Odd cracked windsceen mystery ??

Bear · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:43

Odd cracked windscreen mystery ??

Got to my car today and drove down the road and noticed a 6-7inch crack in my windsceen on the drivers side bottom corner. It wasnt there yesterday as I drove it but the odd thing was that it seemed have cracked for no reason.

Firstly if it had been hit by something, then surely you would expect a chip where a stone would have hit it hard enough to crack it but there is none.

Secondly its cracked on the drivers side corner right from/to the edge so if it did happen when I was driving, I would have noticed it.

Its a really fine crack with no hint of being hit. Obviously windscreens dont crack for no reason but it would seem like it did. Im rather puzzled about it :confused:

Good job Im fully comp though so should only cost £50 to sort out.

djbenjo · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:46

Could have been a very small chip that has expanded perhaps? Has been frezzing every other night up here.

Bear · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:48

djbenjo said:
Could have been a very small chip that has expanded perhaps? Has been frezzing every other night up here.

I thought that but the screen is clear apart from a chip which is on the other side of the screen, plus it wasnt that cold last night as it was raining.

Will be interesting as Im insured with Flux, so will see how they are at paying up for the screen

F355 · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:49

I had the same thing happen, but on the passenger side. It just appeared overnight!

I usually blame it on the scally kids around here. Other than that it have no idea :s

Psymonkee · 12 Feb 2006 at 22:33

I had this happen to me a while back. About 1/2 a foot up from the bottom of the screen on the drivers side I had a crack about 1 foot long going diagonally upward

Quick call to the glass repair number listed on the insurance docs and they popped out to fix it. Even managed to squeeze the job in a day early \0/

Repair guy said that it's most likely a stone got caught in the seal and caused a chip that as said has just expanded.

£50 sorted

Tesla · 12 Feb 2006 at 22:44

I had the same on my Mondeo. Came out one morning to a nice crack up the middle of the window.

(That was the day I went camping with Ocuk'ers if you remember)

Morba · 12 Feb 2006 at 22:54

do they replace like for like?
and do they refit the rear view mirrors?
got a chip in the BM windscreen :/

Tesla · 12 Feb 2006 at 23:08

Morba said:
do they replace like for like?
and do they refit the rear view mirrors?
got a chip in the BM windscreen :/

The company I used (I am TPFT) replaced the mirror for me.

NEVER superglue the mirror to the window as it will crack the window, so if they dont re-stick it for you for whatever reason go and buy a proper sticky pad.

DannyDan · 12 Feb 2006 at 23:20

If you have a windscreen with a sunstrip on (factory fitted), will there also be a sunstrip on the replacement?

djbenjo · 12 Feb 2006 at 23:30

Post back here with how it goes with Fluxy

Bear · 13 Feb 2006 at 08:26

djbenjo said:
Post back here with how it goes with Fluxy

Will do, going to give them a ring this morning as the crack is getting bigger.

MrSix · 13 Feb 2006 at 08:31

Same thing happened to me last week - the crack went right from the very top of the passengers side down about 12 inches. No stone chip or anything, I put it down to the constant temperature fluctuations over the past few weeks going from freezing at night to warm when I get in the car - just a stress crack I reckon.
Anyway, the autoglass company came out and fixed it, took them about an hour and cost me £60 excess through insurance.

merlin · 13 Feb 2006 at 08:32

Most likely the temperature changes, or vibration if your car is set up firm.

L0rdMike · 13 Feb 2006 at 10:07

Same thing has happened to my mums car.

Skiddley · 13 Feb 2006 at 12:01

Stress fracture. Usually covered under warrenty.

BigT · 13 Feb 2006 at 12:40

With regards to sunstrips, mirrors etc. My insurer (direct line) replaced the front windscreen on my E46 through Autoglass and they replaced it with an identical windscreen that had a sunstrip and rain sensors as the original. They also refitted the rear view mirror etc.

Took them a while to get the right part ordered in though.

Enfield · 13 Feb 2006 at 12:57

It probably had a little chip or something in it, then the weather made it worse. I believe it's called erosion.

I remember being told about erosion in Geography at school. The weather would get inside little cracks in rocks and they would eventually break open.

LoadsaMoney · 13 Feb 2006 at 13:18

I wish i could wake up one morning to a nice crack.

Bear · 18 Feb 2006 at 17:49

djbenjo said:
Post back here with how it goes with Fluxy

Got the windscreen done no problems at all. Didnt even have to involve Adrian Flux as they told me to ring the Equity Red Star windscreen number. Did that and got put through to RAC Auto Windscreens and got it all done for £50.

xcessive · 18 Feb 2006 at 18:15

I've got a small crack on my windscreen as well. It must have been a stone chip that grew because of the weather.
The crack itself is on the far left handside of the windscreen (just above where you'd normally place a tax disc holder).
I was advised by Autoglass to leave it and if the crack does grow then i can get it sorted through insurance (i have FC cover). I think i have to pay about £50-60 excess.

I've never had to replace a windscreen before, what is the procedure if i pay the insurance excess? Do i pay Autoglass (or anyother windscreen repair service) and they sort out the paper work or do i have to contact insurance, pay them direct and get the windscreen replaced.
Does anyone from the insurance company come to view the damage because in theory i could ask for a heated front screen (it was an option on the Zetec-S) and because the wiring is supposidly in place even on non-heated fron screen models it would be great to have as an upgrade.