Problem Driver's side windshield shattered

[Neal]

Leaving the campground this morning I heard unusual "flex" sounds from the driver's side window. I raised the shade, inspected it wondering what all the noise is, all looked good so on my way as usual. I was doing maybe 5 mph. Almost arriving at Gaffney for Freightliner service, bladder said ain't gonna make it so I pulled over on a wide emergency shoulder 2 miles prior to the turnoff and when getting ready to leave a truck flew by and I guess the shockwave was enough to shatter the window which was probably ready to go. So now what? I'm at FL Gaffney. Is it safe to drive? Who's had this situation? What is the repair looking like? I'm hoping I can get home which is around 7 hours then have the local shop (Camping World I bought it from) do the repair, unless something near me here in Gaffney can be arranged. I hope Progressive will cover or help with this. I did email Newmar Ventana Service as I can't find an email for Parts and my trusty Joe G. is no longer there to rescue me.

I welcome any thoughts, opinions. Been a rough trip so far (medically) and now this.

 

[gburgman]

That might not hold with any more buffeting even if you were to tape it with clear packing tape. Not being able to see the mirror may give your INS co some reason to deny any future claims, god forbid you cut someone off and caused an accident.

I doubt eve the mother ship will have one in stock

 

[Neemer]

Neal, you’re only about three hours from NIRVC’s Atlanta store. I would give them a call and see if they can help.

Progressive should cover that.

 

[RobertE]

Regardless of what you do, I would tape the window up. Clear packing tape on the inside.

 

[DennisT]

Friends of ours lost one like that. They had a local glass person come out - they made a new window for the opening and installed.

May be someone local that could do that….

 

[Neal]

Thanks all, great tips so far. @ARD had a good idea too (offline) that when she had a glass shatter a relative covered it in plexiglass. Sounds like a good idea.

I'm waiting to hear back from Progressive / Safelite.

Newmar responded promptly which was nice to call Nationwide RV Glass / 833-784-5277 so I'm hold now waiting to speak to someone. Newmar service says quotes can take 15 days and bookings are for November now. I did get a tip from a secret source (sauce?) that if I tell service I'm associated with Nascar I'll get priority for service

I could not be at a better or nicer place to have this happen. I'm sure they will allow me to stay here as long as needed to sort this out if needed. FL Custom Chassis in Gaffney, SC are some of the nicest people! Great service and support here, always!

 

[Neal]

I was talking to @GlampDaddy while he was boating with Steve Showalter, and still took my call, who said the same thing happened a week ago to another 2017 Newmar Ventana. Same pane of glass!

 

[Richpatty]

Maybe all the heat lately?

 

[Neal]

I've been in worse temps. I'm always surprised it hasn't shattered as much torque that occurs in that area. I'm guessing something just weakened over time and allowed it to flex more.

 

[Phillbo]

Or that truck that passed kicked up a rock.

 

[Neal]

I wish my dashcam was working, which I found out was not. Leaving Charlotte there was a landscaping size boulder traveling down the middle lane opposite direction traffic. Some vehicles I'm sure got major damage. I was lucky to be in the left lane at that time or it would have been very ugly. Well, now I learned my dashcam is kaput, so that needs to be replaced at some point. Bummed I didn't get video of that projectile and further, figure out where it came from.

 

[Webz]

When we needed glass replaced, Progressive came to us. Maybe you can get it replaced while at Gaffney?

 

[Chuggs]

I would guess it was a rock. Can't say if it was during that encounter or not. Here's something to consider. We stayed in one of those overnight type places on a trip. Another Newmar owner had also arrived that day. Before we arrived, their lawn maintenance guys showed up...raced thru the park cutting grass at full speed. They also had the deflector on the discharge chute tied up. They threw a rock up against that same window on their Newaire...and it looked like yours. It could be an earlier encounter hit the glass...perhaps had a ding but didn't explode like that until the pressure wave triggered it to go.

Wild conjecture... but we aren't always around when the lawn guys zip around our rigs and throw stuff up. I'm always rinsing grass off my coach. If there are rocks present...well, I see no reason that they wouldn't also be hitting the coach.

Sorry, to hear about your window

 

[osuallen]

Did both panes shatter? If not you may be able to get around very temporarily by getting the broken outer one out of the way so you can see clearly.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

It happened to me about 4 years ago. Since its the outside pane, I carefully broke the glass out and drove from Big Bend back to the Houston area. My insurance paid to replace the complete window frame. I suggest taping the glass, but that will make it very hard to use the mirror. If you don't tape it or remove the broken glass, you risk the glass shattering, and at 60mph, those shards of glass will do a number on the side of your coach.