NHTSA Complaint #740156 — 2000 MAZDA MPV

WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED FROM A POINT JUST ABOVE THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOUNT, THEN FOLLOWING A LINE ALONG THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TILL THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD WHERE IT THEN CURVES DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. NEAR THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD IS A TINY CHIP, ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PINPRICK. APPARANTLY THIS IS WHERE A SMALL OBJECT STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED THIS LARGE CRACK. I WOULD THINK THAT THERE MUST BE A DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD, OR THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE, FOR SUCH A LARGE CRACK TO STEM FROM SUCH INSIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE SURFACE OF THE WINDSHIELD. AS THE EDGE OF THE WINDSCREEN IS WELL BELOW THE DRIVER'S LINE OF SIGHT, SOME PROTECTION FOR IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED INTO THE VEHICLE IF IT IS SO FRAGILE THAT ANY TINY PEBBLE COULD DESTROY A WINDSHIELD. *AK