Windshield died

[yrwei52]

The data from NHTSA website clearly showed there are overwhelming number of safety complaints on cracked windshield for CX-5 but zero complaints from more popular compact CUVs such as Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Nissan Rogue. Of course the excuse from the defender would be there is "a disinformation campaign targeting the CX-5"...

 

[MikeM.]

The data from NHTSA website....

That's not data and it's not science.

You really need to do better than that!

 

[CC58]

The data from NHTSA website clearly showed there are overwhelming number of safety complaints on cracked windshield for CX-5 but zero complaints from more popular compact CUVs such as Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Nissan Rogue. Of course the excuse from the defender would be there is "a disinformation campaign targeting the CX-5"...

CX-5 cracked windshield's are well documented on this site, and elsewhere, so there's no argument there.
Could be the mirror tension, or more likely the body flex.

CX-5 is one of the first to use thin high tensile steel for unibody construction. Mazda primary use was to reduce weight, so made it as thin as possible which compromises stiffness. I can feel body flex when I hit potholes, and that has to be transmitted up through the chassis to windshield. Older cars had a much more solid feel when you hit a pothole, but you paid for that extra weight with loss of mpg. Its plenty stiff, but flexes enough to stress a windshield, IMO. Double sided foam to mount windshield should eliminate that.

 

[MikeM.]

CX-5 cracked windshield's are well documented on this site, and elsewhere, so there's no argument there.

Sigh.... Cracked windshields are well documented on every car forum that ever existed. News Bulletin: Glass is fragile!

CX-5 is one of the first to use thin high tensile steel for unibody construction. Mazda primary use was to reduce weight, so made it as thin as possible which compromises stiffness.

Nope, the Skyactiv chassis is more rigid than it's predecessors, this is well advertised and it is measured by clamping completed chassis's into a device that can apply loads to various parts of the structure and then deflection is measured. Your claim that spending extra money for the thinner high tensile steel resulted in more flex is complete hogwash.

I can feel body flex when I hit potholes, and that has to be transmitted up through the chassis to windshield. Older cars had a much more solid feel when you hit a pothole

(rlaugh)Older cars were flexi-flyers. Boy, you really get some doozies on this forum! (whistle)

 

[Buzzer777]

Got a Safelite truck just a few blocks from my house!

Windshield died the other day. Safelite replaced it, and did a great job. Just a heads up, this is the second windshield that company has put into vehicles for me, and I have been 100% pleased with both installs.

-They run a continuous bead
-They prime the pinch-weld properly
-They use a fiber/nylon type "wire" to cut the old glass out instead of a wire "wire", which has much less chance of cutting the metal part of the vehicle where the windshield sits.
-2 hours install time quoted was dead-on accurate.

I'm affiliated only as a customer, but wanted to share a positive experience in case someone is agonizing over a windshield install.

Great info...from what I am reading, it is just a matter of time!(drunk)Great info (it sounds great, but who am I?). It is not a matter of having ammo this season!!(LOL); I guess the sights are a bit off...lol

 

[craigo]

I guess I'm lucky, or more likely, others are unlucky. My MY 2014 built 2013 taken a number of thwacks with no issue.

I will say the glass is pretty thin, as is now common on all new vehicles to save weight. No doubt this presents challenges for the glass industry to maintain similar levels of durability as in years past.

 

[yrwei52]

The data from NHTSA website....

That's not data and it's not science.
You really need to do better than that!

The data from NHTSA website is statistical data, and statistics is a science.

First "a disinformation campaign targeting the CX-5"; now the data is not data. What's next?

You are just trying to argue your way out of this, but the truth beats arguments. No matter how hard you argue, you cannot change what happened.

 

[MikeM.]

The data from NHTSA website is statistical data, and statistics is a science.

First "a disinformation campaign targeting the CX-5"; now the data is not data. What's next?

You are just trying to argue your way out of this, but the truth beats arguments. No matter how hard you argue, you cannot change what happened.

Don't be silly. The "data" you speak of was volunteered from anonymous web surfers and the VIN numbers were not verified. There were no controls in place at all.

Nothing scientific about it. Do you think we were born yesterday?

 

[Unobtanium]

My 2010 Ford F-150 didn't make it 9 months. On the F-150 Forum, a bunch of other owners got all superstitious and railed that the Ford windshields were "defective". They were outraged they could pay up to $50,000 and have the glass break so easily. They were certain that all F-150 glass was weak and defective. But I knew without further data, it was simply luck of the draw.

The persons who propagated the Salem witch hunts were also superstitious.

You cannot determine the durability of Japanese made glass vs. USA made glass with a personal sample size of 5 or by using hearsay. If you have actual data and statistics, please post what you have. Otherwise, I'll chalk it up to superstition and/or a bias based on cultural or racial preferences.

Safelite does a ton of F150's and Mazda's. I asked. The F150 was their #1 customer, nationally.

 

[Unobtanium]

Could be a blessing in disguise. Should be able to claim faulty installation.
Ask for the double back foam and next one might be last one installed. Knock on wood.

FYI, Pittsburgh Glass Works (PGW) makes the best glass.

Nope, a pinprick from a pebble is visible. can't blame install. What the hell is double back foam. The glass floats on the polyurethane adhesive.

 

[Unobtanium]

Sigh.... Cracked windshields are well documented on every car forum that ever existed. News Bulletin: Glass is fragile!



Nope, the Skyactiv chassis is more rigid than it's predecessors, this is well advertised and it is measured by clamping completed chassis's into a device that can apply loads to various parts of the structure and then deflection is measured. Your claim that spending extra money for the thinner high tensile steel resulted in more flex is complete hogwash.




(rlaugh)Older cars were flexi-flyers. Boy, you really get some doozies on this forum! (whistle)

Gotta agree with Mike on this one. No detectable cowl shake on my CX-5. It's far more rigid than my 2011 Z06, actually.

 

[CC58]

Nope, a pinprick from a pebble is visible. can't blame install. What the hell is double back foam. The glass floats on the polyurethane adhesive.

Ask any installer. I've had it done in previous windshield replacements. Solid adhesives harden in the winter and directly transmits body flex to glass. Double back foam tape has air pockets that absorb body flex no matter the temperature.

As for body flex, opinions are like xxxxx, everybody's got one.

 

[Unobtanium]

Ask any installer. I've had it done in previous windshield replacements. Solid adhesives harden in the winter and directly transmits body flex to glass. Double back foam tape has air pockets that absorb body flex no matter the temperature.

As for body flex, opinions are like xxxxx, everybody's got one.

Not much room for opinion. I know what cowl flex is, and I know my CX-5 has less than my Z06 and WS6 and Mustang GT had.

Let me put this in numbers...the torsional rigidity of the CX-5 is around 27,000Nm/deg of deflection...the same as an Aston Martin DB9 and Ferrari F430, 911 996 TT, and Ford GT.

Not exactly "floppy"...

 

[Unobtanium]

Ask any installer. I've had it done in previous windshield replacements. Solid adhesives harden in the winter and directly transmits body flex to glass. Double back foam tape has air pockets that absorb body flex no matter the temperature.

As for body flex, opinions are like xxxxx, everybody's got one.

So you think weather sealing tape is an acceptable method to install a windshield? I'm a bit lost on that one. Link? Data?

 

[yrwei52]

Safelite does a ton of F150's and Mazda's. I asked. The F150 was their #1 customer, nationally.

In 2015, Ford F-Series sold 780,354 units and Mazda CX-5 sold 111,450 units. F-Series has been the number one seller in the US for many years and CX-5 has been at the bottom of sales list among all compact CUVs since its release in 2012. F-Series sold 2.3 times more in 2015 alone than all CX-5's sold since its released in the US! With that many F-Series on the road and the nature of the pickup driving environment, it shouldn't be surprised that it's their number one customer for Safelite. On the other hand, with such a low quantity on CX-5 but high windshield replacement rate by Safelite, this should indicate something.

 

[yrwei52]

The data from NHTSA website is statistical data, and statistics is a science.

First "a disinformation campaign targeting the CX-5"; now the data is not data. What's next?

You are just trying to argue your way out of this, but the truth beats arguments. No matter how hard you argue, you cannot change what happened.

Don't be silly. The "data" you speak of was volunteered from anonymous web surfers and the VIN numbers were not verified. There were no controls in place at all.

Nothing scientific about it. Do you think we were born yesterday?

You seem to think the website of a federal agency is like Mazdas247.com where you can irresponsibly enter anything you like. The wordings from NHTSA website to file a vehicle safety complaint:

"Your Complaint is Important
File a Vehicle Safety Complaint
LET'S GET STARTED!

COMPLETE this 5-step form -- it takes about 5 minutes, and have the following information handy:
Email Address -- To file a complaint without one or for other assistance, please call the Vehicle Safety Hotline (Toll-Free: 1-888-327-4236 / Hearing Impaired (TTY): 1-800-424-9153).
Your VIN
Make
Model
Year of your vehicle
Any documentation you have related to your complaint, such as photos or a police report

Complaints involving Takata inflators: Please type "Takata Recall" at the beginning of your complaint description on Step 3 of this form.
ALL complaints are reviewed.
Some complaints may lead to an investigation.
Some investigations lead to recalls.

Note: The review and investigation process MAY take a long time, but don't worry--you will be notified if there is a recall."

So don't be surprised when an FBI agent is knocking on your door if you filed a falsified complaint to a federal agency as every compliant is reviewed by NHTSA. Especially if your intention is to ruin the reputation of a specific model from a car manufacture with multiple filings!

Besides, who wants to sabotage CX-5's reputation whose sales volume is already at the bottom of all compact CUVs in the US market? Using a governmental website as a tool risking a federal crime to do it simply is not too smart. And choosing the cracked windshield, where most people don't really care as it's covered by insurance anyway, as a safety issue to attack? That's even dumber!

 

[CC58]

Not much room for opinion. I know what cowl flex is, and I know my CX-5 has less than my Z06 and WS6 and Mustang GT had.

The CX-5 is tightly sprung and alot of that energy winds up in the cabin. Not as tightly spring as a 1980 camaro with 400# springs, but not that far away. The CX-5 good handling is a result of that, but that energy is transmitted up to the cabin, and the glass. The chassis has to flex, regardless to how stiff it is, when springs are hard sprung. I like the suspension of CX-5, but wish there were aftermarket progressive springs available to soften it a little.

 

[CC58]

So you think weather sealing tape is an acceptable method to install a windshield? I'm a bit lost on that one. Link? Data?

Its not something you find in Home Depot, but I'm not sure brand/name it as that's not my business. It looks like a roll of home weather sealing tape, but specifically for windshields. Glass man installed this double backed foam tape on my 5.0 Mustang windshield replacement. He said he really liked it because it was so easy to remove compared to solid adhesives. Not only would it keep body stress out of windshield, it may even help absorb impact of slow moving objects preventing breakage. I know I'll ask for it when my windshield goes.

 

[LOHCAGE]

New to the forum, hello everybody. I have some info concerning this thread on windshields. In May, 2014 on the way back from Indiana acquired a small rock chip in the upper center of the windshield which promptly cracked. Had windshield replaced and moved on. In October 2015 acquired another rock chip in the upper right of the windshield which promptly cracked again. Both rock chips were very small. Now I have had other vehicles with a rock chip that did not result in a crack and in fact our 2009 Corvette has a chip now that has not cracked. I bring this up for two reasons. I did not save the paper work but sometime in early or mid 2015 we received a solicitation to join a class action lawsuit concerning Mazda CX-5 windshield cracks. The second reason is that the second replacement windshield had a different p/n than the first. The last letter of the p/n of the first unit was an "A" and the second unit the last letter was a "B". My question is what came of the lawsuit and did Mazda make a change because of the so called "cracking problem"?

 

[MikeM.]

So don't be surprised when an FBI agent is knocking on your door if you filed a falsified complaint to a federal agency as every compliant is reviewed by NHTSA. Especially if your intention is to ruin the reputation of a specific model from a car manufacture with multiple filings!

Oh, please! The NHTSA doesn't even ask for your name, address or telephone number! Please tell me how the FBI is going to know which door to knock on (of the hundreds of millions of possible doors)?
Do you really think someone with dishonest intentions would really use their personal e-mail address and an IP address that was traceable? (rlaugh)