the vehicle.

When the car is rear ended i guess it is a crap shoot whether the glass will fly out the back or fly inside the vehicle...

 

[Avalon786]

Could gain insight from this member? http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/212195-rear-ended-today.html

 

[1engineer]

If you are sitting at a stoplight and a guy hits the rear of your vehicle at 30 mph where will the back glass go? Not towards your son! Every thing in the vehicle will go towards the back glass (well actually every thing will stay still while your vehicle suddenly moves forward but I digress) and the back glass will shatter and go mostly on the ground behind your 4Runner. Physics. Every action will have an equal and opposite reaction.

 

[enapa]

If you are sitting at a stoplight and a guy hits the rear of your vehicle at 30 mph where will the back glass go? Not towards your son! Every thing in the vehicle will go towards the back glass (well actually every thing will stay still while your vehicle suddenly moves forward but I digress) and the back glass will shatter and go mostly on the ground behind your 4Runner. Physics. Every action will have an equal and opposite reaction.

Yep. Now if the OP was going in reverse and hit something that caused the glass to shatter then it would be a different story. I imagine that's probably not ever going to happen.

 

[invisible4Runner]

If you are sitting at a stoplight and a guy hits the rear of your vehicle at 30 mph where will the back glass go? Not towards your son! Every thing in the vehicle will go towards the back glass (well actually every thing will stay still while your vehicle suddenly moves forward but I digress) and the back glass will shatter and go mostly on the ground behind your 4Runner. Physics. Every action will have an equal and opposite reaction.

Thanks, I'm almost a little embarrassed I did not think about that!

 

[BlackWorksInc]

The reality is it just makes it much tougher to break, tint will hold all shattered glass pieces together. You would then push inward/outward to remove the entire section. Btw, an auto center punch or any of the emergency glass breaking tools will still shatter glass tint or no tint.

True story that happened to me a few years back (before 4Runner), was driving to work one morning when my car overheated. I pulled into the breakdown lane and in my haste to find out what happened, I shut the car off, popped the hood, and opened it. About 10 seconds later, I heard a chirp, my alarm had set itself locking all doors with my keys in the ignition and cell phone in center console :wtf: Not a good way to start the day.

After contemplating all my options (which was only one), I decided to break the right rear window since I had a spare at work. So I grabbed a very large rock to break said window (getting to point.......all windows were tinted), after hitting window with a lot of force about 8 times, it finally broke! I was amazed at how hard I had to hit the glass and that the tint held the shattered glass together. I just pushed the entire piece in far enough to reach the door lock, and gained access to my vehicle.

Was able to a temporary repair the overheating problem, made it to work, during lunch time tinted replacement glass, and installed after work......like nothing ever happened.

That's basically what I figured, it's not really security as much as it just adds seconds to a break in attempt. Like I said, the logic that they would stand up indefinitely to assault like the videos imply would mean the same is true for a trapped occupant inside the vehicle trying to get out; that's a HUGE liability issue.

If you are sitting at a stoplight and a guy hits the rear of your vehicle at 30 mph where will the back glass go? Not towards your son! Every thing in the vehicle will go towards the back glass (well actually every thing will stay still while your vehicle suddenly moves forward but I digress) and the back glass will shatter and go mostly on the ground behind your 4Runner. Physics. Every action will have an equal and opposite reaction.

If he backs up into a tree branch it'll shove all that glass into the back. Had that happen in a Montero I was a passenger in when someone was backing up at night and didn't see the tree behind them. :nerd:

 

[Mistaken]

Check this thread.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/212195-rear-ended-today.html

Doesn't look like any glass is on the ground behind the vehicle but my guess is they moved off the road after being hit. I'm sure the OP could give you more info. :thumb: