Windscreen just broke when washing!

B

benlumley

Member
 Bath
Was just rinsing the dusty stuff off pre-wash, and a big crack spread across the windscreen.

Boo :thumbsdown:

Anyone had this before?! Guessing there must have been some problem already and then cold water broke it.

Last time i had a windscreen replaced, n a previous car, they scratched and marked the bodywork around the window, so will be watching them do it this time, which is bound to annoy them!

Sounds like because it's at home, it won't be done till tomorrow.
 
Happened to me. Started by the rear view mirror & over the next week grew to about 20 inches. Just as I was off on a drive down to Barcelona! Got on my nerves all week! :x
 
Thats scary stuff i can understand very hot water on a freezing cold screen what sort of temp was the water ? at the MO its scorcheo here so maybe cold water could cause this on a hot screen that had sat in the sun all day.
 
Simple really,

Laminated glass can't cope with sudden changes in temperature it's only 3mm thick joined together (6.4)

Toughened glass is much stronger and unlikely to fail unless being silly pouring boiling water on a frozen screen for example but won't stay together like laminated.

Laminated is also uv resistant BTW a natural by product.

I assume the car was hot in this case.

HTH :D
 
I can understand it when the temperatures of water and weather are poles apart but washing on a nice day with warm/hot water???
 
Quite common with convertibles tbh. I'm guessing the lack of a roof means the windscreen is under a lot more twisting force than usual making it susceptible to cracking.
 
Boogle said:
Quite common with convertibles tbh. I'm guessing the lack of a roof means the windscreen is under a lot more twisting force than usual making it susceptible to cracking.
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If the car was not parked on even ground this may have placed some strain on the glass due to torsional stress. The thermal shock of the water was the straw that broke the camel's back.
 
Sounds like a simple case of thermal shock on a laminated screen to me. Guess you were hosing it down or rinsing off, nit using a bucket of hot water. Screen at 40c -50c in the sun, water at 5c - 10c from the tap.

I got slated when I said I'd never pour hot water on a frozen screen to clean it, but here is proof that it happens. Chance as there was already a tiny stonechip near the edge and this was all it took..

BTW benlumley I would not watch over them when they do it, but get them with you to minutely examine the car for chips or scratches and agree there are none. Tradesmen cannot or will not work with you shoulder surfing.
 
cj10jeeper said:
BTW benlumley I would not watch over them when they do it, but get them with you to minutely examine the car for chips or scratches and agree there are none. Tradesmen cannot or will not work with you shoulder surfing.
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I agree with this, get them to check that there are no marks whilst you are with them, then go and put kettle on and make them a brew, leave them to it
 
aquazi said:
Damn.... I'd better stop pouring warm water on mine to deice it in winter.
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Definitely!! I never ever pour hot water on my windscreen in the winter, that's why they make deicer or just go out and leave the engine running for 5 mins with the blowers on :p. Ever the environmentalist!
 
It was a big crack, cross shaped. Ran full top to bottom and about 10 cm short of being all the way left to right, so didn't wanna drive. Luckily admiral, who I insure with pay for call outs at home on bank holidays (some insurers don't apparently). So was fixed early yesterday evening.

I didn't watch - although wasn't far away as was in the garden having a bbq. TBH, that was close enough, looked ugly! :) I marked all the existing scratches up before he started (were quite a few, reckon the screen has been out before) and checked again before signing. Much much better job than the last time I had one done. There's 1 very minor scratch, but can't see it without looking for, and think it'll polish off. It was put on paperwork at the end anyway, just in case.

(Last time, previous car, they left bigger marks, like scrapes, and were dicks about it when i questioned it. I did the paperwork badly though - was tricked into signing away my rights :( )

Now I'm scared to wash it as it's hot and sunny again. I'm sure the windscreen must have been faulty, stone chip or something. But it's still filthy, and now watermarked everywhere from yesterday's failed wash. I'm assuming everyone else is like me and would normally not think twice about washing the car on a hot day? Don't want to not rinse first, as there's a few tiny bits of glass about, which i want to get rid of before i rub anything!

And yes, as people guessed, it happened when rinsing with cold water, not with warm.
 
Glad you got the screen sorted.

Frankly on a hot day it's fine. It's when the car is in the sun that panel (and screen) temps really rise. Water out of a hose at this time of year could give you a 50c temp difference.

On a separate note you should never wash a car in sunlight as each of the water droplets can act like a magnifying glass and damage the paint (especially if well polished and the water is beading well). It can destroy some colours of paint if the drops don't dry off quickly :thumbsdown:
 
cj10jeeper said:
Glad you got the screen sorted.

Frankly on a hot day it's fine. It's when the car is in the sun that panel (and screen) temps really rise. Water out of a hose at this time of year could give you a 50c temp difference.

On a separate note you should never wash a car in sunlight as each of the water droplets can act like a magnifying glass and damage the paint (especially if well polished and the water is beading well). It can destroy some colours of paint if the drops don't dry off quickly :thumbsdown:
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+1 ...wouldn't ever wash a car in direct sunlight.

But on the upside, if I were the OP I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I mean so you bust your screen? So what, you're £60 out of pocket but you've got a shiny brand new one with no marks on it.....get over it LOL :rofl:
 
lacroupade said:
cj10jeeper said:
Glad you got the screen sorted.

Frankly on a hot day it's fine. It's when the car is in the sun that panel (and screen) temps really rise. Water out of a hose at this time of year could give you a 50c temp difference.

On a separate note you should never wash a car in sunlight as each of the water droplets can act like a magnifying glass and damage the paint (especially if well polished and the water is beading well). It can destroy some colours of paint if the drops don't dry off quickly :thumbsdown:
Click to expand...


+1 ...wouldn't ever wash a car in direct sunlight.

But on the upside, if I were the OP I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I mean so you bust your screen? So what, you're £60 out of pocket but you've got a shiny brand new one with no marks on it.....get over it LOL :rofl:
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You are soooo right. I got a chip in my 2003 screen about a week after getting the car. Was delighted for £50 I got a brand new perfect screen :thumbsup:
 
Not complaining about the new screen at all!

And thanks for the advice re not washing in sun - didn't know that, so noted!
 
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