Why Do Car Windshields Crack
Why Do Windshields Crack and What Should I Do if It Happens to Me?
There are many different types of windshield cracks, but most of them occur from an object impacting the glass. Often these are rocks which fall off of dump trucks, or objects which are kicked up by tires of another car. When the object hits the outside edge of the windshield it will usually result in one long crack, whereas objects that impact toward the center of the glass will cause starbust cracks. These are many small cracks emanating from the central point of impact.
The type of crack caused by impact is often determined by where the object strikes the windshield. For example, a floater crack starts anywhere away from the edge of the windshield farther than two inches from the edge. These can start out small and then spread in any direction. An edge crack usually forms at the moment of impact, and is usually ten to twelve inches long. As the name implies, these cracks begin within two inches of the edge of the windshield or reach the edge.
Often a crack in a windshield began as a small chip. Generally speaking, cracks less than six inches can be repaired. Those which are longer or reach the edge of the windshield will usually necessitate replacement of the entire windshield.
These are most common windshield crack types:
Bull s Eye – Damage to glass caused by a rock or other object that is circular, typically with a cone in the outer layer of the glass. It is is similar to a chip, in the sense that a chunk of glass has been removed by the impact, but it is larger
Chip – Damage to glass caused by a rock or other object that causes a small piece of glass to come off the windshield.
Combination Break – When there are multiple types of breaks in a windshield, such as a chip with cracks coming off of it.
Crack Chip – A single crack that can be covered with a quarter with an impact point.
Ding – Terms used by general public to describe a chip
Edge Crack – A crack that starts within 2 of the edge of the windshield, or reaches the edge of the windshield. It normally forms immediately, and starts at 10-12 long.
Floater Crack – A crack that starts in the middle of the windshield anywhere that is not within 2 of the edge of the windshield.
Half Moon – Damage to glass caused by a rock or other object that is similar to a bull s eye crack, but not completely circular.
Long Crack – A crack that is over about 6 15cm long, which many windshield repair methods are unable to fix
Partial Bulls-Eye – Same as Half Moon.
Pit – An area where a small piece of glass is missing.
Star Break – series of short radial cracks coming off of the impact point, resembling a star.
Stone Break – A small chip that occurs when a stone or other hard item hits the windshield. It can then become a large crack over time.
Stress Crack – A crack that occurs without anything hitting the windshield, typically due to a large variation in the temperature. One situation that might cause stress cracks is when a car becomes overheated from sitting in the sun, and then the air conditioner is turned on high or the car is washed with very cold water. The opposite example would be a very cold car suddenly being exposed to heat. This is why, in the winter, ice should be scraped or melted off the windshield with cold water, but never with warm or hot water. It almost always starts at the edge of the windshield. Stress cracks will normally be a straight or slightly bending line, and will not have any sign of impact. A pen test is often used to determine if there is a stress crack a ballpoint pen is run along the crack, and if it dips anywhere, it is not a stress crack. That is because with a stress crack, no glass actually comes off the windshield.
Why Do Windshields Crack in Winter.. Windshield technology has improved considerably over the years. Plain, flat window glass in early cars made way for.
My 2013 ford escape also got a crack on the left side. Park it that night and by morning there was a crack.Took it to ford dealership today,they took pictures then.
May 12, 2009 Major scratches will not come out of a car s windshield, but minor scratches can be fixed with a rubbing compound and an abrasive window cleaner. Use a.
Windshield crack types
What Causes Windshields to Crack.. Windshield cracks can confound the most astute vehicle owner, especially when there were no outward signs of a hole, chip or crack.
Many of us have had the unpleasant experience of innocently driving along when an errant piece of gravel or other mysterious road debris suddenly puts a dent in our vehicle s windshield. And many of us have had the even more unpleasant surprise of the little nick becoming a five-inch jagged crack a mere few hours or days later.
Windshield replacement is one of the top insurance claims in the U.S. Surprisingly, it doesn t take much to damage a windshield. All it takes is a rock impact the size of the dot a pencil tip makes on a piece of paper to cause serious damage. So, why do this happen and what can we do about it.
Types of Cracks
Edge crack
The most common type of crack, the edge crack is the cause of 60 to 80 percent of windshield replacements. Because of how they are manufactured and installed, the outer 2 to 3 inches of a windshield the Crack Zone have stress defects, which cause this area to fracture much more easily than the rest of the windshield. Even tiny cracks can become 8- to 10-inch long cracks.
Stone break
A small chip that occurs when a stone or other hard debris hits the windshield. This can develop into a large crack over time.
Bull s eye/Half moon
Circular ding, with a cone in the outer layer of glass. A half moon crack is similar, but not completely circular.
Chip
Damage by a rock that causes a small piece of glass to break off the windshield.
Floater crack
Less common than an edge crack is the floater crack, which is caused by severe temperature changes especially cold temperatures to stone breaks.
Stress crack
A crack that occurs without anything actually hitting the windshield. The most common causes are a large variation in temperature, like if your car has been sitting in the hot sun all day and then you blast the AC.
Does outside temperature matter.
In a word, yes. Without going too much into an explanation of the thermal coefficient of expansion, suffice it to say that a wide range of temperatures has a very direct effect on a chipped windshield. The metal in the frame of your car or truck can expand and contract at a different rate than the windshield glass. This places stress on the windshield frame, which cracks the glass further.
Should I be worried about a crack in the windshield.
Absolutely. Windshields are critical safety devices that help prevent injury and death. They not only prevent ejection during a crash, but also serve as the backboard for airbags by controlling 20 percent of the crash pulse, which tells the airbag when to deploy during an accident. Windshields also support the roof of the vehicle, which is essential during rollover accidents.
Can you stop a crack once it starts.
Once a windshield is cracked, the stress placed on the ends of the crack almost guarantees that the crack will continue to spread along the same line, much like faults that produce earthquakes. The only exception to this is a conchoidal dish-shaped fracture that has no obvious outward rays. Cracks like this rarely spread. But for chips with little cracks radiating out from the center, expect it to spread out.
How much does it cost to replace a windshield. Should I do it.
According to some experts, no replacement windshield is as good as the original. Not only are many replacements done incorrectly, but the initial windshield has to pass so many government tests, that original factory installation cannot be duplicated in the aftermarket. Your best bet is to prevent replacement if possible. You can achieve this by using crack prevention products.
Many insurance companies will repair cracks for free in place of replacing the entire windshield. For cracks that are smaller than 6 inches, repair is recommended. But there are companies that offer products to repair cracks up to 24 inches long.
Chips in the windshield generally cost around 50 to fix. Cracks can cost anywhere from 100 to 200 to repair. Replacing a windshield costs hundreds of dollars and rises to over 1000 if an OEM windshield is used.
How can you prevent cracks.
If you can, park your car in a garage or other temperature-controlled environment. Leaving your car out in the sun or in the cold tends to make the edges of the glass more brittle.
If you notice a crack or ding in your windshield, have it looked at immediately. The longer you wait, the more damage you are in for.
Fast Windshields offers auto glass repair, windshield replacement, and rock chip repair in the Houston Area and beyond. Our low cost windshields and a great customer.
