NHTSA complaint #11318016

Owner complaint summary

WINDSHIELD CRACK. HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN 3 WEEKS AND 250 MILES. STARTED THE CAR WITH REMOTE, AND AFTER ENTERING THE VEHICLE, NOTICED A CRACK AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 12" IN LENGTH. UPON INSPECTION, SAW AN AREA OF SMALL REFLECTIONS JUST BENEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER WHERE THE IN-GLASS DEFROSTING ELEMENTS ARE LOCATED, THE CRACK EXTENDS FROM THIS POINT IN TWO DIRECTIONS; ONE DOWN TO THE BASE OF THE GLASS, THE OTHER DIAGONALLY UPWARD. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALS NO CHIPPING OR ROUGHNESS ON THE EXTERIOR, THOUGH THE OUTER LAMINATION IS THE LAYER THAT IS CRACKED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A FLAW INTERNALLY FROM WHICH THE BREAK EMANATES. AS STATED EARLIER, THIS SIMPLY APPEARED UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW FREEZING AND THE CAR HAD BEEN STARTED WITH THE HEATER/DEFROSTER ON TO PRE-WARM THE INTERIOR. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD FROM A ROCK OR OTHER DEBRIS; IN FACT THE POINT WHERE THERE IS THE VISIBLE FLAW IS EXACTLY BENEATH THE WIPER IN THE RESTING POSITION; NO OBJECT COULD HAVE STRUCK THE GLASS THERE AS IT IS COVERED BY THE WIPER BLADE. PHOTOS SHOW THE OVERALL WINDSHIELD WITH THE WIPER RETRACTED AND A CLOSEUP THAT SHOWS THE POINT OF ORIGIN AND HORIZONTAL DEFROSTER ELEMENTS. WHEN REPORTED TO THE SELLING DEALER, THE SERVICE PERSON SAID THERE IS NO COVERAGE FOR GLASS, IN SPITE OF THE STATED 36 MONTH/30K MILE 'BUMPER-TO-BUMPER' WARRANTY. WE EXPLAINED AND SHOWED DEALER REPRESENTATIVES THAT THIS INSTANCE WAS CLEARLY NOT CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD BUT A SPONTANEOUS BREAK. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO LENGTHEN WHILE WE WAIT FOR APPEALS TO REGIONAL SUBARU REPRESENTATIVES.