Mysterious cracked windscreen.

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ProfessorT

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My year old Freelander developed an 8 inch crack in the (heated) front windscreen over the weekend. It was parked on my drive, facing away from the road and in an enclosed space. The crack is on the top right, running from the edge downwards.

There are no other marks or chips and you can't feel the crack inside or out.

Dealer insists its an 'impact' crack and not covered by warranty. It is covered by insurance, so that's not the issue.

I am not at all convinced it can be impact, as there's no obvious way it could have been hit hard enough to crack without leaving a mark, given where it was parked. Anyone have a similar experience?
 
Yes, one nine year old boy - but he was nowhere near it all weekend nor any of his mates - very quiet road. Dealer suggested a football, but not possible where it was parked even if the kids were playing around.
 
Ive had one crack from the bottom drivers side up towards the middle on a golf.....stress fracture is all I could think off.....but as its a heated screen im guessing stress too...maybe some of the elements are broken and not heating the screen evenly.....The rear on my Freelander exploded once when I turn on the heated screen....
 
I had the same about 2 weeks ago.front screen,from bottom right about 6" in from pillar,diagonaly towards the mirror.Not a sign of any impact marks anywhere.Chap that replaced it said probably a stress fracture,but I don't recall any particularly nasty potholes,hard cornering or kerb mounting.So,I'm not so sure what happened.
Mines not as new as yours,'05 TD4
 
I'd be very inclined to ask the dealer to show you where the impact was.

And back it up with a visit to Autoglass and ask them the same thing.....
 
Run a ball point pen along (or down) the crack. if the crack is on the outer layer of glass, and if there is an impact, you'll feel it with the pen.

Stress fractures are very rare but if it is one, it is usually down to a human error. There are a number of possibilities to consider/investigate, such as:

1. Has the screen been replaced recently? If so, how long ago?

2. Where does the crack appear to start, or run from?

3. Was anything removed from the car, such as the wiper cowl, wipers, dashboard etc?

Taking the car to the aforementioned company will only introduce a 'sell' element whereby they might tell you that the car is unsafe - or even illegal - to drive with a cracked windscreen.

Do the pen test, and post up a picture of the crack if you can.
 
I once while washing the car as always I pulled the windscreen wipers forward , so not to get all the suds on them .which can lead to smeared windscreen , any way after cleaning I went to put them back onto the screen and accidently caught the near side one as I was putting the off side one back and it slapped on the wind screen , and cracked it ,when I went to have a new screen in they said it had one before and was resting on the bottom pieces of metal, when it should be just above then ,and that would have caused it.
 
Glassman said:
Run a ball point pen along (or down) the crack. if the crack is on the outer layer of glass, and if there is an impact, you'll feel it with the pen. NOTHING - feels smooth

Stress fractures are very rare but if it is one, it is usually down to a human error. There are a number of possibilities to consider/investigate, such as:

1. Has the screen been replaced recently? If so, how long ago? NO

2. Where does the crack appear to start, or run from? TOP RIGHT CORNER, DOWN IN SLIGHT CURVE

3. Was anything removed from the car, such as the wiper cowl, wipers, dashboard etc? NO

Taking the car to the aforementioned company will only introduce a 'sell' element whereby they might tell you that the car is unsafe - or even illegal - to drive with a cracked windscreen.

Do the pen test, and post up a picture of the crack if you can.
Click to expand...
colin
 
This happened to me last year - mine cracked on the passenger side bottom edge, traveling upwards.
I noticed it when I got home after dropping my elderly mum off at her house - I remember that she gave the front passenger door a good slam when she closed it ...think that must have been the cause of mine.
 
Same thing has happened on mine today. No impact, just a 10 inch crack, drivers side from the bottom behind the steering wheel. I think I'm covered by insurance but wondered what might have caused it to avoid it again. Stress fracture mentioned here sounds like a possible. Any idea of replacement costs? Thanks
 
I had this a few weeks back, big crack from top of passenger side and ran in a curve towards the centre. Assumed it was a stone hitting the screen but maybe not....
 
I had a cracked windscreen about 10 inches long, i put it down to an audi that lost control and flicked up a load of gravel the week before noticable damage. Thought i got away with it but when the temp dropped the crack appeared.
 
this time of year when it is freezing you only have to get the smallest chip or even if it has not been sealed properly and a drop of water gets in and then over night or sometimes in the day when temperature drops and it freezes the drop of water gets bigger then CRACK, that all it takes
 
ProfessorT said:
My year old Freelander developed an 8 inch crack in the (heated) front windscreen over the weekend. It was parked on my drive, facing away from the road and in an enclosed space. The crack is on the top right, running from the edge downwards.

There are no other marks or chips and you can't feel the crack inside or out.

Dealer insists its an 'impact' crack and not covered by warranty. It is covered by insurance, so that's not the issue.

I am not at all convinced it can be impact, as there's no obvious way it could have been hit hard enough to crack without leaving a mark, given where it was parked. Anyone have a similar experience?
Click to expand...
 
Freelander 2 HSE 2011 I had the front windscreen replaced on Saturday 21st May 16 a crack had appeared from bottom left vertical for about 60 mm then went sharp left to the door pillar.I cannot recall anything hitting it. I was told not to drive the car for about 4hrs however I went to get the car out of the garage this morning 23/5/16 I checked the wind screen to find another crack starting in the same place I have called Auto Windscreen and someone will be out to have a look, I see there are a few on the forum who have had similar problems.
 
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