When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I was to go to the dealer this past week, but found myself too busy. So, my crack grew -- just sitting in my driveway:
I did not drive the car all week, just took it out today. Looks AWFULLY similar to your guys' photos
The yellow tape shows the extent of the crack on day 1:
Hopefully, I will make it to the dealer on Monday??
Something is creating a stress point at the bottom of the glass, at the exact same point in different vehicles. I had a thought, which is: "THOSE OF YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF CRACK, HAVE YOU OFF-ROADED SERIOUSLY (ON TWO WHEELS) OR NOT?"
I fear we have a design flaw in the window mounting of the vehicle.
Perhaps it relates to the oft touted rigidity of the Defender's monocoque design.
If the frame wants to flex and can't the force is dispersed through the glass.
Probably this theory is complete nonsense and someone far smarter than I can blow it out of the water.
Maybe the flapping A-pillars were acting as stress-breakers. Now they're fixed the glass is taking the hit. Fix the glass and the passenger seat will probably pop out at highway speeds ejecting the occupant.
I was to go to the dealer this past week, but found myself too busy. So, my crack grew -- just sitting in my driveway:
The crack growing despite not moving is pretty normal. I've had multiple vehicles where I discovered a crack the morning after parking it... once there is a crack, even slight movements or temperature changes will cause it to keep growing until it reaches an edge.
Perhaps it relates to the oft touted rigidity of the Defender's monocoque design.
If the frame wants to flex and can't the force is dispersed through the glass.
Probably this theory is complete nonsense and someone far smarter than I can blow it out of the water.
Maybe the flapping A-pillars were acting as stress-breakers. Now they're fixed the glass is taking the hit. Fix the glass and the passenger seat will probably pop out at highway speeds ejecting the occupant.
That's not really correct. Stress in the windshield results from strain in the windshield as the vehicle frame flexes and so, conversely, if the vehicle frame is stiff and doesn't flex then there will be less strain and less stress in the windshield. I don't think that the A-pillars make any structural contribution, so those are unlikely to be the cause either.
It seems more likely to be due to residual stress from installation, with possibly a stress riser somewhere on that bottom edge if the fit is not quite correct.
...I don't think that the A-pillars make any structural contribution, so those are unlikely to be the cause either.
It seems more likely to be due to residual stress from installation, with possibly a stress riser somewhere on that bottom edge if the fit is not quite correct.
Got it. No self-ejecting passenger seats to look forward to. Kind of a bummer but I'll survive.
That's not really correct. Stress in the windshield results from strain in the windshield as the vehicle frame flexes and so, conversely, if the vehicle frame is stiff and doesn't flex then there will be less strain and less stress in the windshield. I don't think that the A-pillars make any structural contribution, so those are unlikely to be the cause either.
It seems more likely to be due to residual stress from installation, with possibly a stress riser somewhere on that bottom edge if the fit is not quite correct.
Well now, I am not too sure. But, I am staying positive and hoping we just have an installation problem in the first year or two of vehicles. We shall see.
In the body on ladder frame design, the body is normally attached with rubber bushings to the frame and only supplies neglible torsional support. But, it does not need to, as all the running gear (suspension, engine, transmission, etc.) exists and operates within the ladder frame structure.
As the ladder frame is fundamentally existent in a single plane, there is no way it could provide the torsional stiffness of a monocoque body design. So, JLR making the claim of record-holding torsional stiffness, as compared to their prior vehicles, is not really relevant. I suppose they understand the design risk they are taking and are trying to calm critics' concerns?
In the case of the New Defender, it MUST be rigid, for there is no frame to depend upon to handle the stresses of the running gear and maintain them in a state of correct geometry with respect to each other. Also, of course, it must not transfer stresses to the fixed glass, as glass cannot carry any load in tension without cracking.
A thought -- If one front wheel, off-road, drops from a height sufficient to bottom out the suspension, with enough force, this theorically would try to fold in the roof line upon itself and could put the bottom of the front window in tension and the top in compression.
Fortunately, my LR4s both have the V8 without turbo-charging, so the bodies do not need to come off to replace the turbochargers !
By, the way, I am headed off-road for three days this weekend. I will drive the vehicle as it is advertised (and how I drove my Evoque). I will let you know how the glass reacts.
Enjoy the adventure of our new Defenders !!
Last edited by TrioLRowner; 09-27-2021 at 07:42 AM.
I went to the JLR service department on my cracked windshield and the Service Manager was waiting for me -- to deal with what felt like a common occurence.
Firstly, he mentioned that the vertical crack is similar to the one which occurred a couple of years ago (was purportedly resolved in 2018 with a design change) when supposedly the metal, vertical clamps on either side of the window were too close to the window, would heat the window, and the window would expand and bow outward and create a vertical crack. But, this does not apply to the New Defender.
Then, the service manager took the vehicle to the service area, washed the window and came back with this photo, which I confirmed is on my vehicle -- which I could not find previously:
The "chip' in the middle is miniscule. Literally the diameter of a grain of sand.
The scale is VERY small ... basically it is an inch or so from the bottom of the glass, through the circular route to the purported "chip" ... from which runs a chip straight vertically to the middle of the windshield, which then takes a hard 90 degree turn horizontally -- where it is expanding a bit every day until it reaches the end of the window on the passenger side of the vehicle.
It was almost impossible to figure out how to even take the picture the "chip" is so miniscule and shallow. The size of projectile to cause it literally may have been the size of a grain of sand.
So, this little "chip" is expected to destroy an entire windshield? REALLY? If so, I am just going to drive the vehicle until the windshield drops out of the car -- and then replace it. This is nuts.
So, this little "chip" is expected to destroy an entire windshield?
When I was a kid, our neighbors used to break into cars with a spark plug. Little tap from ceramic done the right way is all it takes. Tempered just needs a little start and it can just go.
I went to the JLR service department on my cracked windshield and the Service Manager was waiting for me -- to deal with what felt like a common occurence.
......
It was almost impossible to figure out how to even take the picture the "chip" is so miniscule and shallow. The size of projectile to cause it literally may have been the size of a grain of sand.
.......
So, this little "chip" is expected to destroy an entire windshield? REALLY? If so, I am just going to drive the vehicle until the windshield drops out of the car -- and then replace it. This is nuts.
Thoughts please?
I still believe that the windshields on LR ( and I am saying ANY LR ) are sub par, and probably under the standard of glass thickness / hardness that they should be at. Then again, who is there to test them, or rate them ?
Insurance Institute ? Nah... they just gonna raise the rates collectively
NHTSA ? please ....
All I am going to do personally , is to be good friends with a glass shop, and lower my deductible on glass to the lowest I can.
There is no good way around this.
For as long as I own, or drive a JLR product, I would factor this in its price.
However, I never owned a vehicle that would get a cracked windshield below 1500 miles without a rock, or some external impact - so this one takes the biscuit !
I still have my 2000 Ford, with the original windshield. and my 1985 Mercedes 300 TD with its original glass.
When I was a kid, our neighbors used to break into cars with a spark plug. Little tap from ceramic done the right way is all it takes. Tempered just needs a little start and it can just go.
I have been driving for 40+ years and neither I nor none of mine have ever replaced a windshield. So I suppose I am due .......
09-25-2021, 01:18 PM
Looking VERY familiar, yes?
