So it has been hot around here the last week (101 with heat index today). So the car was sitting outside in this heat no cracks or anything on the windshield. I drive around for 30 minutes doing errands and I notice this few inch crack that has formed at the base of the windshield. I swear there was no crack there when I started the car up and nothing hit my windshield...what the heck!? The obvious theory would be that the windshield was the heat affected it somehow and when I drove the car with the chassis flexing the windshield cracked. So I am going to get it replaced, but what I am concerned about is this happening again from just being out in the sun (something I really can't help at this point). My mechanic was saying to crack a window to reduce the heat build-up, seems retarded that I should have to do this all the time. I am thinking a good tint all the way around might remedy this. Anyways... has anyone else had this happen? Ideas? Thoughts? thanks guys!

 

Windshields can't just crack, something had to have hit it on the bottom of the windshield. Extreme temps (hot or cold) is when the windshield will start to crack from the impact point, its only gonna get bigger from now on.
Basically your gonna get cracked windshields, i replaced one in my S4, A4, and twice in my van in the past 2 years.

 

I know windshields are gonna crack from rocks, etc, but they shouldn't from nothing. I know nothing hit the windshield, but if something had there is no way a rock flying up could have hit that low, below and behind the wipers.

 

maybe it was just a shotty window from the get go? and it had a hairline crack then the sun and driving just cracked it enough??.. i ono thats the only thing i could think of..

 

When it gets really hot outside I can hear an occasional cracking SOUND coming from my windshield but I've never developed any cracks.

 

Has anyone pried the windshield wiper off...?

You also have to remember that windshields in modern cars are under a lot of stress. The uni-body tweaking from a large pothole under the right circumstances will crack a windshield. Remember Corrado?