Windshield cracked using defroster

[port43]

My last before this was an 08 Focus that I loved. Bought it with 14k miles on it and drove it 11 years and over 205K miles. Prior to that I had a 96 ranger that I loved until the AC went out, then sold it with 180K miles. I tend to keep my vehicles for 10 years and they have had only minor repairs needs. I have the 5 year 60k warranty with Ford but after that, I am scared if something happens I will have to remortgage my house to pay for it. At the rate things are going, I have no confidence it will make it past 60k without issues. The transmission alone worries me the most and is one of the most annoying things with the downshifting. I digress though...

So get rid of it when it gets to five years so you don't have that worry? I didn't realize it until recently but I'm on an eight year cycle for new vehicles and by the time that rolls around they need to be replaced. I have always assumed that when you get into really high miles, major repairs are normal and the ones that go forever are the rarity.

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[cory1848]

Hey Cory I wanted to ask if you can feel the crack or is it internal like mine. Still waiting for return call from dealer on how to proceed. haha

Seems to be. I tried the ball point pen trick but all that is doing is leaving ink marks on the glass. Not catching anywhere. I am not optimistic with my dealer. With the truck having 32k on it now I fully expect them to say "you probably hit a rock somewhere" and brush it off.

 

[cory1848]

So get rid of it when it gets to five years so you don't have that worry? I didn't realize it until recently but I'm on an eight year cycle for new vehicles and by the time that rolls around they need to be replaced. I have always assumed that when you get into really high miles, major repairs are normal and the ones that go forever are the rarity.

I guess the variable is what does one consider high miles. No reason any vehicle built in the last 20 years shouldn't run over 200K under normal driving conditions as long as the maintenance has been taken care of. I drive a lot, 25K annually at least. I would be happy with 8-10 years. Usually those problems with high miles don't present themselves until after the warranty has run out and rarely not before 100K. The problem I am seeing is that those issues are presenting themselves direct from the factory. Suspension, Paint issues, modem failures, windshields cracking, transmission slamming into gear, Sync issues, etc. Does Ford even have a QA department? Or do they let the customer do it for them? Is this what everyone expects out of a $40K vehicle?

I guess noticing that Ford opted to leave off the ignition key trim piece should have been a sign of things to come.

 

[cory1848]

when complaints are based on a problem that is not brand specific and can happen to any brand, it becomes "ridiculous" to single them out for it.
If Ford refuses to warranty the issue, and its linked to their in glass heating system, then there is a valid reason to give Ford the old heave ho, especially if there are many. If its chipped glass, then oh well, you didn't get a freebie. I wouldn't lose sleep over it.
I'm giving The other poster an opportunity to state his case on why he is throwing in the towel.

But this is brand specific. I am not seeing Ford windshields on Chevy trucks... Not looking for a freebie. My insurance will cover it regardless. My issue is that if a rock hits it, fine it happens. But when its just sitting in a parking lot warming up and it cracks by using a feature that is designed to heat up the shield to melt snow and ice... That is a defect and one that is very easy for Ford to blame it on something else. Why should I have to use my insurance for their design flaw?

 

[dtech]

I can recall Ford and it's "better idea" slogan with a light bulb from decades ago and IIRC correctly having a heated windshield back then that had a reputation for cracking.

 

[The Donald]

Ford is turning into money grubbing b#stards like everybody else.
I have been trying to contact a human at Ford Credit for a week and they just keep hanging up on me saying it's too busy.
Capitalism doesn't blend too well with a pandemic.

 

[cory1848]

No ones shown proof either way yet. Thats the point.
I wish you luck in getting Ford to replace yours, but every manufacturer has hot/cold windshield problems. Open your eyes. Your situation isn't unique.

I dont care if its unique or not. So all manufacturer has the same problem so that should absolve them of fixing it? Sorry, cant see the reasoning behind that logic.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Not sure where this is coming from but I share his frustration. I have had Fords since 96 and this will be my last. No more brand loyalty with the crap quality Ford is putting out. I am sure all of the other brands have similar issues but its time to try something else. I could easily make a list of why I can no longer recommend this truck to anyone. I have friends ask how I like it and I can only say that I wouldnt buy another and if a good deal came along I wouldnt hesitate trading it. This whole windshield issue is just another tick on the checklist of failures. The thing that sucks is that I reallly want that new Bronco but after this, no way can I trust Ford with $50k for a new vehicle. End of year deals with any brand don't seem to be great this year so I may be stuck with it. And that is how I feel, that I am stuck with it. I should love it, I want to love it, but I don't. Ford Tough doesn't mean anything anymore.

Hi Cory,

So you think we just plunk a windshield in a new vehicle and let the customer deal with the problem? There is much testing that goes into a new product. Cold weather testing to temps around -40° for full prototypes, cold room tests etc. If Ford found this was a systemic problem there would have been a fix before introduction to the buying public. I just want to make it clear to Forum members that there is a ton of testing done on new Ford products. There are few windshield cracking issues reported on this website. My experience with Ranger until I retired is our windshield warranty was consistent with most other Ford vehicles of the day. You are not alone but there are very few problems....why Ford deleted the "feature" is very likely not to solve windshield cracking but more likely as it was viewed as ineffective.

In the late 70s we had the Lincoln with the instant defrost windshield. Powered by a second alternator that produced 120V a/c connected to the windshield that had a very, very thin layer of gold between the laminated windshield. Highly touted in ads at the time...nobody bought it and it was soon dropped....a waste of engineering time and effort.

Ford cannot please 100% if the people 100% if the time...Looks like you are one we lost....Sad but that is the way the cracker bounces,,,(mixed metaphor intended)

 

[Hounddog409]

But this is brand specific. I am not seeing Ford windshields on Chevy trucks... Not looking for a freebie. My insurance will cover it regardless. My issue is that if a rock hits it, fine it happens. But when its just sitting in a parking lot warming up and it cracks by using a feature that is designed to heat up the shield to melt snow and ice... That is a defect and one that is very easy for Ford to blame it on something else. Why should I have to use my insurance for their design flaw?

Wow. A small chip existing on a windshield always seems to crack on a cold morning when the defrost is turned in. The chang in temp is what turns the chip into a crack. You're sitting in a parking lot is only half they story. The result. Not the cause.

Every single crack I have had was this exact scenario.

Not a Ford thing or a GM thing. Its called physics. The flaw is the chip. Not the brand.

 

[cory1848]

do you even read that I hope they fix yours? or are you looking to fight because of???

most likely you're going to be shit out of luck and thats being honest. but i still hope you get some emotional service manager that thinks he owes it to you and gives you a hug as well.
again, good luck. you'll need it even more so if you go at them with the attitude you have.
windows take damage....and at your mileage its going to be very easy for them to go, whoops, sorry warranty denied, look at that teenie tiny chip. but theres always that chance it'll go the other way.
windshields are a consumable product like brakes...try getting warranty on that, no matter how much you believe they dropped the ball, they hold that ball. They will decide if you get a new one or not.

I could ask you the same. Suggesting I open my eyes? WTF is that about? Windshields are a consumable product? Never knew they were designed to wear out... lol. You lost me there...Anyways, as you can see from this thread I am not the only one with this issue, thats the point I am making. Sorry you see it as attitude. Frustration maybe, I will give you that. No hugs needed.

 

[cory1848]

Hi Cory,

So you think we just plunk a windshield in a new vehicle and let the customer deal with the problem? There is much testing that goes into a new product. Cold weather testing to temps around -40° for full prototypes, cold room tests etc. If Ford found this was a systemic problem there would have been a fix before introduction to the buying public. I just want to make it clear to Forum members that there is a ton of testing done on new Ford products. There are few windshield cracking issues reported on this website. My experience with Ranger until I retired is our windshield warranty was consistent with most other Ford vehicles of the day. You are not alone but there are very few problems....why Ford deleted the "feature" is very likely not to solve windshield cracking but more likely as it was viewed as ineffective.

In the late 70s we had the Lincoln with the instant defrost windshield. Powered by a second alternator that produced 120V a/c connected to the windshield that had a very, very thin layer of gold between the laminated windshield. Highly touted in ads at the time...nobody bought it and it was soon dropped....a waste of engineering time and effort.

Ford cannot please 100% if the people 100% if the time...Looks like you are one we lost....Sad but that is the way the cracker bounces,,,(mixed metaphor intended)

I understand your bias but have you seen other post on other forums regarding shields cracking in Explorers, Mustangs and F150s while using the defroster? A quick google search eludes to this being a wide spread problem. I am not looking to be pleased, but I expect things to work as designed without damaging things. Is that so much to ask? Like I mentioned previously, this is just another thing added to the growing list of issues with this truck, and I am not alone on that.

I will get the shield replaced and then I will make sure to never use the defroster ever again.

 

[cory1848]

Wow. A small chip existing on a windshield always seems to crack on a cold morning when the defrost is turned in. The chang in temp is what turns the chip into a crack. You're sitting in a parking lot is only half they story. The result. Not the cause.

Every single crack I have had was this exact scenario.

Not a Ford thing or a GM thing. Its called physics. The flaw is the chip. Not the brand.

That might be the case if there was a chip to begin with...

 

[Hounddog409]

That might be the case if there was a chip to begin with...

Willing to bet there was. Haven't seen any photos of the crack.

Post them. Nice clear closeups

 

[cory1848]

Willing to bet there was. Haven't seen any photos of the crack.

Post them. Nice clear closeups

Tried, the reflection outside is preventing anything decent. As far as close ups, the crack runs the entire length of the shield... Nothing is visible as far as a chip goes, cant feel it to the touch or even when scraping a fingernail over it, using a pen does nothing either... Will see if the dealer can find it tomorrow.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I understand your bias but have you seen other post on other forums regarding shields cracking in Explorers, Mustangs and F150s while using the defroster? A quick google search eludes to this being a wide spread problem. I am not looking to be pleased, but I expect things to work as designed without damaging things. Is that so much to ask? Like I mentioned previously, this is just another thing added to the growing list of issues with this truck, and I am not alone on that.

I will get the shield replaced and then I will make sure to never use the defroster ever again.

There is nothing to do with bias. The forums are a snap shot of small quantity, be it Ranger, Explorer etc. Systemic problems bubble up. Case in point was the start up shudder on Ranger...Folks complained to the degree that Ford Engineering was forced to react and issue a TSB. So far the cracking is very limited... Maybe as the winter progresses we will see a rise in complaints but my point is that we test. Problems identified during testing are fixed.

Being that this is your last Ford, some other manufacturer will hopefully fill the bill.

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