Show us your crack (windshields)

[HereinDaRockies]

Sigh... 1,960 miles (2 months) into my Grenadier and I had to change my vote here.
Thanks to the wonderful Bay Area roads I have now joined the club.

I'm hopeful if I take it to a shop they might be able to do some epoxy fill. Thankfully its on the passenger side. But still very noticeable!

I see a big impact crater in your photo, right?

 

[S52]

I see a big impact crater in your photo, right?

yes impact was lower part (the black portion of the windshield just below where the wiper sits) and the crack spread upwards in a curve.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

We need the poll to have two dimensions of data, crack/no crack and mileage…

 

[Zimm]

We need the poll to have two dimensions of data, crack/no crack and mileage…

It’s mostly impacts. The glass is too thin. It works for modern aerodynamic cars, not there. The fix, is luck.

 

[S52]

It’s mostly impacts. The glass is too thin. It works for modern aerodynamic cars, not there. The fix, is luck.

I was curios if other similar vehicles are having this issue. Checked out a Mercedes forum with G owners. They have a similar thread to this. Seems to be very common occurrence for them as well. Brick aerodynamics and all... some are suggesting good success with exoshield type window protection. Going to have to look into that.

 

[Shopkeep]

I was curios if other similar vehicles are having this issue. Checked out a Mercedes forum with G owners. They have a similar thread to this. Seems to be very common occurrence for them as well. Brick aerodynamics and all... some are suggesting good success with exoshield type window protection. Going to have to look into that.

I wonder what Merc charge for a G Class windscreen?

 

[CrazyOldMan]

I was curios if other similar vehicles are having this issue. Checked out a Mercedes forum with G owners. They have a similar thread to this. Seems to be very common occurrence for them as well. Brick aerodynamics and all... some are suggesting good success with exoshield type window protection. Going to have to look into that.

I have Exoshield - one year so far (fingers crossed) - took a couple of hits that worried me, but haven’t seen any damage. Seems to do fine in the car wash. One thing - I do have a heated garage, and I know some people theorize that temp fluctuations by the dash vent might be a root cause.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

I have Exoshield - one year so far (fingers crossed) - took a couple of hits that worried me, but haven’t seen any damage. Seems to do fine in the car wash. One thing - I do have a heated garage, and I know some people theorize that temp fluctuations by the dash vent might be a root cause.

I broke the cardinal rule of the American Midwest - never say, or think, anything positive or enthusiastic- if you do, the universe will punish you for your hubris. 3 days after I posted this, look what I found. I keep it in a heated garage and only use a car wash about once a month or so. Should probably switch to manual washes. Anyhow, since I had the Exoshield installed by a contactor arranged by my Ineos dealer, they arranged to have it replaced without charge. Maybe something for you guys to keep in mind.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

I broke the cardinal rule of the American Midwest - never say, or think, anything positive or enthusiastic- if you do, the universe will punish you for your hubris. 3 days after I posted this, look what I found. I keep it in a heated garage and only use a car wash about once a month or so. Should probably switch to manual washes. Anyhow, since I had the Exoshield installed by a contactor arranged by my Ineos dealer, they arranged to have it replaced without charge. Maybe something for you guys to keep in mind.

wtf is that? The film peeling ? It’s not a cracked windshield right?

 

[CrazyOldMan]

wtf is that? The film peeling ? It’s not a cracked windshield right?

Yeah just the film peeling off - after 8 months. My dealer said they would address it with the contactor - it’s supposed to last 2-3 years.

 

[SQF1]

I've done all I can do! New windshield installed last week. Installed Racing Optics this week, installed the foam around the live edge that Shopkeep found, also 3d printed a defrost deflector (first design). Triple pronged approach to address the three leading theories for cracking. Obviously the true fix would be a more robust windshield option but since we only have this one I've done the best I can do. The film covers up to an 1/8" from the live edge, the foam covers the live edge and the deflector keeps the bottom of the windshield from roasting. The only thing I have left to do is add the strip of clear outdoor tape to the top edge of the film. I did that on my last optics film because the car wash jets would pull it away from the glass along that edge. If this one cracks it is out of my control!

 

[Zimm]

I was curios if other similar vehicles are having this issue. Checked out a Mercedes forum with G owners. They have a similar thread to this. Seems to be very common occurrence for them as well. Brick aerodynamics and all... some are suggesting good success with exoshield type window protection. Going to have to look into that.

My 96 Europa G has 300k. That glass been pounded like a who... well... there are women on the forum. There are divots 10x the size of that tiny nick that started the second crack. The solution is simple, but, It appears this makes people money. Nothing like stumbling on a way to create reoccurring revenue and acting helpless to solve it.

 

[DarrenM]

Wow, I was driving down the road one day and my windshield just cracked... not another car in site. I thought it so strange at the time. I bet now it was a stress crack! It made no noise. I just chalked it up to Louisiana roads. I hate to replace it though... I had 95% ceramic tint applied and it works fantastic. So much less heat through the windshield.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

I've done all I can do! New windshield installed last week. Installed Racing Optics this week, installed the foam around the live edge that Shopkeep found, also 3d printed a defrost deflector (first design). Triple pronged approach to address the three leading theories for cracking. Obviously the true fix would be a more robust windshield option but since we only have this one I've done the best I can do. The film covers up to an 1/8" from the live edge, the foam covers the live edge and the deflector keeps the bottom of the windshield from roasting. The only thing I have left to do is add the strip of clear outdoor tape to the top edge of the film. I did that on my last optics film because the car wash jets would pull it away from the glass along that edge. If this one cracks it is out of my control!
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Not ALLLLLLL you can do - you can also strap a queen size mattress to the front of the windshield and lean out the window to drive.

 

[Zimm]

It’s time for an exocage and Blues Brothers chicken wire.

 

[AWo]

It’s time for an exocage and Blues Brothers chicken wire.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'...

AWo

 

[DoubleDoom]

Wow, I was driving down the road one day and my windshield just cracked... not another car in site. I thought it so strange at the time. I bet now it was a stress crack! It made no noise. I just chalked it up to Louisiana roads. I hate to replace it though... I had 95% ceramic tint applied and it works fantastic. So much less heat through the windshield.

Check the outer edge for an impact. As mentioned earlier in the thread, frameless windows are prone to suffering ricochets from hits under the window being fired upwards.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

Check the outer edge for an impact. As mentioned earlier in the thread, frameless windows are prone to suffering ricochets from hits under the window being fired upwards.

doubtful. These "investigate the edge" indirections do not help.

It's just more likely for impact to occur against non-edge surfaces.

This unprovable "must be edge damage" argument is trying to paper over the issue with the windshield glass design.

 

[C Ole]

Not an invitation for our antipodean friends to photograph their arses but rather our windscreens.

I saw a thread on one of the Facebook groups where it seems a common occurrence for a mystery crack to appear in the middle of the bottom edge of the screen. 5 or 6 people reported the exact same thing.

I wasn’t aware of a stone chip but I jumped in one day and saw immediately a 3-4” curving crack that actually follows the shape of the wiper pattern. It’s grown and grown but screen is being replaced tomorrow.

Anyone on here had this?

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[Coastalguy]

I have a similar crack that seemed to come out of nowhere. Figured I’d wait out the winter before replacing.