This winter has not officially started yet but has already claimed its first victim: my windshield. I got in the truck yesterday morning to go pick up a few last items at the store for Thanksgiving dinner and noticed a small crack about 3-4" long down at the base of the windshield in the very center. It'll most likely fail inspection in April so it will need done before then. I will most likely wait till winter is over before I replace it. My wife and I just switched our insurance policy over to a different company a few months ago to save money so I'll call them Monday to find out what their coverage/deductible is on glass. I tried to take a picture but I couldn't see the crack through the screen so I didn't think it would turn out too good. Maybe as it continues to spread I'll be able to get a better picture.

 

PGH Rebel , Having been born and raised in Pittsburgh ( i`m 59 years old )never having a windshield crack from the cold itself. I`ve seen them crack when some one threw a bucket of hot water on it to clear off ice . Not saying it can`t happen but we haven`t really had constant below freezing weather yet. Wonder if there is an underlying cause .

 

I haven't seen cold crack a windshield, either, but I've sure as heck seen it make a crack grow (usually when using the defroster--yay, temperature differentials).

If it's already that long, it's probably too late, but you might see if you can get the windshield repaired to keep it from getting worse over the winter.

 

I figure it started from a chip near the bottom that I never noticed. And the cold air vs the hot defrosters are definitely causing it to spread quickly.

 

Jim for what it's worth the shop that I work at is now able to do our own in house glass repair and replacement. And we're right in the strip district. Literally minutes from your house. Pm me if your interested.

 

Up here we crack a windshield once a year. No inspections so it's just annoying. So far so good on my last replacement, chips (had them filled) but no cracks!

I have a glass guy I've used since I was in high school, pay cash and am good to go again.

 

I got peened by something on the interstate a couple of weeks ago, got a gorgeous chip and the beginnings of a crack about 3/4" long. So far it hasn't spread but I suspect it won't last the winter.

 

There are repair kits available at usual auto part stores - Autozone, PepBoys, etc. I have had very good results over many years using these kits. And, keep them on hand. We live in a rural area and a good windshield smack is normal. Using these kits quickly after impact usually allows for 100,000+ miles on a windshield. Granted it's a patched windshield but not much new cracking from initial impact either.

 

Sounds interesting Alex and please don't take offense but for convenience I'm looking for someone that does mobile service. That way I don't have to take time off from work for this. Although I did call my insurance company this morning and we have no deductible on glass so the windshield replacement won't cost me anything!

 

If you can, get that filled ASAP. Be surprised what Safelite or some of the others can do to save them. And your insurance company would much rather pay for a repair than a replacement.

 

Yup, get them filled as quickly as possible. The most recent ones I've had have all been during cold snaps -10F or so. Get a rock on the way home or on my way to work. Between the defroster or pulling into the 70F garage they will crack very quickly (same day). Last time I went into a car wash with (2) hidden rock chips below the wipers as soon as the water hit them they both started cracking.

With the amount of gravel we put down on the roads in the winter it is bound to happen. $250 out of pocket for a new one and cross your fingers! With a $100 deductible for glass I don't see the worth in making a claim since I hate insurance companies.

 

I'll have to say that was good to hear...thought you had totaled that truck you've been working so hard on. Glad it was only a windshield.

 

Appreciate the comments but I'm not worried about it. I'm in the State Farm no deductible category for glass. I don't even do any paperwork, the shop handles all of that. Dragging my butt out of bed in the morning to get it done is my only problem .

 

In 22 years of driving, I've had the cold destroy a windshield one time. I was just crusing down the highway with defrost on high and POP there it went. Long split right down the middle. Insurance here in my state picks it up no questions asked.

 

I had a good one roughly 1990:

driving home from work in a Nissan 4x4, 4pm-ish, 2 lane US hwy, wintertime. Big 18 wheeler coming the other way. Huge chunk of ice flies off the truck from somewhere, smacks me right in the middle of the windshield. Sounded like I let off a 12 ga inside the truck, d**n near s**t myself then and there but got pulled over safely. Windshield caved in, even broke the seal all the way across the top but the rest held. I clearly remember thinking how lucky I was b/c I wasn't wearing it for a face mask and that the iceberg I just hit didn't come completely through. Only thing destroyed was the windshield, apparently it bounced enough to clear the roof or sides, whichever way it went- I can't remember, I was too busy cowering in fear at the moment