Gorilla Glass Windshield Cracked For No Reason

[ShadowsPapa]

Happed to me today! 541 miles on mine. Just cracked for no reason pulling out of Lowes parking lot. Lol.

There's a reason - you may have a heck of a time finding or seeing it, but there's a reason.
I was certain my first windshield broke sitting there, with no reason, but a thorough cleaning and a bright light in the right spot showed the point of origination.

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[CPL Dump]

Yep. I found the tiniest of chip right where it starts.

There's a reason - you may have a heck of a time finding or seeing it, but there's a reason.
I was certain my first windshield broke sitting there, with no reason, but a thorough cleaning and a bright light in the right spot showed the point of origination.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yep. I found the tiniest of chip right where it starts.

I was dead certain mine was cracked due to flaw, that I'd get a new one under warranty - hey, it cracked sitting in my driveway! I looked and found no chip, so I went to the collision center. The guy was skeptical (not rude, but blunt) - he had this magic cleaning spray that took off bugguts and other debris like it was nuttin' - a couple wipes and that glass was SPOTLESS. Then he took a bright flashlight and followed the crack to within a couple inches of the top of the glass - and there it was, oh crap. Dang. The angle of the light had to be just right, but when it was, there was that tell-tale sparkle.
It is so weird because my current windshield has had a couple of visible chips just to the left of the ACC/FCW camera/radar area for over a year, I just knew they would grow and kept putting off having it repaired (if those had cracked, it would have been my own fault!) but it didn't matter, as a few weeks ago a loud SMACK!!! led to a large crack - and since this truck is being traded in on a new one if Jeep ever decides they have the parts to build more trucks, I'm going to wait until the very last couple of days to get it fixed. I can see my luck - fix it now, it will just get broken again before the new one arrives. Maybe get it fixed on the way to taking it to the dealer LOL

 

[CPL Dump]

I’ll probably just let it ride for a while. It’s not ever going to be a show vehicle. It’s life will be spent playing, working and hauling fishing and hunting gear. A cracked windshield isn’t too big of a deal.

 

[treepin]

I’m pretty pissed off right now considering I paid extra for the GG windshield. We finally got snow for pretty much the first time in Colorado. So I’m driving around and had the heat on the windshield to warm it and remove some ice. I pull into a parking lot and I’m going 5MPH and it just pops and cracks from the bottom of the windshield up. WTF. No impact, nothing hit it, just cracked from temperature. Anyone else had this problem with this windshield or really any windshield? I’ve never seen a car windshield crack because weather that wasn’t already cracked. Also no, the windshield is in perfect condition so there was no chips.

 

[treepin]

I was dead certain mine was cracked due to flaw, that I'd get a new one under warranty - hey, it cracked sitting in my driveway! I looked and found no chip, so I went to the collision center. The guy was skeptical (not rude, but blunt) - he had this magic cleaning spray that took off bugguts and other debris like it was nuttin' - a couple wipes and that glass was SPOTLESS. Then he took a bright flashlight and followed the crack to within a couple inches of the top of the glass - and there it was, oh crap. Dang. The angle of the light had to be just right, but when it was, there was that tell-tale sparkle.
It is so weird because my current windshield has had a couple of visible chips just to the left of the ACC/FCW camera/radar area for over a year, I just knew they would grow and kept putting off having it repaired (if those had cracked, it would have been my own fault!) but it didn't matter, as a few weeks ago a loud SMACK!!! led to a large crack - and since this truck is being traded in on a new one if Jeep ever decides they have the parts to build more trucks, I'm going to wait until the very last couple of days to get it fixed. I can see my luck - fix it now, it will just get broken again before the new one arrives. Maybe get it fixed on the way to taking it to the dealer LOL

This happened to me too in may when it was still kinda cold out. It just happened again Friday so that’s twice the defrost has broke my windshield same place and same crack. They replaced it the first time and are saying they aren’t going to this time. Jw if I have to plan on this happening every 6-8 months

 

[Choatecav]

I don't have Gorilla glass but I have seen so many posts about it cracking easily or for no reason at all and I'm thinking they should change name from Gorilla to Spider-monkey............

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I don't have Gorilla glass but I have seen so many posts about it cracking easily or for no reason at all and I'm thinking they should change name from Gorilla to Spider-monkey............

There is always a reason.
It's not always GG, either. Other windshields do it but GG gets the screams because - and it's been said many times - people just don't get it, they don't understand what it is and what it is not. No one ever promised "crank proof' or "chip proof".
It's resistant but that's it. People seem to have gotten this idea it can't be cracked or chipped - and making it worse, the OUTSIDE later is still soda lime glass! That's what is cracking. That's what is chipping.
No one goes in with eyes wide open. No one bothers looking at the numbers or seeing how it works and doesn't work.

I had a 95 Ford windshield "crack for no reason" when defrost was on.
There's always a reason.

 

[HorneyBadger]

Seen this on a few vehicles. Its not Jeep Gorilla Glass centric. Neighbor pulled out their KIA Sorrento from the garage and windshield cracked.
Treepin, I think the GG glass warranty says they will! Push them!

 

[Jorgito]

My non GG glass cracked very easily with some minor rocks. I have a theory as a Mech. Eng. that these windshields (both types) are being prestressed somehow at the factory install. Add a ton of residual stress and it doesn't take much to put it over the top.

 

[CreekFreak]

I was on my way to work with defrost on so I could see… loud pop, then it ran. Haven’t even made the first payment on my truck ?

 

[Almost]

I have a theory that the more laid-back angle of the glass is causing the leading edge to me more exposed and chips along the edge are causing cracks that appear to come out of nowhere. The bottom edge of the windshield is much more exposed than past generations of the wrangler that were more vertical. Combined with the pressure put on the glass just driving I'm not surprised at all they crack.

Here is a chip I have in the bottom of my windshield. The chip is extremely smooth and not jagged which is the only reason I think it hasn't become a bigger issue yet. Any imperfection combined with temp changes and/or pressure are a recipe for a nice crack.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Here is a chip I have in the bottom of my windshield. The chip is extremely smooth and not jagged which is the only reason I think it hasn't become a bigger issue yet. Any imperfection combined with temp changes and/or pressure are a recipe for a nice crack.

Whew! That's close to crack-causing, if it isn't at some point in the future.

I was removing windshield trim from a car I was parting out a couple of years ago or so, being careful to save the trim and clips, using the correct tools, doing it just like I might for a good car. The edge of the tool caught the sharp edge of the glass and I watched it split from bottom to top. (wasn't the smoother edge of modern windshields since they were protected once installed - but not protected from someone taking trim off, I guess)
Glad I didn't really care about the windshield itself.
It really doesn't take much. There's a lot of stress, expansion and contraction, the weight of the glass, chemicals literally get into the surface of the glass. There's a lot to it.

It's really hard to do an "improper installation" on a windshield. Not really sure how you can!
I've removed and installed front and rear glass of cars over the years and since the "adhesive" or seal is quite thick and flexible, it's not like you can screw up other than get it totally crooked. Even then as long as the glass was sealed and the glass didn't hit anything solid, like the windshield frame (or pinchweld area in older cars) it's sitting there, isolated on a bed of urethane which is tough as heck but still is like a bed for the glass - butyl which is what I use on the classics, is quite similar. Unless you don't use the spacer blocks correctly or the glass touches metal or you nick it going in, it's hard to do "incorrectly" other than get a poor seal and subsequent leaks.

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