[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Major portion of the heat is actually reflected in the name of absorbent glass. Only a portion of the heat is actually absorbed by the intermediate layer.

The heat absorption is 50%, only 5% is reflected back.



I suspect some kind of manufacturing defect in Mobilio RS heat absorbing windshield - not all, but in certain batches that are being produced for aftermarket replacements. Hence the suggestion for a swap.

[Rehaan]

Definitely sounds like something wrong with the car (manufacturing defect) that is causing this.

Do not go to any 3rd parties to solve this.

Document everything in detail, and get in touch with Honda.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Here, it will fit well, but some force is exerted which will crack the glass. Hence, it is a dynamic defect which shows up on a certain trigger

Yes, so this dynamic effect is causing fatigue loading on the glass. The origin of this is likely to be in some weakness in the body shell and I fear that such weakness may result in some other structural damage over a period of time.

Hence this issue does not seem to be limited to glass and this must be strongly and seriously taken up with the company. As Rehan suggested, document everything properly and pursue with the company.

I hope a reputed company like Honda will genuinely investigate this in their own interest.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by smartcat

The heat absorption is 50%, only 5% is reflected back.

Attachment 1684053

I suspect some kind of manufacturing defect in Mobilio RS heat absorbing windshield - not all, but in certain batches that are being produced for aftermarket replacements. Hence the suggestion for a swap.

Those numbers you quote are of Asahi residential float glass. That isnt the same for some automotive application glass. The intermediate layer that is illustrated can't be so thick for automotive applications and hence the absorption factor will also be lesser. Irrespective of the reason if I were a customer I wouldn't settle for something less than what's specified on paper unless the company acknowledges the issue and then offers an amicable settlement. Case in reference is how Toyota agreed to replace the 17 inch wheels in the top end version of the crysta to 16 inch wheels due to the former being prone to damage due to bad roads.

[wildsdi5530]

Thanks for all the input. The service center has taken photographs and are sending them to Honda. But they feel that Honda will just ask to replace the glass again.
The manager told me that this time they will put excess sealant to cushion the glass and prevent further crack.
I too feel that the issue must be the frame. How do I get Honda interested? Other than the auto response, I've had no further news. Infact Honda USA which I had CCed by mistake replied to get in touch with Honda India. Is there anyone who I can contact directly?
@audioholic: The car is driven by my dad, about 30 kms every day, same route, on good roads. Parked on level surface always, and no off roading ever attempted ever.
Can the suction mount of my DVR be causing these cracks?

[amit_purohit20]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

The Front windshield sit clean on the slot left by the body shell. There is more than a millimeter gap between the edge of the glass and the metal frame.
Had there been a problem with the frame, the replacement glass would not fitted at all (we cant bend the glass, right?).

Looks like Heat is the culprit here, as Smartcat pointed out.

A body shell flexes torsionally, and in X,Y,Z directions too. As another person has rightly pointed out if there is unnecessary flexing of any member or there are welds which have given away, the body might flex more.
Any flexing of the car body beyond an acceptable limit will cause stress on the windscreen to break.

But there is a catch here. The compound used to seal and attach the windshield to the car body is it flexible once it has dried. If its flexible it will absorb the flex of the car body and windshield might not break.
If the compound becomes rigid and does not absorb body movements then it will transfer these to the windshield causing it to crack.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by wildsdi5530

Thanks for all the input. The service center has taken photographs and are sending them to Honda. But they feel that Honda will just ask to replace the glass again.

Do a Google search for "windshield cracking again" - there are 450,000 results. Quickly glancing through the results, poor workmanship of people installing the windshield is a possibility.

Perhaps changing the service center will help?

Going by your other post, the original windshield lasted for 2 years and the later two windshield installations cracked in a month or less.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Going by your other post, the original windshield lasted for 2 years and the later two windshield installations cracked in a month or less.

Exactly.
If there was a fault in the Body alignment of the metal panels, then it should not have waited for 2 years, to flex the glass and crack it.

To me, this still looks like the Heat issue or poor fitting coupled with bad batch of Windscreen.

[wildsdi5530]

Originally Posted by smartcat

DGoing by your other post, the original windshield lasted for 2 years and the later two windshield installations cracked in a month or less.

The original lasted almost 2 years. The first replacement lasted 2 days and the second replacement lasted 2 months.
I would like to contact Honda car India, but no one is responding to my mail to the customer support. Any personal Email Id of Honda top brass or phone numbers would be helpful. I really need to get this sorted out.
The Body shop in Magnum Honda, Yeshwantpur is excellent. Maybe it was a poor batch. That's why I want Honda involved.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by wildsdi5530

The original lasted almost 2 years. The first replacement lasted 2 days and the second replacement lasted 2 months.
I would like to contact Honda car India, but no one is responding to my mail to the customer support. Any personal Email Id of Honda top brass or phone numbers would be helpful. I really need to get this sorted out.
The Body shop in Magnum Honda, Yeshwantpur is excellent. Maybe it was a poor batch. That's why I want Honda involved.

You never get a decent response from Honda customer support over phone or email. However, take your car to this guy -

Subramanya
Service Advisor
Cell Number: 9844208497
Trident Honda, Mysore Road, Bangalore

Tell him 'ashwin iddya' asked you to contact him. When I had an issue with Honda Connect, this guy was extremely tenacious is contacting Honda and fixing my issue. Note that service advisors have their own "tech support" contacts at Honda - and they communicate with them directly over email and phone.

Explain this issue from the beginning - perhaps, you could take a printout and timeline of events, and hand it over to them.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

Exactly.
If there was a fault in the Body alignment of the metal panels, then it should not have waited for 2 years, to flex the glass and crack it.

To me, this still looks like the Heat issue or poor fitting coupled with bad batch of Windscreen.

Could be, not denying your contention; but the damage to the pillars or structure may have been occurred after 2 years, may be due to a weak weld or other manufacturing defect and that is why the original glass was intact for first 2 years. And was there any particular reason or impact that led to the crack in first (factory fitted) windshield?

In my opinion, poor fitting of windshield, that too twice at Honda ASC looks something of a remote possibility. Though it is a specialised job but its a basic job which tech guys at HASS must be knowing pretty well. This is when there are thousands street shops with guys having literally no training at all of replacing windshields and still everything remains mostly fine. Leaks I can understand, but breaking of windshield is something I am not able to digest. More of a possibility of a bad batch of windshield.

Just asking the OP that if by any chance he has any luggage carrier attached on the roof of the car?

[wildsdi5530]

@saket77: there was no impact before the first episode. Car driven in the morning to the hospital, parked for about 3 hrs in the sun (Regular spot) and crack noted when I came back. And no luggage carrier attached. Infact the only modifications are seat covers and a DVR plugged into the socket.
@smartcat: I've already shown to Magnum Honda and the SA has contacted Honda. Probably not right for me to contact someone else right now. But thanks a lot.

[wildsdi5530]

An update:
The Service manager of Magnum Honda has called me and told me to bring the car in next week. He has been personally advised about a few points to check for by Honda. Unfortunately no one from Honda can come for an inspection. The points will be checked by the service manager personally and the glass will be replaced.
Why is Honda so uninterested?
There was a recall for B-pillar weld giving way for some Mobilios manufactured in 2014-15. But my car is not among them. And apparently that problem will not crack the windshield.