Windshield Problems of Mini Cooper - part 1

2010 Minicooper. Consumer writes regarding a stress crack that developed on the windshield unrelated to any impact the consumer stated the crack was a straight line, not consistent with an impact which leaves a spider like crack.

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My 2003 Mini Cooper has a cracked windshield that resulted from structural problems. It is l-shaped and it started at the bottom middle of the windshield.

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I will be installing what will be the third manual 5-speed transmission in my Mini. Same problem, seems to be the final drive bearing is failing likely due to lack of lubrication. I have records of all service and check it regularly and it has never been low. The bearing is apparently not getting a proper supply of fluid. Problem number two, my power steering pump failed on me once. It exploded while I was driving. The hoses basically got too hot and blew up. I fortunately was able to limp it to a shop without any fire. On another occasion the power steering fan continued to run even when the ignition was shut off, needed to replace the entire pump this time which cost me $500 installed with a remanufactured pump. Third, I have had to put three windshields in the car. None of these repairs were warranted! Mini needs to suck it up and claim responsibility for these shoddily made cars, they have made their money and don't care to help with anything. I am a loyal BMW customer but I think I will stick with the older models now as they aren't impossible to work on and find parts for. God knows I will not pay 23 grand for this nightmare again.

My 2004 Mini Cooper s has incurred two cracked windshields over the past two years, requiring the entire windshield to be replaced. Each crack occurred while driving after a small pebble nicked the windshield. After driving for nearly twenty years I find this rate of occurrence to be unacceptable. Although the angle of the windshield may be at a steeper grade than most vehicles, Mini has failed to recognize solutions such as a stronger thicker windshield. A resolution is needed to prevent fellow Mini owners from purchasing replacement windshields on an annual basis.

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2003 Mini Cooper windshield failure. Spontaneous crack although dealer insists it was a pin hole sized hole that caused it. Refused to cover under warranty. 2nd time it's happened and was covered first time under warranty. Apparently happens very regularly to Mini and at $1078. Complete. . . This just isn't right.

Cracked windshield 2005 Mini Cooper s.

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Windshield spontaneously cracked. Crack started at top center extended down about 4 inches, then horizontall for about 4 inches and is now moving down again.

8" crack in front windshield. Crack is located on lower right hand (passenger) side of vehicle that starts below the windshield seal. The goes up 3" then curves left and travels for 5". Crack appeared after the car was parked in a secure garage for 3 days, and has grown about 1" a week.

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While driving normally a very very small pebble size stone hits underneath the windshield wiper on the passenger's side. The windshield immideiatly spiders all over the window. I've been told all the problems with the BMW windshields were corrected, but I've heard from over 20 fellow Mini owners of random cracking and failures within the first 2000 miles!!! this is totally unacceptable, and it isnt covered under warranty becuase it was the result of an impact.

The windshield in the consumer's 2004 Mini Cooper cracked about 4 inches to the left of the VIN number. The crack started at the edge and moved up to the right. The dealer stated it was a stress crack.

The windshield cracked in several places and needed to be replaced. Vehicle was taken to dealer for check up, and consumer was informed that the windshield had certain spots that could not tolerate road conditions. This could be dangerous if the windshield breaks while the vehicle was being driven.

Mini Cooper 2002 suffered a stress crack of the windshield that had to be replaced. No rocks or chips caused the crack. It was not covered under the vehicle's 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty.

Spontaneous crack forming in Mini Cooper windshield. Overnight, a crack appeared in my windshiled staring at the bottem center of the windshield, moving directly upward about 5 inches then angling 90 degrees towards the driver's side ofr several inches. This is the 2nd time in 6 months that the same fracture has appearer overnight. First windshield was replaced.

While driving my 2003 Mini Cooper, I noticed a crack in the bottom middle of the windshield. The crack began under the trim, moved up, turned a few inches up, and then spread toward the passenger side. Two weeks later, I brought the car in for it's first scheduled oil service, where I asked the service advisor, peter wark of Mini of the main line in bala cynwyd, PA, about the windshield. He proceeded to take the point of a small screwdriver and run it along the crack. About a quarter of an inch above the trim, and in a place where it would be almost impossible for a rock to hit, the screwdriver caught a small nick in the glass, about the size of a grain of sand. He informed me that that nick was caused by a rock, which caused the crack, which would not be covered under the warranty. He then told me about how the process they use of glueing the glass on causes the entire bottom few inches of glass to become very weak, and that anything hitting the glass in that area, even a tiny rock, would crack the glass. I found this to be unacceptable, so I called the Mini customer service line at 1-866-ask-Mini. I spoke to a "marty" who merely repeated over and over that he was "sorry they made that determination, but a rock chip is not covered under warranty. " after receiving no help from the company, I had the dealer replace the glass. I feel that the repair should be covered because the way they manufacture and attach the glass causes weakness, and that could be considered a manufacturer's defect, which is the primary reason for supplying a customer with a warranty. I have video and photos of the crack and nick, as well as receipts for the repair. The crack was first noticed and spread August 12, 2004 and my service appointment was August 24, 2004.

Windshield cracked on my Mini Cooper from debris on the highway. This is a common problem with Mini Coopers. . Read more...

The slightest pebble causes stars, chips, and cracks in my Mini Cooper windshield. I'm on my third one and it already has 2 stars and a chip. I'm tired of replacing it, but it's a structural safety item.

The Minis windshiel being soft and weak which leaves is more prone to pitting, chipping and to cracking.

Mini Cooper windshield is thin and week. There is no aftermarket glass for it either so repalceing gets pricy.

Windshield on my 2002 Mini Cooper s has cracks in 2 places which started from the edges of the windshield. Both cracks appeared when the car was sitting in the driveway. The dealer says they are "rock chips" though there's no visible impact.

1. Interior door latch mechanism inoperable in freezing conditions - will not release (unable to exit car) - was able to enter car - closed door - could not exit. Bad situation as power windows were also frozen shut. 2. Windshield cracks (2nd windshield - see other threads on this known failure) - occurred while backing out of drive on public street - started at base of windshield drivers side-up 6"-then sharply right-across windshield to passenger a pillar.

My windshield sustained an 8 inch long crack on the lower corner driver side just above the VIN number. This happened one cold morning while warming up the engine at the driveway. BMW denied warranty coverage because of a stone pit a size of a pen dot along the cracked area. I found out that there are many others that have windshield cracked on the same general location (above the bin number) as a result of stress from the frame. Attached is a supporting documentation regarding cracked windshields on Mini. . Read more...

I have a July 2002 build, Mini Cooper s . To date I have had 6 windshields installed. Most have suffered stress related failure,but 2 started as Minimal rock strikes ,which later resulted in long (10- 14 inch) cracks. Glass is sub-standard,too thin ,and too soft. I definately fear for my safety as long as this glass isn't redesigned.

Windshield: cracking because of frame stress, maybe induced by pin six rock strike.

Windshield cracked from the lower driver's side after turning the heater on while vehicle was warming up parked on the driveway. Dealer refused to replace it under warranty.

The windshield on my 2003 Mini suffered a 5 inch crack after being hit by a small pebble. The whole windshield had to be replaced because it wasn't repairable due 1-1/2 inches of it being subsurface. On my other cars, a 1993 Lexus ls400 and a 1993 isuzu rodeo 4wd, neither car has ever suffered a cracked windshield due to a pebble hit. What's worse is the 2003 Mini windshield cracked just 11 days after owning the car. The replacement was not covered by my aaa insurance.

Windshields are failing all over the country on Mini Cooper automobiles. I am currently on my 3rd windshield in as many months - stress cracks appeared from the roof pillars in both cases. We need a resolution to this - either better glass or structural improvements.

Windshields on Mini Coopers cracking,chipping easy and frequently. I have had four windshields replaces in the last 8 months. 2 covered under warrantee for stress related cracks and two due to small rock strikes. I have neve been thru windshields like this before and feel that the construction and design of the Mini windshield makes it substandard in protection.

Cracked winshield in two different places. Occurred about 10 minutes apart while driving in slow traffic at about 100 degrees.

Stress crack on winshield of my Mini Cooper, which is apparently happening quite often.

I am writing to complain about thin/weak windshields in my Mini Cooper s. I am on my third windshield in less than a year. The glass is incredibly thin and cracks with the slightest impact. I consider this unsafe. In addition I know of many people who are having the same problem.

The windshield of my 2002 Mini Cooper s cracked while sitting in a parking lot. It was fine in the morning but there was an 8" crack when I hopped in for the drive home. I'm guessing the heat (90 degrees f, windows up, sun reflector on dash) caused a contaminant within the window to cause stress, which in turn became a crack. Judging from the Mini Cooper message boards on the internet, there are hundreds of windshields cracking for no apparent reason, and Mini USA has issued a bulletin to it's dealers to warn them of defective factory windshield installations. [tis message number: si m51 02 03 subject: windshield stress crack survey situation: the production process for installation of the windshield was improved in April 2002, and these improvements resulted in a significant reduction in the number of stress cracked windshields. ].

Winshield crack from bird sap!.

Broken windshield 2002 Mini Cooper s.

We own a Mini Cooper s. Like hundreds of others who have not yet filed a complaint, we had a cracked windshield for no apparant reason. The windshield seems to be very thin and soft. And very succeptable to cracks and rock chips, pitting for lack of another word.

Windshield crack. There are numerous other owners reporting similar cracks in their windshields. Mini has stated they had a problem with the glass cracking due to improper installation in previous builds and currently have a survey for the dealers to perform an inspection on any windshield replacements conducted under warranty. This survey is explained in this bulletin si m 51 02 03. The problem is that they only inspect those windshields that do not have evidence of stone damage. On the attached web sites you will see an over abundance of cracked windshield posts that the dealers are calling stone damage related. Thereby insuring that these windshields are not included in their data and also that they are not replaced under warranty. I have no chips but a large number of marks from debris hitting the windshield. I call them strike marks. The easiest way to describe the damage is that it is similar to a glass etching procedure. The location where the debris has struck the windshield is slightly discolored, yet no glass is missing. In my opinion this is the result of two items: the windshield is very steep and the glass in the windshield is substandard; too soft and too thin. Mini uses their windshield as a structural member in the construction of the vehicle and therefore it is under constant stress. I do not think these strike marks are sufficient to cause a stress crack per se, but if that were so (as Mini argues), then my response the windshield is not just too soft, it is too weak. Given the number of strike marks on a windshield it is highly likely that a crack that might appear for reasons unrelated to chipping will either cross a strike mark, or will run across the nearest strike mark. These strike marks are a weakened area and will attract a crack. . Read more...