Windshield cracked for no reason?

[icecreamtruckz]

For the past few months, when I would get into the car and first start moving, I would hear a loud crack from the dashboard area. Sounded like plastic flexing and shifting. I figured it was the heat and the chassis flexing a bit when I first get in causing the dashboard to shift. It happened almost daily.

Then today it happened, and I watched my windshield crack along with it. Only thing I can think is that it was the window cracking the entire time.

I want to say it’s the heat, it’s a Florida car. But NEVER have I had this happen and I have had dozens of cars.

Maybe it was a small rock chip I couldn’t see?

I’m baffled. This is a new one to me. It is a GT350, but I assume it’s the same windshield across all models.

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[Diegosuave]

I live in AZ, and ever since I bought my 16 GT, I have heard a loud crack near the dashboard. It always makes me jump because it sounds like a rock hitting the windshield, but it isn’t. It happens randomly regardless of the circumstances, going slow, fast, over speed bumps, etc. I just assumed it was the chassis flexing and the dash lifting or shifting. However, it has never caused any actual damage to the windshield. It might have been a rock chip that coincidentally caused the crack.

 

[bKennedy]

I have a 2018 GT and just went out to look to see how thee windshild is attached. It does not appear that any part of the frame surrounds it, it looks like it sits over the frame and is glued into place. Now I have heard that the windshield is a structural part of the car, so it must have stress on it. I'm pretty sure that the edge of any glass is the weak point, so any body flexing is going to cause the crack to start there. The question is why is your body flexing so much, or was the glass weak, or did it have a small chip where the crack started? I live in NC where the tempature reaches 100 or more in the summer and I have never heard any noise from my windshield or dash even when I leave it out in the sun. I would bring it to a place that specializes in replacing glass, not one of those that drives their truck to you, and get their opinion. Your only option will probably be to replace it and hope for the best.

 

[Ecto1]

I had a similar experience with a 20ish year old truck in central Florida. I never had any problems with the truck or the windshield but a few years after moving to Florida the windshield cracked while the truck was parked. The truck was parked on flat, level ground. It was the original windshield. When I went to get in to drive it I noticed a vertical crack the complete height of the windshield. I had it replaced but I was stumped as to what caused it. The guy who replaced it didn't have any explanation for what caused it either. It must have been the heat or a combination of the heat and the pressure build up inside the cabin from the heat. The Florida sun kills everything that sits outside for even short periods of time.

I now cover my cars when they're parked outside at home. So far, so good.

 

[Mike Pfeifer]

For the past few months, when I would get into the car and first start moving, I would hear a loud crack from the dashboard area. Sounded like plastic flexing and shifting. I figured it was the heat and the chassis flexing a bit when I first get in causing the dashboard to shift. It happened almost daily.

Then today it happened, and I watched my windshield crack along with it. Only thing I can think is that it was the window cracking the entire time.

I want to say it’s the heat, it’s a Florida car. But NEVER have I had this happen and I have had dozens of cars.

Maybe it was a small rock chip I couldn’t see?

I’m baffled. This is a new one to me. It is a GT350, but I assume it’s the same windshield across all models.

I see an impact mark in the photo, down near the base of the windshield.

 

[LCK22GT]

I see an impact mark in the photo, down near the base of the windshield.

Good eye - I see it too. Where the crack seperates to a V.

 

[icecreamtruckz]

I see an impact mark in the photo, down near the base of the windshield.

I looked at that but when I rubbed my finger on it; there is no impact on the outside. And I have never seen a rock impact crack a window in parking lot months later.

It made the cracking sound again today and the crack lengthened. I watched it happen. It’s bizarre. Climbing into the car is somehow causing pressure change in the window.

I may never know wtf happened. Luckily one window a year is free here. Just gonna get it replaced and hope it doesn’t happen again.

 

[SHOdaddy68]

I work in Auto Body. I've seen many times where glass panels will crack or shatter with temperature changes/extremes. Multiple windshields and tempered sunroofs. Chips or blemishes, even small ones are usually where it starts because it's the weakest point.

The windshield IS considered a structural part of any vehicle with a passenger airbag. This is because the airbag typically deflects off of the inside of the windshield when it deploys.

 

[Sparky1337]

I live in AZ, and ever since I bought my 16 GT, I have heard a loud crack near the dashboard. It always makes me jump because it sounds like a rock hitting the windshield, but it isn’t. It happens randomly regardless of the circumstances, going slow, fast, over speed bumps, etc. I just assumed it was the chassis flexing and the dash lifting or shifting. However, it has never caused any actual damage to the windshield. It might have been a rock chip that coincidentally caused the crack.

My 2016 also does this. It is stupid loud. Seems to only happen when I don’t use the hvac. I always thought it was the blend door like the GM cars. Probably the same manufacturer.

I’ve had the car since new, but it only started after dailying it the last couple years.

 

[traktrbeam]

Happened to me too...in Florida. No chip, just random in my Crown Vic.

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