2004 MINI Cooper S: windshield cracks

Filed May 25, 2006 · Visibility · 26,000 miles · RI

Dt*: the contact stated the windshield has been replaced three times within 1 year of purchase . On may 24, 2006, while driving a small object struck the windshield causing a crack which caused the fourth windshield replacement. The contact expressed that something must be wrong with the vehicle to make the windshield crack so easily. The dealership and manufacturer were alerted and determined the cracks were due to the impact of the object.

Filed May 10, 2006 · Visibility · 20,105 miles · RI

My 2004 mini cooper s, delivered in june of '04, having @ 20,000 miles on the odometer, is now on its third windshield all due to stress cracks. The cracks seem to be related to thermal instability. I.e. Cold outside/hot inside etc. I personally know of one 2003 mini owner in ma who has now had 6 windshields replaced since purchase. The mini community has determined that aftermarket us made glass by ppg does not have the propensity for such failures. I am reluctant to continue going to my dealer as this problem appears to be related to the foreign manufactured oem glass. On the other hand I should not have to replace the windshield with a non oem product, out of pocket to resolve the issue. For much more information, you can refer to the mini cooper owners internet web forum "northamericanmotoring .com" the defect is wide spread from the mini's introduction in '02 continuing through to '05 production models. To find this information, go to "beneath the bonnet" and use the search function in the upper right corner for "cracked glass". Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to call me if I can be of help. Sincerely, mark williams cfp

Filed May 18, 2005 · Visibility · MO

My 2004 mini cooper s had been parked, untouched, in my driveway for 2 days. I got in it last night and first thing I noticed was a verticla crack in the windshield extending from the top chrome molding 14" down, parallel to and 5" from the driver's side edge of the windshield. The local dealer said that mini had a problem with windshield breakage in the past "but not now". At his suggestion, I ran the tip of a ball-point pen along the crack and found a "chip" at the top of the crack. This "chip" is smaller than the tip of the ball-point pen. I've had many new and used cars and this is the first case where such an insignificant "chip" has propagated to a total failure requiring replacement without even being visible first.

Filed Apr 16, 2005 · Visibility · 17,500 miles · DE

Cracked windshield on a mini. Crack extends from right edge and goes towards center and then turns up towards roof - crack about 12" long. No stone chip anywhere along crack.

Filed Aug 10, 2004 · Visibility · 11,750 miles · FL

First occasion - windsheild cracked adjacent to VIN # location. Seperated from vehicle body. Dealership replaced but took 5 to 6 weeks. Excuse was supplier changed. Second occasion - rock chip on intersate. Result. Surface chip and laminant crack (1/4" to 1/2" long). Have not replaced windshield. Watching for any progression in size. I've owned other vehicles that had rocks and such collide with the windshield, but none that cracked so easily.

Filed Aug 4, 2004 · Visibility · TX

Our minicoopers, 2004, received a very small chip. The next morning half of our windshield cracked from this chip. My husband spoke with steve, a mini rep in houston, and was told the windshield had be recalled due to large amounts of stress on the windshield. He told steve that is exactly what has happened because the chip is so small located at the base of the windshield. We were told with the chip that the warrenty was voided. We would have to pay to replace the windshield. Steve went on to tell of 5 differrent stories of mini owners having to replace their windshield in the last two months. If you look at mini chat rooms, it is filled with many people having to replace their windshield, sometimes multiply times. It just does not seem right. So many windshield cracking due to rock chips. We would have had the chip treated, if it weren't so small, so a crack would not have happened, but there was no time, it cracked overnight.