cracking windshield on a hot day

S

stangclassic66

New member
Hey All,



I thought i'd share an experience I had and hope that many of you could avoid happening.



My girlfriend came over one day and asked me to wash her car (this was last summer). It was about 90+ degrees and I said sure. She had a crack in her windshield about the size of a quarter. As soon as that cold water hit the windshield, i watched the quarter sized crack expand and rapidly trying to find the end of the glass on both ends!! In about 2 seconds that quarter sized cracked was about 1.5 feet long!!



I was speechless and she was just as shocked. I didn't get into any trouble but that was a first for me. Hopefully the last. Make sure to inspect those windows on hot days!!



Has this happened to anyone here?



Thanks in advance.



Erik
 
Similar thing happened to me. I have a 91 Escort that is my winter beater. Last summer I washed one of my Mustangs and when I was done I took pity on the poor Escort and washed it too. Although I have washed it many times before in the same conditions for some reason this time the windshield cracked from the bottom clear up to the top when I rinsed it. For luck the crack was not in my direct line of vision but off to one side. I would put another windshield in it but what ever it cost would be more than the car is worth, LOL.
 
Were these washed in the sun or had they been in the shade and allowed to cool down with the windows open prior to closing up the car for the wash?
 
Happend to me two summers back. 100+ day, we washed in full sun (quickie on a PO-$H!t)) and a crack started at a rock chip and went across the windshield.



I would be suprized if that car was worth more than $1000 but it got a new $250 windshield the very next tday.
 
That sucks big time. Luckily we have never had that happen in 11 years but I am pretty careful about hosing the cars down when they are still hot. Better to be safe than sorry with any windshield that has chips or cracks in it to begin with and advise the owner beforehand that it may worsen. It's inevitable that it will at some point anyway if left unfixed.
 
I had a windshield crack two years ago in the same manner, (cool water, warm windshield) but because there was no evidence of a rock chip, Ford replaced it under warranty.
 
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