Windshield cracked from defroster?!

[smithzoo]

I's been a wee bit cold here the past couple days (singkle digits, -20
windchill). I was sitting in my 2001 Outback yesterday evening letting
it warm up. I turned on the defrosters, windshield wiper defroster
included. After a few minutes, i actually watched the windshield crack
from both ends of the defroster element! When I got home I check it
out further. The crack extends the full length of the defroster
element on the windshield. There was no impact of any kind. Has
anybody seen or heard of this before? Thanks in advance!

 

[bgd]

bizarre. That is an old problem on a new car..
anyone remeber antannae elements in the windshield? By freak circumstance,
the same result.

 

[bigjim]

Not an odd problem at all- seems to be fairly common on outbacks. I
would talk to a dealer and then regional rep. Do some research and
you'll find it happens. Definitely a design defect and class action
suit may be necessary if Subaru will not fix it

 

[M. Baker]

Huh - I hadn't thought of that - I think I'll not be using that wiper
defrost until the temps get back up above single digits, just to be
safe.

 

[Al]

bizarre. That is an old problem on a new car..
anyone remeber antannae elements in the windshield? By freak circumstance,
the same result.

How many years have we been designing cars? And we still can't get it
right!

Just like the seats are designed for the 95 percentile person, the cars
are designed for the 95 percentile weather conditions.

When I lived in Montana, one day it was -51F. No way you could start
your car outdoors if it had cold soaked. But, how often does that occur?

Al

 

[bigjim]

Isn't the purpose of a windshield wiper defroster to operate in
freezing conditions. Not much call for a wiper defrost in the
desert!! After a woman waiting at the Subaru dealer had the same
thing happen I havent used mine. Clearly a design defect or defect in
windshield manufacturing. Subie needs t fess up and replace any that
crack fro the defroster.

 

[smithzoo]

Thanks for all the feedback folks. I have no coverage for the glass on
this car and it's well out of warranty. So tomorrow I'm dropping about
$300 on a replacement windshield. My wife had to take the car out
today (unanticipated). She had the regular defroster on and watched
the crack grow. Yes, we know it won't shatter...but it sure doesn't
make at feel any better. It seems like a major safety issue. I can
only imagine how I would react if the windshield goes while I'm doing
70mph down the expressway.

I e-mailed the local dealer. They said to contact my insurance company
and the glass guys. I really didn't expect much from them. I also
mailed Subaru via their website and will let you know if I hear
anything. I didn't see anything related to this problem elsewhere
online. Maybe tomorrow I start making my way through the phone chain.
Anyhow, sounds like an issue that Subaru needs to address. Anymore
suggestions would be great!

 

[nobody >]

When I lived in Montana, one day it was -51F. No way you could start
your car outdoors if it had cold soaked. But, how often does that occur?

Al

Did you get your certificate from the Great Falls Tribune for the "30
Days Of 30 Below" (or lower)? (IIRC 1974)

-51 sounds like the Cut Bank area, I saw the same in Browning.

It took 4 hours to get a schoolbus started if the
tank/hose/freezeplug/headbolt (engine) heater crapped out. We cobbled up
a duct to direct the blast out of a torpedo heater (the ones that sound
like a small jet engine) up under the oil pan and transmission. The
first bus, we didn't do the tranny heat. It grenaded when the clutch was
let out.
After starting the busses with dead heaters, they didn't get shut off
until the engine heater could be replaced.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Thanks for all the feedback folks. I have no coverage for the glass on
this car and it's well out of warranty. So tomorrow I'm dropping about
$300 on a replacement windshield. My wife had to take the car out
today (unanticipated). She had the regular defroster on and watched
the crack grow. Yes, we know it won't shatter...but it sure doesn't
make at feel any better. It seems like a major safety issue. I can
only imagine how I would react if the windshield goes while I'm doing
70mph down the expressway.

I e-mailed the local dealer. They said to contact my insurance company
and the glass guys. I really didn't expect much from them. I also
mailed Subaru via their website and will let you know if I hear
anything. I didn't see anything related to this problem elsewhere
online. Maybe tomorrow I start making my way through the phone chain.
Anyhow, sounds like an issue that Subaru needs to address. Anymore
suggestions would be great!

NHTSA needs to know about these occurences. I think you should contatc
them.
I've read that up to 40% of a vehicle's structural integrity is in the
glass. It can be critical in a rollover and perhaps other types of
accidents.

Carl

 

[Al]

Did you get your certificate from the Great Falls Tribune for the "30
Days Of 30 Below" (or lower)? (IIRC 1974)

-51 sounds like the Cut Bank area, I saw the same in Browning.

It took 4 hours to get a schoolbus started if the
tank/hose/freezeplug/headbolt (engine) heater crapped out. We cobbled up
a duct to direct the blast out of a torpedo heater (the ones that sound
like a small jet engine) up under the oil pan and transmission. The
first bus, we didn't do the tranny heat. It grenaded when the clutch was
let out.
After starting the busses with dead heaters, they didn't get shut off
until the engine heater could be replaced.

It was in the winter of 68-69 in Great Falls. I was stationed at
Malmstrom AFB. They were giving out certificates which said you survived
below -10F for 30 days and below -30F for 10 days. The coldest day was
-51F.

I remember we used to go skiing at a place called Kings Mountain or
something of that sort. It was warmer up there, being -15F rather than
the -20F in town.

And the way I started my Corvair was with a spare battery I kept charged
in my kitchen. I would take it out with me every morning and jump start
the car. I bought the Corvair as it was air cooled. And no, I didn't
have any heaters for the engine block. Even if I did, there was no
place to plug them in at my rented residence.

One of the officers had an old Kaiser Frasier which was so loose, it
would start regardless of the temp. He would then use it to jump start
the other cars. You literally had to go out every 3 hrs or so and start
up your car or else you were dead in the snow.

That was the year that I an my team were stranded out at a missle site.
We had to be rescued with a SnowCat. We helped the ranchers out by
dropping bales of hay from helicopters from the base. I could go on for
hours, but won't.

Al