Hi guys - so just purchased a used 2018 Cooper S hatch - love it! Only has 2k miles on it so essentially a new car.

Driving home tonight from dinner I hear a "CRACK" which sounds like something hit the car, but we were on a side street and no one was in front of us. Then I look up and there's a 2" crack on the windshield at the top right in front of the driver's side. I can feel the groove in the crack. I get home, thinking some weird rock hit us, but there's literally no groove on the outside - nothing - no pock mark, no crack, it's completely smooth on the outside. You can only feel the crack on the inside. Did the windshield just crack on it's own?

So is that a warranty issue? Seems like a problem with the glass itself - if there was a rock hit wouldn't it leave a mark on the outside? I had a 2005 with plenty of road wear so I know what rock chips look like and this is not rock chip.

Anyone else have any issues with the windshield just cracking?

Thanks - just want to be ready if I have to deal with the dealer - and I'm totally bummed to have my brand new baby already have a crack!

 

Never happened to me, but it does occur from all sorts of reasons. Defective glass, heat/cold extremes, poor installation, etc.

 

I bought a new pickup a while back and the windshield cracked in less than 1,000 miles. Nothing indicated what the cause was. I went to the dealer where I bought it and they told me it's a 50/50 possibility. If the workers can figure out if it's the manufactures fault or the dealers fault, they will pay for it, if not, it's my dime.

They pulled the windshield out and found a small piece of glass in the paste type glue under the windshield where it was the manufactures fault during assembly, and warrantee covered the entire cost.

So if there isn't anything indicating the cause, you can take the roll of the dice as I did and see what happens.

 

If there is no visible impact, my understanding is that they may replace it under warranty. Take it in to the dealership before you get a rock chip, and have them look at it. It may just be a stress fracture on the windshield. I've had them replace them in the past on my R56 - my F56 hasn't had the same issue.

 

Stand your ground! No way this was "your fault".

Glass manufacturing is not a perfect process.

Worst case, your insurance may cover it if the dealer burns his bridge with you.

 

Our brand new 2018 S Hardtop cracked the first time we drove it. The dealer (who has been losing my trust over the last 2 years of owning our previous 2009 S) said they found a rock chip (which was certainly not evident when I inspected it). Long story short...we agreed to split the dealer cost of the windshield, since no one could prove whether that happened in our single drive or the 150 test drive miles that were on the odometer when we got the vehicle. Left a bad taste in my mouth, as you can imagine.

 

Thanks all - I'm going to run by the dealer first thing this morning. From what I can tell, this was certainly no rock chip - my '05 had plenty of rock chips, so I know what those look like and how that happens. This is literally a 1 1/2" to 2" line vertically from just near the top of the windshield. Rock chips don't go in a line, there's usually a starburst.

And again - no nick or any groove of any kind on the outside, on the inside I can feel the crack.

I'm going to push for them to cover it. Apparently the Maint. Warranty isn't transferable, but this should be part of the overall warranty, which has barely begun.

 

Smart move. A lot will rest w/ the svc manager. My guy will bend over backwards to keep customers happy. If yours claims it under a warranty issue, the dealership still gets reimbursed, so it's not like a freebie.

Just be cordial and nice and see how it goes. Generally if a windshield is hit w/ a rock, there will be a impact mark at or near the crack. No impact, likely a stress fracture which should not happen.

 

Over the years (many) I've had more cracked glass than I care to remember. I reside in RI which has the WORST roads in the USA and the situation is complicated by thin glass to save weight,lower profile tires to look kool,and aggresive driving styles. You can't miss all the potholes,you invaribly hit some.
I have a rider on my insurance that covers this situation and it costs me a whopping $12 for peace of mind.
I personally recommend SafeLite for this and they give you FREE a-pillar trim because most installers destroy (MINI) them for a little profit.
Me? I gave them the carbon fiber treatment and sold them to a miniac for $100 installed.Everybody is happy.
ISAMIN

 

If the crack looks like it started under the molding, and there is no definitive mark "chip" at the end of the crack. Then its a stress crack. Warrantable.

Run a ball point pen along the crack, if the pen gets caught at the end of the crack, then its an impact crack.

 

This.

 

i have a 2016 clubman. Went to wash off pollen from the windshield and pop crack! I only lightly sprayed it with the garden hose not even intentionally, only as an after thought as I had just planted a fig tree and had completed watering it. Looks like a stress fracture beginning at the roof line and ending at the bottom. Quite odd! I have never experienced anything like it!
I contacted Mini they deny any issues. I have my doubts.

 

Most auto glass companies replace windshields at little to no cost to the owner via a claim against your insurance. Call the glass company and tell them your windshield is cracked and let them give you the pitch.

 

My 2015 Mini was park, it was a very hot day and I heard a pop sound. On the left side of the windshield there is a 1/4 inch internal bubble embedded in the glass. I believe that some Mini Windshields are defective. I see no external cracks from a rock. I will have the dealer look at it.

 

True IF you have the right coverage ..... some companies require a sep' 'glass rider' or 'glass option'

my insurance covers glass under comprehensive and here's the next point. Most of us carry a decent deductible on our collision to keeps rates down. Comprehensive coverage has a different rate structure. I changed from a $500 deduct' for 3 cars to ZERO deduct for less than $50 a year TOTAL. Glass suddenly became 'free' and despite having MANY front glass replaced over the years, a glass claim has NEVER resulted in my rates going up.

it costs nothing to have this discussion with your insurance provider.

and as a side bar for Florida residents: FL insurance regulations say if you have GLASS coverage, insurance (in FL) can charge NO DEDUCT' for front glass - doesn't matter what YOUR deduct' is.. But you must have 'glass coverage' ... in my case comprehensive . . . (my zero deduct' rate example applied when I lived in VA)