Exploded kitchen worktop

Monty's van · Jul 28, 2015

During our first proper holiday in our lovely brand new cali, which we couldn't be any more thrilled with, had a very alarming occurrence.

Hubby got a bottle out of the fridge and put it (perfectly carefully and gently) on the adjacent glass worktop, only to have the whole worktop explode. Totally shattered. Glass all over the place.

Kitchen window was open, and our son's friend was standing there talking with my husband through the window as it happened. Incredibly lucky that he was wearing sunglasses, as he would have had glass in his eyes.

Just taken it to our local service centre, as we assumed there would be no question that this would be a warranty issue, and was astonished that they didn't think it necessarily would be. We're waiting to hear.

In the meantime, I just wondered if this had ever happened to anyone else? And if so, was it covered under the warranty?

Thanks
Helen

Martin · Jul 28, 2015

Sorry to hear this Helen, you might want to read this thread

Alan · Jul 28, 2015

Knowing this is possible makes me feel glad I purchased the vynil work top protectors at coft last year
Really sorry for you Helen

Alan

Hotel California · Jul 28, 2015

Strange thing to happen , had knowledge it had happend before ( the tread Martin linkt) but now the 2nd or 3th time someone here on the forum who had it ....On brandnew Cali's!
Could it be they have failed becouse tention on the glas due to a misfit in the factory?
Don't want to see it happen in my Cali , what about glas shatters damaging the wardrobe and interieur and the risk of getting parts glas in the eye!

Is this not meant to be like a front window , glas that cracks but not goes in pieces!
Like to hear from someone in the glasbusinnes!

Monty's van · Jul 28, 2015

Thanks all.

Really glad to see that other thread and that it has, in at least one case, been covered by the warranty.

Seems to be toughened rather than laminated glass, so at least broke into small chunks rather than shards...

Zebedee · Aug 8, 2015

Sorry to hear your news. VW were insistent something must have been dropped on our worktop but it hadn't! In the end I had no choice but to pay up as I needed the van safe and working. Mine was just over a year old. And I now have a cupboard issue!
Zebedee

2into1 · Aug 9, 2015

Could some damage be done by placing hot pans (etc) on the closed worktop? Glass toughening is done by heating then controlled cooling (from memory) to relieve the 'stresses' in the glass, so I wondered if hot pans could build up stresses again.
I had my first night in a T5 Cali and it is tempting to put pans / kettles on the glass surfaces.

Hotel California · Aug 9, 2015

T4WFA said:
Could some damage be done by placing hot pans (etc) on the closed worktop? Glass toughening is done by heating then controlled cooling (from memory) to relieve the 'stresses' in the glass, so I wondered if hot pans could build up stresses again.
I had my first night in a T5 Cali and it is tempting to put pans / kettles on the glass surfaces.

We always use one of those silicone things underneeth the pot on the glass worktop
Don't think it is wise to put a hot pot direct in the glass!

Alan · Aug 9, 2015

I have a couple of table mats that I keep handy to place on my work tops so I can place my hot pans on etc, thin enough to be able to still lift the tops should I leave mats in position.
Mats also handy for protecting the glass tops from ab rations etc
Anything to protect glass damage

Alan

Monty's van · Aug 11, 2015

Zebedee said:
Sorry to hear your news. VW were insistent something must have been dropped on our worktop but it hadn't! In the end I had no choice but to pay up as I needed the van safe and working. Mine was just over a year old. And I now have a cupboard issue!
Zebedee

Sorry you ended up having to pay for yours. Ours has now been repaired, and we haven't been presented with a bill, so it should be covered. Bad enough having it happen, but to have to pay for the repair would be adding insult to injury.

Monty's van · Aug 11, 2015

T4WFA said:
Could some damage be done by placing hot pans (etc) on the closed worktop? Glass toughening is done by heating then controlled cooling (from memory) to relieve the 'stresses' in the glass, so I wondered if hot pans could build up stresses again.
I had my first night in a T5 Cali and it is tempting to put pans / kettles on the glass surfaces.

As others have said, I'm sure hot pans would be a very bad thing on the glass surface, and we certainly haven't done that. Have a nifty little fold up silicone trivet thingy.

Think it must have been a fault in the glass toughening process...