Frosty Windscreens

[Shedendman]

Have they changed the way they're made these days,why i ask is,i have neighbors(oldest vehicle is only 5yrs old) who i see on these frosty mornings pouring boiling from the kettle trick as i look on waiting for the pop or crack and thinking any minute now........But nothing.
I learnt my lesson 30+ years ago when i did it on my old opel kadett the screen thing literally exploded.
What made me laugh yesterday morning was the guys come out with the kettle did his van(an 09 vw) after he's already got in and started it up,then went back in,came out with another kettle and did his wifes car,jumps in his van and drives off,she came out some 30 mins later with the kids and couldn't open the doors the water had froze by then on the phone she gets,hubby comes back,lots of screaming and shouting between the pair of them,lol,back out with another boiling kettle and does the same thing again all over the side windows and locks,lol
So,why dont frosty windscreens go after doing this?

 

[Wallace]

Laminated screen as opposed to area toughened on your Kadette perhaps? Not sure when they went out of production fitment and laminated became standard.

 

[Cobbler]

I've used warm water for years, I'm always getting told "don't do that, you'll break the screen" never had a problem. I only use water warm to the hand though, but it's warm enough to clear it. The other way I used to do it when I had to go to work at about 6:45, the evening before I used to run out an extension lead & put a fan heater in the car. When I got up, switched on, by the time I'd had my breakfast the car was defrosted & nice & warm, ready to go in comfort.

 

[MattH]

I've used luke warm water for years without any issues.
I would not however use boiling water.

 

[3MPS]

I guess it depends on the curvature of the screen too. All glass starts off as a flat sheet, it is then heated and formed to the shape of the windscreen, and then cooled. The glass is under constant stress.

 

[Norm]

I've used warm water for years, I'm always getting told "don't do that, you'll break the screen" never had a problem. I only use water warm to the hand though, but it's warm enough to clear it. The other way I used to do it when I had to go to work at about 6:45, the evening before I used to run out an extension lead & put a fan heater in the car. When I got up, switched on, by the time I'd had my breakfast the car was defrosted & nice & warm, ready to go in comfort.

I've done exactly the same with the fan heater trick, I had a weather proof external socket which was switched from inside the house and extended the lead on a fan heater to suit, set heater up the night before and switched on twenty minutes before I was due to leave the following morning, the car was nicely defrosted and toasty warm, you just had to make sure you remembered to unplug it before you set off

 

[3MPS]

...you just had to make sure you remembered to unplug it before you set off

I visited my grandparents a couple of years ago in Spain, they were on their annual 6 month holiday in their motorhome.

We set off for Gibraltar in the morning, and about 5 miles down the road, my grandad thought he saw something in the mirror. Was only the plug for his power lead!

 

[Kayos]

Used warm water for as long as ive been driving, also seems to soften the wipers a bit

 

[ibrooks]

Modern screens are more resilient - my neighbour does the same and I hope against hope that one day it's going to go wrong but I'm never that lucky.

She's an ignorant cow.

 

[fixerupper]

Yep ,me to warm water and wipers on once the ice has stated to thaw ....

 

[brightspark]

gently pour the warm water over the screen from one side to another laminated or toughened. its only if u chuck boiling water over one spot and it will crack due to quick change in temperature .also if u ever see the advert on tv autoglass saying if u have a chipped windscreen it will crack in winter if u put the heater on thats a crock o sh...yte, it will go only if theres a slight run in the glass from the chip though

 

[3MPS]

All chips will crack, it's just a matter of time.

A quick change in temperature certainly does increase the risk of a chip to crack.

 

[brightspark]

All chips will crack, it's just a matter of time.

A quick change in temperature certainly does increase the risk of a chip to crack.

****** my screen has had a few chips in it for over 3 years

 

[3MPS]

Luck of the draw. I'm a windscreen fitter.

Can depend on the car and the shape of the glass. I replace a lot of screens that cracked less than a week since being chipped.

 

[hareng]

Same here been using boiled water for 37 years and never had one crack. Not even ones that have had stone chips gone into a crack measured by the inch.
Even the mrs does it and you know what hers like.

Trick is just an initial splash, let it flow down, if freezes a bit more. Essentially warming up the glass before a full on jobby.

I do like to see the look on neighbours faces.

Its usually 3 degrees colder here than surrounding areas. Another thing I like is seeing neighbours up to 1/4hr scraping and using deicer that just re freezes before go out with kettle and still there after gone.

Had doors freeze up before kettle jobby.

 

[brightspark]

Luck of the draw. I'm a windscreen fitter.

Can depend on the car and the shape of the glass. I replace a lot of screens that cracked less than a week since being chipped.

a chip that has a run starting yes it will go sooner or later but if its a clean chip without a run it wont

 

[Hitch]

I just start it up, come back in, have a slice of toast or two and go back out and its clear and warm.

 

[brightspark]

I just start it up, come back in, have a slice of toast or two and go back out and its clear and warm.

thats if u havent any robbers near by and your car is still there theres a fair few disapear round our way that have left keys in or engine running

 

[Monkey Harris]

Used warm water ,wipers on for 20 years works a treat ...
no busted glass..
Dozens of chickens have told me it will shatter...

 

[Richard07]

The problem i have is frost on the INSIDE of the windscreen! Im not going to say anything along the lines of french bag of ***** cos ive had no problems with it for the five years ive had it.