Last Sunday 8/13/06 found a weird crack in the windshield, it started almost dead center at the top. Came down about 3 or 4 inches and then went left. I called Niello they said bring it down. they are 225 miles away. they checked it out and replaced it. Went out yesterday 8/21/06 to go to work and I couldn't believe my eyes, am I dreaming maybe I didn't get it fixed??? the crack came right back exactaly the same spot. I called Niello they said bring it down again and they would replace it. They have been great, but a 4 hour drive each way, I guess it's cheaper than paying for the windshield. Anyone else having this problem? Oh by the way the car is only 5 months old.

 

^^ Wow... they still haven't fixed that?

This was an early issue (happened to me a few weeks after I brought home my new '03) that most people were able to resolve by replacing the OEM glass with PPG.

Your dealer may not do that, though -- if they're the ones that actually supply and replace the glass. If that's the case, I'd just eat the glass deductable on my ins. policy and have it replaced with PPG.

The PPG glass doesn't get stress fractures, but it does break kind of easily. I'm on my 4th windscreen (third PPG).

 

The guy who replaced my Jeep windshiled here in NY told me he'd change quite a few of the MINI windshields due to cracks that start at the bottom middle section and work their way north. Weird.
Luckily here in NY glass replacement is FREE.

 

I wonder if those people that get broken windshield tend to follow the car in front of them closely.

I've driven 29,000 miles on a lot of back country roads and highways, and am still on windshield #1. I'm wondering if I'm getting lucky, or if I just hang back more than other drivers

 

I got a stress crack in my windsheild after just a few weeks and I know that it was NOT caused by a rock hit or impact. the dealer replaced the windscreen under warranty. Cleaning the window the other day, I noticed a NEW one in the replacement... (sigh). Since I'm the only person that drives the car, and I know 100% that nothing has hit the windscreen tougher than rain or a bug, I have to assume that there's some issue with my windscreen frame or something. I guess it's possible that I got two defective screens in a row - it's mathematically possible anyway. My cracks were silvery gray and were detectable with a fingernail.

 

It's the OEM glass -- it's very thin. Replace with PPG and you shouldn't have a problem (at least, I haven't heard of anyone continuing to have the problem using PPG glass).

This was a known problem -- do a search and you'll find lots of info on it.

 

i am now on my third windshield. i got exactly the same stress crack. the
car had 8300 miles and was 7 months old. the dealer said that in this case
the stress crack was in what MINI says is a gray area! they ususally crack
with lower miles on the car. not what i wanted to hear but they did replace
it with no problems. then two weeks later i was on i-70 when a rock hit it
and cracked it royally. so far i have lucked out on number 3!!

 

Sandie and others, I agree with Toastie: get the PPG windshield. Wanda got hit by a rock when she was 7 weeks old when we were cut off by a big rig in Houston. I replaced with OEM, but will get PPG when the time comes. I know Yucca Patrol has been very happy with his, and I believe that the PPG even offers the rain-sensing option, as well.

 

What does a PPG windscreen go for? Personally, I'll keep having the dealer replace it under warranty, so long as I know that it wasn't caused by an impact, but if I ever DO have to do it on my own, I'd like to know where to go. Thanks!

 

Yep, I'm at ~29,600 miles and still on the same windshield. :-) (With chips)
Still on the first oil change too... 2500 miles 'til the next.

 

I had my first windshield stress crack at 1500 miles ,replaced no questions asked under warranty. 6 months later, 4 chips fixed at $30 a pop, I decided to replace the windshield on my coin on chip #5. I got the local glass shop who had done the previous repairs to order a PPG based on what I've heard here. It was noticeably thicker than the OEM and cost me $250 not going through insurance. A few months have gone by and I have picked up one new chip, but overall I concur that PPG is tougher than OEM. I do think the MINI's upright windshield contributes to the higher than average number of failures. Windshields that are more raked seem to fend off smaller rocks and debris without causing chips.

 

When I bought my "gently pre-owned" Mini, the dealer told me that the previous owner had to replace the windshield. I'm still on the replacement and so far haven't had any problems. Even got pinged with a rock from a truck ahead of me...whew, still no visable cracks!

 

Does PPG make the rain sensing windshield yet? I know up until recently they did not. I heard that Pilkington does make a rain-sensing one.

 

Stress cracks and stone chips are obviously from quite different causes.

My suspision regarding stress cracks would be that they may be related to chasis flex. Run flat tires, low profile tires, relatively short suspension travel and sport suspension coupled with relatively high torque engines all contribute to some chasis flex as well as transmitting more energy to the chasis. If the window frame flexes enough... cracked windshield!

If the problem persisted I would be tempted to install front and/or rear strut tower braces to see it this minimized the problem.

 

But the added heft of the PPG windscreen seems to be enough to prevent chassis flex from obliterating windscreens -- and it has the added benefit of withstanding rock chips much better.

 

Well, I have a cabrio and so I'm sure I get more flex than you hardtop guys... Still, stress cracks in two windsheilds over only 3,200 miles (most of them simple commuting, not *****-to-the-walls AutoXing or curve-straightening)? I'll keep bringing it back for warranty work just on general principle - eventually someone, somewhere will see me on a spreadsheet and wonder if, hey, should we be putting better windscreens on these things?

 

Or maybe they will correct the frame problem in the R56 models.

 

the cracking windshield...BEFORE installing another one

 

Well, one crack could be a manufacturing defect... Multiple cracks so close together DOES seem to imply a problem with the frame or something else. I'm just wondering if they'll just say that I must have took a rock hit and am not fessing up to it, though... I have an appointment Wednesday for something else and I'll ask them about it.

Bilbo: what problems? Can you link me to something "official" about what you mean? Northwestern Auto (or their service writers anyway) seems fairly contemptous of things discovered on the internet... they probably DO hear all kinds of unsubstantiated stuff, so it's likely not their fault to be skeptical, but any info you might have would be appreciated.

 

Stone chips are easily diagnosed as different from stress cracks. They are two different problems with different symptoms.

As stress crack will always begin at the edge of the window and progress as the glass expands and contracts (heat) or the chasis flexes it. It is usually a single crack that wanderes or y's as it progresses. It can involve either the inner or outer layer of the glass.

A stone strike will always leave a scar in the surface on the outer layer of the glass (outside the saftey sheet). The scar powders the glass on impact and weakens it. If a crack follows it will radiate outward from the strike point and will often star running in multipe directions if the hit is hard enough. It rarely involves the inner layer of glass unless it is an unusually large object or high velocity.

A glass shop expert will not have any trouble diagnosis the difference between the two.

The type of driving and Cabrio's in particular are additional factors but all chassis flex to some degree and I doubt that Mini is going to make a retro repair at this late date. Of course later chasis may be modified to minimize the effect.

 

My cracks were vertical in my first screen (2 of them) and the new one is horiontal. Both stare well clear of the edge of the screen, and are a slivery-gray color, almost as if they are a fault in the coating or something. Running a fingernail across them results in a tactile sensation, but that sensation is not repeated on the rear (inside) of the glass. There are no cracks or pits in the center or at the edges (I saw the dealer do the "pen test" surriptously when he didn't think i was looking, as did I before I brought it in).

What's really weird os that the first scratches literally appeared right before my eyes when I was cleaning the windsheild. I was using "Invisible Glass" brand cleaner and a paper towel, rubbing horizontally on cold (shade-tree, not in hot sun) glass, and the twin, silvery lines appeared right before my eyes. My latest crack I noticed the other evening, again when cleaning the glass. I really do wonder if this is a COATING issue and not a true "crack" in the glass material (shrug)... maybe I should bring it to a glass place for a second opinion before taking it to the dealer?

 

[quote=ImagoX]My cracks were vertical in my first screen (2 of them) and the new one is horiontal. Both stare well clear of the edge of the screen, and are a slivery-gray color, almost as if they are a fault in the coating or something. Running a fingernail across them results in a tactile sensation, but that sensation is not repeated on the rear (inside) of the glass. There are no cracks or pits in the center or at the edges (I saw the dealer do the "pen test" surriptously when he didn't think i was looking, as did I before I brought it in)....quote]

That sounds very much like a flaw in manufacture but I think you'll find there is no coating on the glass. Any filtering etc is done by a sheet inserted between the layers of safety glass. It clearly involves only the outer layer in your case.

 

Good to know... I can tell it's coated at SOME point, but I had no idea if it were inside, on the back or what.

 

What about model type? Is this more a MCS issue or equally affects both models? I ask because I noticed most of you posting have MCS. Could this be due to the sport suspension, run flats, etc. that was mentioned earlier? Just curious since I'm getting a MC.

 

I don't think the rain sensing mechanism is in or on the glass - it's in the rear view mirror (there's a sensor on the back of the mirror facing through the windscreen).