I was wiping off my windsheild yesterday with Invisible Glass, and literally saw two long, vertical scratches or something appear before my eyes! I was wiping horizontally at the time, so I know I didn't scratch it (although with just a paper towel and light pressure, I can't see how I would have). They seem to be in the windshield coating and not the glass itself- I can feel them with my fingernail. I've heard lots of complaints on the forums about the windsheild glass being "softer" than in some other cars, but I was very surprised to see this happen. Has anyone else seen anything like this?

 

I clean my windshield at least once a day and haven't seen anything like this. I do use a polishing cloth though....and (now that I think of it) I usually use a duster first which probably removes the big nasty stuff.

 

There's no way it was grit. Wiping it down I would have felt it. Plus, I was wiping in the OTHER DIRECTION when it appeared... if it were a diamond chip or something (and it would have needed to be, as I was only applying light pressure) then they would have been horizontal scratches.


The way they appeared, all at once like that, makes me feel like it was the coating splitting or something similar (if such a thing could even happen).

 

Whoa...that IS weird!!! I've never heard of anything like this.

 

When we were kids, my brother and I would heat up glass marbles over a flame then put them in cold water just to watch them crack. A lot of kids used to do this.

 

I was washing my Mini one day, spraying it with the hose, and heard a thump. Next thing I know, theres a long crack in my windshield. In the middle, and goes 3/4 of the way down. Weird thing is, it hasen't moved, and its been over a year now.

 

It happened on my wife's Buick too. They are called stress cracks. If you car is under warranty, take it by the dealer. It could be covered. The main thing is to make sure there are not any nicks in it. If it is, then they will say it was caused by impact and not stress. To determine whether it is free of nicks, take a pen an run it along the crack. If it does not hang up anywhere then it is a stress crack.

 

If the glass is already stressed, applying cold water or spray to hot glass (baked in the sun) can cause stress cracks to appear.

BTW: the "pen test" is not guaranteed to show anything; I've seen a couple of "stress cracks" that were triggered by a rock hitting the glass right at the edge, where it can hardly be seen or felt ...

My first two MINIs had the same windshield for always, but GBMINI#3 has had two replacements and I just noticed today a 2" crack at the edge on the current glass

 

Then, take a piece of scotch tape and tape the crack before you take into the dealer to try and get a stress crack replacement. This will prevent any post-crack chipping. The reasoning is that the dealer could, after their "pen test," say that any chip--even if it happened after the crack appeared--would be impact related and would void warranty replacement. The tape will help keep the crack a crack and reduce the chances of chipping. Jimbo

 

If the dealer refuses to replace it whatever you do don't pay them to put OEM (Crap) glass in it. Go to your local glassman & get an aftermarket windshield. They are much better. My OEM windsheild developed a huge crack after being hit by a teeney tiny speck of a rock. My aftermarket windshield was hit by a boulder doing 70MPH the other day & it is amazingly fine

 

What's weird is that my Mini's so new that I'd know if there was a rock chip or something in it... other than the new cracks, its basically flawless (only like 1300 miles on the car). I thought it might be a temperature-related crack, but the car was in the shade for about 30 minutes before I started cleaning it- it should have been cool. I have an appointment next Monday to have Mini service take a look...

 

I'd recommend not mentioning anything about washing the car to your dealer - don't give them any fuel.
Simply tell them this "stress crack" appeared and obviously the glass was flawed from the factory and you expect a warranty replacement.

 

I already told them I noticed it while I was washing the windsheild...

Havce people had bad experiences with Mini service? because, up till now, every interaction I've had with my dealer (Midwest Auto Group) has been top notch. Well, except for the semi-clueless financing guy, but that's another story.

 

MINI glass is manufactured by Sekurit (St. Gobain) in France, correct?

A coworker recently (last week) had his windshield replaced by one of those glass companies that comes to your place of work and does the replacement right in the parking lot. He owns an Audi A4. Anyway, when they were done installing his new windshield, I wondered what manufacturer they used for his Audi A4 windshield replacement...walked over to take a look and wouldn't you know it, it's Sekurit -- same manufacturer as MINI glass.

My coworker did not specify OEM replacement glass, he didn't care, he just wanted a new windshield. Anyway, I'm just wondering if Audi uses the same glass company as MINI...and if so, do Audi owners have the same issues? Wouldn't it be odd for a windshield replacement company here in New Jersey to use imported glass when they could just use PPG or something produced in the US?

rock on,

-boognish

 

sounds like a stress crack :(

 

I don't know why. Started at the roof line and is meandering downward toward the bonnet. Dead center behind the rear view mirror. Suspect it was stress as there isn't any rock chip 'star' visible.

My Pepper is scheduled for Monday at the dealer. I think I will cover it with tape to prevent any chipping, as the crack might do that in the next few days.

Thanks for your post. Orca

 

You will not be cleaning mywindows any time soon!

just kidding

 

Mine just formed the same stress crack. Nothing hit it just a tump and there was the crack. It is going to the dealer Thursday. Did you guys get them to replace it? Or did they give you a hard time?

Thanks

 

What's the clearest keeping glass to get for the mini? I hear of you guys going to glass people to get better stuff.

Imagox, that really is terrible! you have such a pleasant looking mini !

 

This explains it!

We all know anything French with surrender under the slightest pressure! LOL

 

I am really glad I have full comprehensive, I don't pay a dime for replacement.

 

Mine also cracked while I was washing. It was really weird to see and hear it appear right before my eyes! I told my dealer about it and they said they would replace it without even seeing it. After I got it replaced it only took 4 hours for it to get a little pit right in my line of sight on the drivers side! Oh well, at least I didnt' have to pay to have the windshield replaced.

 

that really sucks, twice and right after the new one, what a drag