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Last night was the blizzard of 2010 here in central NJ. My husband went out to defrost the car and a crack developed on the windshield in front of his eyes.  This to me seems like a defect that the dealer should be responsible for.  I know the chances of that are slim to nill but it really pisses me off that now this is gonna cost me a fortune to replace.  I've searched the internet and found similar problems on different makes and models including jeep. Just goes to show how we consumers are constantly being ripped off.  Everything they make today is junk and nothing lasts.  Every year I replace my vacuum, my coffee pot, my hair dryer.  I have bought five water tanks for my hoover steam cleaner, my $900.00 dishwasher was broke just after the year warrenty. My new refrigerator doesn't work properly, my new washer doesn't work properly, my power washer breaks every season, the on button sticks on my new jacuzzi.  Everything absolutely everything is garbage and I'm fed up as a consumer to spend my hard earned money on this garbage.  We should demand better quality. When they made things in America, they worked, they lasted partly because the people wouldn't have it otherwise. We live in a disposable society and I'm truly tired of it.  I really don't buy any of the hype anymore and have faith in nothing that I purchase. I'm beginning to figure it's better to buy cheap so you can afford to replace it often.  I thought if you bought something and paid a lot of money for it, the concept would be that it would work better and last longer than a cheaper model.  That just isn't the case anymore.  Anyone else as fed up as me?  

yes.... placing the defroster on with the temp controls all the way to hot... will crack almost any windshield..    there were problems with the direction the defroster ducts directed the air... straight at the base of the windshield..   instead of a across it..

do you happen to have a jeep liberty????  bet you ***

if you poured hot water on your windshield it would also crack.. as it expanded at different rates...

if there is any fault.. its is not with the dealer.. it would be at the manufacturers level..    i would like you to check your owners manual...  see what it says about defrosting your windshield when it is covered with ICE..

i would say to not put the defrost on... heat the interior of the car...   when it gets warm... the ice will freely slide off the windshield.. without breaking it..


sorry.. i did not design it.. i only fix broken cars.. and try my best to help people fix and understand what is going wrong..


since you did not post your year make and model...   i am going to have you go to another web site..

www.alldatadiy.com     on the right side of the main page.. there is a link to access Free TSB titles...   you can enter your year make model and engine size...  and get the entire list of them.. but only the titles...   if you see one that says windshield glass.. or defroster...   the rest of the TSB if you have a TSB number.. can be found at most dealerships... or you can subscribe to alldatadiy.com... for access....

if you have a mac.. you may have trouble.. as the print jumps sizing..

if the owners manual says something about defrosting..  it might be hard to get the manufacturer to pay for it.. it all depends on what it says..

i seem to recall that there were redesigned defroster vents for some models available..  

you may run into a stone wall...  

there are a lot of glass shops around... be sure to check pricing..  drive in.. and drive to your location services have way different pricing sometimes..  

I have 9382 miles on my 2009 Jeep Sahara and have replaced the windshield three times in the past 5 weeks.  I replaced one of them 4 days apart.  Everytime it was a crack from the bottom of the windshield and of course the dealship says its because of rocks.  I was sitting in a parking lot with the defrost on when the first one cracked.  I heard it, watched it, and can assure that there were no rocks falling from the sky.  The second one just appeared when I got in my vehicle to go to work four days later!  Once again they said it was a rock.  Don't they understand that if it cracks that it is probably going to chip too?  And today they say again it was a rock.  Apparently I must drive behind a gravel truck every single day?  

The days of quality and customer service are over, I am once again today spending another $243 to replace the windshield.  I asked the service manager to have someone check the frame, he said they don't have a way to do that. I would imagine from reading all the complaints just on this site they would have found a way to fix this issue.  Either that or they are in with the windshield replacement companies for a kick back.  

stop using the defrost to HEAT the windshield..  use the heater lower outlets to warm the car...    

heating the inside of the car... will warm the glass evenly ... so it won't crack...

the defrosters put TO MUCH HEAT at the base of the windshield...

this will crack them every time..

if you poured hot water on the windshield.. it would crack it also..

remember... the windshield. is two layers of glass ... separated by a thick strong layer of vinyl plastic...   this plastic acts as a thermal barrier to heat..  so you are superheating only the lower part of the glass with the defrost on HOT, this expands the glass in that area.. causing the cracks....

next time.. you have the glass out..   ask the installer if it looks like the defrost vents are installed backwards... blowing air only a the bottom of the glass... instead of spreading it out evenly across the entire glass face...

windshields are also glued in really tight with adhesive.. they are designed in as a structural component now..  earlier models were set in a slightly flexible material..  not so anymore..


you should fill out this form also

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm