Mine cracked last night exactly as described. The Jeep had been warm for over an hour before the windshield let go so the "let it warm up" theory is BS. We did have the defrost an the highest setting because the windshield kept icing up (and the temp was in the low 20s), but I've never had another vehicle do this. I'd be willing to bet that Chrysler cuts corners on windshield quality knowing full well that they wouldn't have to warranty very many of them. Most of us will just go through insurance. Yet another shining example of why we shouldn't bail these bastards out.

For those that have had this problem, Is it safe to assume that aftermarket is the way to go for the replacement?

 

I do the opposite of what you said all the time and mine is still intact. Mine was a nov. 06 build and I have over 42k on mine. I have a remote starter and let it warm up for a few minutes before I even get in it. I also wait to get heat to turn the heater on.

I really believe you need to have a chip before it will crack. Otherwise mine should have cracked already. It was 8 degrees when I left the house this morning. The defroster was turned on after it was all warmed up. No crack yet again.

 

We all know how powerfull heating system we have, unlike in many other cars or trucks. So, when it's cold outside just by directing all this heat to windshield causes extreme tension to build up between windshield inner and outer layers leading to crack.
Same thing happens easily during winter below freezing temperatures if...say you are waiting traffic lights to come green and in the meanwhile want to wash your windows...so by spraying cold washer liquid into windshield outer layer and warming inner layer with defroster....well...it happens again...

 

I'm not sure which is funnier. The people who think it doesn't work hard enough, or the people who complain about it cracking their windshield because it gets too hot. It takes a good product to piss off people at the opposite extremes.

 

I suppose in the Carolina's, the defroster probably works just fine, but here (where it gets really cold) it doesn't work very well at all. It keeps the middle 2.5' of the windshield clear but the remaining outside edges ice over if it's snowing. What's worse is that regardless of leaving the defrost on full blast or not, the ice then just continues to get worse until only a small portion of the windshield (directly in the middle) is clear. Use the wipers, don't use the wipers, use a lot of fluid, use no fluid.........doesn't seem to matter. If it's snowing the windshield ices up. And the last time it did it, leaving the defroster on in a vain attempt to keep the windshield clear, caused the glass to crack. I've done the pen test (from the TSB) and I have no chips along the crack. Further, I can't recall ever having anything hit the windshield. So yeah...........I'll blame it on Chrysler. When better than a third of respondents to the windshield poll report that they have had to replace AT LEAST ONE windshield, I'd say something isn't right. This will be the first windshield I've had to replace in over thirty years.

 

I have always done it this way in all my vehicles and haven't had a problem ever.

I can see what your saying toad, and that's a totally different circumstance.
I mean it shouldn't have happened to you, but your talking about a different situation.

If you have the dealer change it, won't it be the same crappy glass that was in there to begin with??? If so, we might be better off to have the insurance company pick up the tab on an aftermarket winshield that will be of better quality and last longer.

 

If your glass cracks in the inner lamination, it clearly isn't the result of road debris. Always check to see if the crack is on the inside or the outside.

Also, if you don't have glass coverage through your insurance company, call your agent and add the glass rider. If you have collision with comp, always add glass coverage (make sure there's no deductible). It's a pennies on the dollar investment. And don't wait until you have to spend your own money on a replacement, get the coverage now. In most cases, it'll cost less than 20% annually of a new windshield and every window is covered as well.

Get a crack in the windshield, call your agent and they will authorize its replacement right over the phone. It doesn't matter if it's a stress crack or a stone chip, it's covered. If you're not sure, a ball peen hammer can fix that uncertainty in a blink.


My regards,

Widewing

 

Mine cracked all by itself, no chip. Just very cold outside (-19 degrees) and I turned on the defrost.

Got the same line from the dealer as everyone else. I have not bothered to take it to them because in Colorado I have never had a windshield last more than six months.

 

I was awarded the L shaped crack as mentioned in the OP yesterday. I always warm mine up and never turn the heat control to full. I go to about the 3 o'clock position because it's too damn hot otherwise. My JK sits in the garage at night as well. I'll be notifying the dealer after the holiday.

 

Dealer won't cover mine under warranty. They didn't even bother doing the pen test. I guess I'll go to a glass shop.