My 6 month old, 2017 Chevy Bolt Premier, with only 5200 miles on it, developed a rather large crack in the windshield for no apparent reason! It is located right in the center of the windshield. There is a horizontal crack about 4 inches long that then makes a sharp right turn and goes vertically upwards for about 9 inches. No stones, pebbles or other hard objects have hit this windshield in the days prior to this crack mysteriously occurring. It was merely parked in a parking lot at my workplace. This is my commuter car, 45 miles one way, 5 days a week, and it stays parked in company parking lot, 8 hours/day, which has a security guard patrolling at all times and security cameras on parking lot 24x7. At home it stays safe inside a locked garage. So, I'm concluding this crack is most likely "stress fracture" related? During manufacture of the windshield or during assembly at the Lake Orion Michigan GM Plant, who knows? I am going to try my Chevy dealer near my house, in Dublin, CA, with a warranty claim request. If no go, then I will call a private windshield replacement guy. I have owned 7 cars in my life, all purchased brand new. Never had a windshield crack after just 6 months. Not happy right now, since I have just read 3 additional blogs on this forum wherein owners of new 2017 Bolts have developed mysterious cracks in their windshields! From the blogs on here I read that it is apparently very hard to get a replacement windshield for a 2017 Bolt. Why GM Why?!
2017 Bolt windshield cracked for no reason
-
Hey Guest, welcome to ChevyBolt.org. We encourage you to register to engage in conversations about your Bolt.
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
you're not the first one this has happened to. they seem to have some issues either with the way the windshield is manufactured, or installed. either way, call your dealer and see if they'll cover it under warranty.
were you parked in the sun? what's the temp like where you are? i hear my rear window creaking at times, i'm just waiting for it to crack. maybe i'll park it in the full sun for a day and see what happens.
were you parked in the sun? what's the temp like where you are? i hear my rear window creaking at times, i'm just waiting for it to crack. maybe i'll park it in the full sun for a day and see what happens.
Wow guys, check out the huge issues with windshields cracking for no apparent reason over many years with the Honda Fit! Yikes! Is the Bolt going to follow in the Fit's footsteps with the windshield cracking issue?
http://www.carproblemzoo.com/honda/fit/windshield-problems.php
I liked the comment from another blogger on here that says these windshields may have been intentionally designed to be thinner than "normal" in order to make the car lighter so that it can produce better mileage stats. But if I have to replace my windshield every 6 months, what sort of incredible engineering innovation is this? What a joke!
borkbork, to answer your question, the high temp for the week prior to my Bolt windshield crack mysteriously appearing was around 75 - 80 F. Not even full summer temp highs yet. I hope high temps are not the root cause of this problem. Can you imagine all the Bolts in Phoenix AZ, where summer highs can hover around 112 F?
I called and chatted with the Chevy dealer service advisor in Dublin CA. He asked me to bring in my car. They will run a ballpoint pen along the entire length of the crack. If it stops even once, that's it. They will say it was a UFO that hit my windshield and will not cover it under warranty. Out of pocket cost for me approx $800. Yikes!
Will keep this forum updated on what transpires with this ordeal.
http://www.carproblemzoo.com/honda/fit/windshield-problems.php
I liked the comment from another blogger on here that says these windshields may have been intentionally designed to be thinner than "normal" in order to make the car lighter so that it can produce better mileage stats. But if I have to replace my windshield every 6 months, what sort of incredible engineering innovation is this? What a joke!
borkbork, to answer your question, the high temp for the week prior to my Bolt windshield crack mysteriously appearing was around 75 - 80 F. Not even full summer temp highs yet. I hope high temps are not the root cause of this problem. Can you imagine all the Bolts in Phoenix AZ, where summer highs can hover around 112 F?
I called and chatted with the Chevy dealer service advisor in Dublin CA. He asked me to bring in my car. They will run a ballpoint pen along the entire length of the crack. If it stops even once, that's it. They will say it was a UFO that hit my windshield and will not cover it under warranty. Out of pocket cost for me approx $800. Yikes!
Will keep this forum updated on what transpires with this ordeal.
that seems like a bullshit test.
regarding the thickness of the windshields, that seems like something that would be regulated, since it's a safety mechanism. not sure though.
Joined
·
1,469 Posts
Wonder if the slope of the windshield, which is steeper, and the bottom edge of the windshield resting close to above the front wheels, leads to more direct transfer of shocks into the edge of the windshield. This assumes the edge of the glass would be the best place to put stress on to coax a fracture in the middle of the glass.
Joined
·
585 Posts
If the dealer doesn't replace it under warranty, you can file an insurance claim, if your policy covers it. But of course you have to pay the deductible.
Joined
·
585 Posts
Consider yourself fortunate. Read some of the horror stories from owners of cars with sunroofs that exploded on them.
https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/exploding-sunroof-cases-head-to-court/
http://www.thedrive.com/sheetmetal/15094/exploding-sunroofs-are-a-real-problem-nhtsa-report-finds
Nothing wakes you up like a shower of glass shards.
https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/exploding-sunroof-cases-head-to-court/
http://www.thedrive.com/sheetmetal/15094/exploding-sunroofs-are-a-real-problem-nhtsa-report-finds
Nothing wakes you up like a shower of glass shards.
Joined
·
179 Posts
So, here's a pisser...
1) Windshield broke.
2) Contacted my favorite glass company (they make my $50 deductible go away).
3) They were able to get the OEM glass from the dealer delivered to them in less than a week.
4) Now Geico (the insurance company) is not approving the install, as they are saying that they want an aftermarket window, but there are none. Get the catch 22: Geico wont approve, as they are looking to get part numbers and prices of the aftermarket windows. As there are none, then the approval department is not approving as the form submitted by the glass install company is it is "incomplete".
* facepalmslap! *
1) Windshield broke.
2) Contacted my favorite glass company (they make my $50 deductible go away).
3) They were able to get the OEM glass from the dealer delivered to them in less than a week.
4) Now Geico (the insurance company) is not approving the install, as they are saying that they want an aftermarket window, but there are none. Get the catch 22: Geico wont approve, as they are looking to get part numbers and prices of the aftermarket windows. As there are none, then the approval department is not approving as the form submitted by the glass install company is it is "incomplete".
* facepalmslap! *
Joined
·
388 Posts
Windshields break everyday, it could be from a chip in the glass when it was installed, or it could have been hit by a flying piece of debris that started the break 2 months ago.
If you can wangle it blame it on GM's install that way it will be GM's dime replacing it.
If you can wangle it blame it on GM's install that way it will be GM's dime replacing it.
Yup. Happened to me and my wife in one of our EV-1s in the late '90s. Just toolin' on down Beach Blvd, and ...BOOM!. Little glass granules all over the back seat. The rear window exploded. Not unusual, it seems, for a complex-shaped automotive window.
GM replaced it, and out of curiosity, I looked at the new one through a pair of polarizers. Yowza! There were stresses all over that window!
Perhaps I need to break out the polarizing lenses again, and have a look at the windscreen in my Bolt. Don't hold your breath...they're buried in the garage somewhere. (We moved recently.)
Joined
·
1,469 Posts
@GregBrew, it's always a great time for spring cleaning...
What polarizing glasses are you talking about? Only thing polarized I have are polarized sunglasses. They were useful in spotting polarization of 2017 Volt wide windows but nothing else. You'd see what looked like a vertical, wavy pattern with them on and looking out from within a 2017 Volt. I don't see it on the Bolt except when I look directly out the rear window with a major difference: I see a checkerboard pattern instead of waves.
Are your glasses doing the same thing? If so, how do you spot stresses this way?
What polarizing glasses are you talking about? Only thing polarized I have are polarized sunglasses. They were useful in spotting polarization of 2017 Volt wide windows but nothing else. You'd see what looked like a vertical, wavy pattern with them on and looking out from within a 2017 Volt. I don't see it on the Bolt except when I look directly out the rear window with a major difference: I see a checkerboard pattern instead of waves.
Are your glasses doing the same thing? If so, how do you spot stresses this way?
Sometimes the wavy lines appear to converge at a point or on a line. The convergent points/lines are where stress is built up in the glass. It works in some plastics, too. The stress can be a result of the molding/forming process (and remain in the glass itself), or it could be more temporary, around the edges where it's attached to the frame and potentially deformed by holding forces.
My polarizing lenses are currently unavailable, and I'm operating on my memories of the EV-1 in the late '90s.
Ok, so here's the latest update on my windshield cracked issue. I took my 2017 Bolt to the Chevy dealer in Dublin, CA, service dept., they ran their ball point pen along the crack and found a divet that they say was caused by a UFO hitting the windshield. They are not going to replace my windshield under GM warranty. I decided to not argue the point and just take care of my windshield replacement by myself with my car insurance helping pay for this. Quoted cost including all parts and labor = $800. My "esurance" deductable = $100 (my out of pocket). Amazing how expensive these car windshields have become! I remember paying around $300 for a brand new windshield just 5 years ago. The private auto glass guy that is doing the actual work told me that this crazy increase is due to the fact that these new windshields have additional stuff like rain sensors and Lane Departure Warning sensors embedded within them or attached to them.
or a giant dust pan in the Bolt's case.
It is. I brought out my trim removal tool set to remove the "dustpan" in my Premiere for a dashcam install. I needn't have bothered with the tool kit. The dustpan literally fell off the windshield into my hands with barely a touch, causing me to change my plan of attaching the dashcam to it. Double-stick taped it to the windshield to the right of it instead.
My 2017 Bolt windshield looked like it had glitter in it when the sun hit it from an angle. I could not figure out if it was sand blasted when being transported to WA state from Michigan or if it was a faulty piece of glass. I had never seen anything like it in any car I have owned and my car ownership goes back to 1963.
After some negotiation with my dealer and a "one time replacement under warranty" OK from Chevy they put in a new windshield with no glitter. This was late last year and the windshield had a multiple week back order. Good outcome for my problem.
I think working with the dealer you purchased from gains you an advocate.
After some negotiation with my dealer and a "one time replacement under warranty" OK from Chevy they put in a new windshield with no glitter. This was late last year and the windshield had a multiple week back order. Good outcome for my problem.
I think working with the dealer you purchased from gains you an advocate.
Joined
·
1,469 Posts
I think I have the same issue if it's a bunch of small 1-2 mm long, fiber-glass-thin, randomly-oriented scratches. It's difficult to reproduce without much consistent sun when I have time to show my dealer during their business hours. I couldn't quite replicate with a bright flashlight and so have started forgetting about it. I did find that some window cleaners that offer defogging properties helped with reducing the "glitter".
My dealer stated I should clean the insides with newspaper, which I thought was a brush-off answer. I think they simply used their finger to wipe at the microscratches and the oils from their fingers were sufficient for filling in the microscratch. Also, most newspapers now don't have the right ink (it's soy-based now, not the same as older newspaper inks) so they don't polish as well. My workaround solution was with a defogging window cleaner and I've been more/less happy with it with spring-time sunlight. That, or I've mentally learned to filter-out the microscratches now.
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
