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Tom Stout is a Cybertruck owner who recently had to leave his Cybertruck parked outside in the sun for a few weeks. However, when Tom returned, he was surprised to find his Cybertruck glass roof had completely shattered.
Baffled by what happened, Tom went to the Cybertruck Owners Only Facebook group to ask fellow Cybertruck owners if anyone had experienced the same issue.
Tom writes, “I went out of town for three weeks and came home to my Cybertruck roof window cracked. It was sitting for three weeks. Maybe the heat? Has anyone else heard of this happening?”
Below his question, Tom attached a picture of his cracked Cybertruck glass roof. As you can see in the picture, the glass is cracked from the front to the back and side to side.
Fellow Cybertruck owner Ronnie Deez responded in a manner that appears to explain the mystery of Tom’s cracked Cybertruck glass roof…Ronnie wrote, “I've seen this issue posted a few times. Was your roof tinted aftermarket? That seems to be what others have said. The heat can’t dissipate due to some special glass Tesla uses.”
Tom responded, "Oh yes, I did tint that top piece to keep the heat out... oops.” Tom then added, “WARNING: Do not tint the top glass! It will cost $2,000 to replace it. I almost tinted the front windshield; glad I didn't.”
Naturally, fellow Cybertruck owners in the group wanted to inquire more about the circumstances under which Tom’s Cybertruck glass roof shattered.
The first question group members, most of whom were also Cybertruck owners, asked Tom was about the location where he had left his Cybertruck for three weeks. Tom responded, “I live in Huntington Beach, California. It doesn't even get that hot. It must have been the tint I put on.”
The Cybertruck owners also asked whether there was any visible impact or if he saw any shoe marks on the glass, suggesting that perhaps the glass shattered under the weight of individuals who climbed on top of the roof.
However, according to Tom, no signs suggest foul play or things falling on the glass; Tom seems entirely convinced that the glass broke due to the heat.
Some people might be surprised to learn that the Cybertruck’s shatter-resistant “liquid metal” glass is cracking simply because of the sun; however, this particular case likely has to do with the aftermarket tint Tom added to his glass roof.
The added tint absorbs heat, stopping the sun’s rays from entering the vehicle and keeping the cabin cooler; this is well and good; however, in a situation where the vehicle is left parked for several days, this can cause a problem.
Even with an aftermarket tint, if a vehicle is driven often, the high-speed wind will take away some of the heat from the tint material; however, in the absence of motion, the heat will accumulate, causing heat build-up that could shatter the glass.
Another question people are asking concerns warranty. Given that the Cybertruck glass shattered without impact, will Tesla cover the replacement costs, or will Tom need to pay out of pocket?
In this case, Tesla will likely use the fact that Tom has added aftermarket tint to his Cybertruck glass roof to void his warranty.
Tom says that, at this point, he was only able to request a repair and was not able to inquire about the warranty. However, he has been scheduled to visit a Tesla service center in 10 days, and he says he will update the forum members after discussing the issue with Tesla.
In the meantime, hinting at how the warranty issue will go, another Tesla owner, Marcus Reno Story, shares that Tesla instructed him directly not to tint his vehicle as the EV maker has received many reports of cracked glass after tinting.
Overall, it is still too early to conclude one way or the other regarding the Cybertruck’s glass; however, until the issue becomes clear, it is prudent not to put aftermarket tints on your Cybertruck.
I haven’t heard too many reports of automotive glass shattering after installing an aftermarket tint; however, let me know if you have experienced similar issues in a Cybertruck or any other vehicle.
Share your ideas by clicking the red “Add new comment” button below. Also, visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.
Image: Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
For more information, check out: Tesla Runs Through the Entire Canada Cybertruck Reservation List in 6 Days; I Reserved Mine in December 2023 & I Can Already Order
Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and the evolution of the EV space daily for several years. He covers everything about Tesla, from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.
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