[Bongoxxx]

Went out to pickup dinner this evening and my windshield cracked, I’m assuming due to the cold

Had the defrost on set to 22....heard a pop and thought maybe some kid threw a snowball or something, stopped, heard another pop and a large crack about an inch above the wipers from driver side all the way across the windshield.

Currently -16 Celcius, - 26 with the wind chill (3 & -12 Fahrenheit)

Anyone else ever had this happen? I didn’t have any stone chips or anything

Been driving in winters for over 30 years and in colder temperatures than this and have never had this happen.

[cfm56d7b]

I have never seen this happen either. It's quite cold but the same would be true of Norway and there are quite a few F30x in Norway.

[obert]

If there was no previous damage and it OEM do you think you could get it replaced by BMW as defective equipment?

[tuco44]

I have seen it happen, but not on a BMW. Usually there is some very small chip or rock mark to start it, then the cold/hot contrast makes run across the glass.

Should be claimable under comprehensive insurance.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

I have never seen this happen either. It's quite cold but the same would be true of Norway and there are quite a few F30x in Norway.

It's been known to get cold in Bavaria as well.
Chances are there was a chip that expanded into a crack. That would be an insurance claim, not a warranty claim.

[obert]

Yeah I have had windshields crack like this but there has always been previous damage. OP said there was not damage prior to breaking. I was just curious if he could get it replaced under warranty if that is true?

[Billfitz]

I bet the damage was there and he just wasn't aware of it. A warranty claim will be tough unless he can somehow prove there was a defect in materials or workmanship.

[drexplode]

There had to be a stress crack somewhere; hot / cold cycles will fatigue the area. low probability the windshield cracked on its own.

[Bongoxxx]

Originally Posted by drexplode

There had to be a stress crack somewhere; hot / cold cycles will fatigue the area. low probability the windshield cracked on its own.

No damage on the windshield, I wash my car religiously and washed it yesterday in the garage. It’s been sitting since and it cracked when I went to pickup dinner tonight.

Will be calling insurance in the morning, tried calling tonight but the wait time was over 60 minutes - guessing lots of calls for claims due to the weather and idiots that can’t drive in the snow.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

It's been known to get cold in Bavaria as well.
Chances are there was a chip that expanded into a crack. That would be an insurance claim, not a warranty claim.

Indeed. Geography is not as important as the likely fracture which led to the crack.

[BMWinAZ]

Originally Posted by Bongoxxx

No damage on the windshield, I wash my car religiously and washed it yesterday in the garage. It’s been sitting since and it cracked when I went to pickup dinner tonight.

Will be calling insurance in the morning, tried calling tonight but the wait time was over 60 minutes - guessing lots of calls for claims due to the weather and idiots that can’t drive in the snow.

The clue here is that you recently washed your car. Water settled into a tiny chip or two in the glass and then froze while you picked up dinner. The contraction and expansion and contraction of the water freezing and melting busted your windshield. That water finds its way into the smallest chips and cracks in a windshield and can linger there for quite a few days, is something I learned from the professional I have been using for years to repair my windshield chips. He always makes sure to meticulously dry the area to be repaired if the car has been washed or rained upon in the days prior to the repair.

[luckstr]

While I have read all of the comments here, and do not disagree with any of them, I am still of the opinion that the glass used in my 2017 440i convertible is of a very inferior quality. I have NEVER experienced the glass on any of my previous cars pitting and getting marked up as I am experiencing now. In fact, I have only 12,300 mi on car, 90 % of those being around town and NOT on freeway and my windshield looks like it's been thru several windstorms in the middle of the desert. My previous car, a 2004 C5 Corvette which is much lower to ground, was used almost exclusively for freeway driving and the windshield in that car didn't look like this BMW until I had about 90,000 miles on it. I am convinced that BMW used the cheapest glass they could find. And the fact that my insurance would cover some of the replacement cost has nothing to do with the fact that the glass ( especially the windshield, but all around) is of a very inferior quality.

[Wires]

It's not of "inferior quality", it's designed to be softer to minimize injury to pedestrians. Audi is no different for the pitting.

[Wires]

Originally Posted by Bongoxxx

No damage on the windshield, I wash my car religiously and washed it yesterday in the garage. It’s been sitting since and it cracked when I went to pickup dinner tonight.

Will be calling insurance in the morning, tried calling tonight but the wait time was over 60 minutes - guessing lots of calls for claims due to the weather and idiots that can’t drive in the snow.

It's tempered glass, so all you need is a slight impact at the edge to start the process of a crack.

[5mall5nail5]

Had it happen on several cars Cold + german glass = brittle. Had a acorn/walnut fall out of a tree in like 30 - 35F weather. Windshield explodinated