4th Windscreen in a year of ownership
Discussion
In a fortnight or so I'll have my 4th windscreen in a year of owning a Model Y. That's a lot of bloody changing windscreens.
This could be a total coincidence but I wonder if there is some plausible reason something about its aerodynamics would make it more susceptible to damage? Or alternatively maybe something about it makes damage increase? Two of the occasions have been minor looking chips that became cracks. The current crack I honestly don't know how it started - I heard a noise that was very likely it but it took weeks before I noticed the crack (cause of where it is you don't see it unless you crane your neck forward - well now you do but only cause it's grown).
Am not driving it differently to anything else.
While I've repaired chips, I've never changed a windscreen ever in any other car.
Am thinking it's just luck but you never know... could be something to do with temp differentials or something.
Also - do you really need the alignment Autoglass insist upon? I thought it was supposed to self calibrate.
This could be a total coincidence but I wonder if there is some plausible reason something about its aerodynamics would make it more susceptible to damage? Or alternatively maybe something about it makes damage increase? Two of the occasions have been minor looking chips that became cracks. The current crack I honestly don't know how it started - I heard a noise that was very likely it but it took weeks before I noticed the crack (cause of where it is you don't see it unless you crane your neck forward - well now you do but only cause it's grown).
Am not driving it differently to anything else.
While I've repaired chips, I've never changed a windscreen ever in any other car.
Am thinking it's just luck but you never know... could be something to do with temp differentials or something.
Also - do you really need the alignment Autoglass insist upon? I thought it was supposed to self calibrate.
Quote clipped to condense.
Remember, in extreme temperatures it is baking hot outside and climate controlled cool inside (the reverse in the winter). This juxtaposition will make the two layers of glass behave differently. In hot weather, the PVB interlayer can also soften. A stone hitting a hot windscreen is striking when the glass is in its expanded state.
The only reason a glass would crack is due to a stress fracture which usually is caused by bad fitting (or the glass being damaged prior to fitting). Run a pointy tip along the crack and you will usually tell where the impact point is. No dink: possibly a stress crack.
Somewhatfoolish said:
Am thinking it's just luck but you never know... could be something to do with temp differentials or something.
Also - do you really need the alignment Autoglass insist upon? I thought it was supposed to self calibrate.
I think it is luck; bad luck compounded by the condition of the roads in the UK. Also, there is no chat in the industry about Tesla windscreens stress cracking. The [ADAS] alignment you mention does usually self calibrate; I've had one when the auto-steer was pulling to the left but it corrected itself after 12 miles. The re-calibration issues usually occur when a non-genuine part is fitted so in that context, it perhaps may well be necessary. Also - do you really need the alignment Autoglass insist upon? I thought it was supposed to self calibrate.
Remember, in extreme temperatures it is baking hot outside and climate controlled cool inside (the reverse in the winter). This juxtaposition will make the two layers of glass behave differently. In hot weather, the PVB interlayer can also soften. A stone hitting a hot windscreen is striking when the glass is in its expanded state.
The only reason a glass would crack is due to a stress fracture which usually is caused by bad fitting (or the glass being damaged prior to fitting). Run a pointy tip along the crack and you will usually tell where the impact point is. No dink: possibly a stress crack.
I have nothing helpful to say - other than that sounds very odd.
I have had a Model 3 for 6 years and replaced the screen once after a crack - which I guess must have been a stone chip, although didn't notice it at the time. I had it replaced by Tesla rather than Autoglass - at my expense.
4 screens in a year suggests something other than just bad luck - but I have no idea what.
Glassman on here is very knowledgeable, he might be worth contacting.
I have had a Model 3 for 6 years and replaced the screen once after a crack - which I guess must have been a stone chip, although didn't notice it at the time. I had it replaced by Tesla rather than Autoglass - at my expense.
4 screens in a year suggests something other than just bad luck - but I have no idea what.
Glassman on here is very knowledgeable, he might be worth contacting.
NDA said:
I have nothing helpful to say - other than that sounds very odd.
I have had a Model 3 for 6 years and replaced the screen once after a crack - which I guess must have been a stone chip, although didn't notice it at the time. I had it replaced by Tesla rather than Autoglass - at my expense.
4 screens in a year suggests something other than just bad luck - but I have no idea what.
Glassman on here is very knowledgeable, he might be worth contacting.
He replied up in thread. To be clear, 4 windscreens is 3 replacements. But so far it sounds like I'm just the outlier. C'est la vie. If it happens YET AGAIN then I'm gonna be grrrrrrr. I have had a Model 3 for 6 years and replaced the screen once after a crack - which I guess must have been a stone chip, although didn't notice it at the time. I had it replaced by Tesla rather than Autoglass - at my expense.
4 screens in a year suggests something other than just bad luck - but I have no idea what.
Glassman on here is very knowledgeable, he might be worth contacting.
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