Front Winshield Cracks

Krimpet12

Nov 07, 2025

My brand new Bronco had only 1,200 miles on it and was sitting in my driveway for several days and I came out to find my windshield with 2 significant cracks in my windshield. One from the very bottom of the windshield (where a rock could not hit( on the driver’s side and the second one on the passenger side where the crack started about 1/8 of an inch from the top Engle of the windshield and about 18 inches long. Ford would not cover it. But if you read Ford complaints there are a ton of new Bronco owners all complaining about the same issue with vehicles with less than 3,000 miles. Fo d is aware of it but choosing to do nothing. I guess they are too busy dealing with it he million of other Ford recalls.

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Dec 23, 2025

#20

Contributing as I had to replace my windshield.. Was annoyed. It looked so ugly too .. Eh.
Good luck... Think it's part of owning a B at this point.

TK1215

Jan 15, 2026

#21

I had a rock make a huge noise over the New Year weekend. I did not see where it hit. 2 Weeks later, there is a 6 inch crack coming from the drivers side edge. 😫 I went to Safelite who said it could not be repaired. $1300 to replace with OEM glass.
I checked my insurance, and apparently, I have a no fault $0 deductible glass option that covers OEM glass. And their preferred vendor is Safelite. Some have complained about Safelite, but I bet they have replaced more Bronco windshields than my Ford Dealer has...

Anyway, I came here to suggest that people check their insurance comprehensive coverage to see what they have for glass. It might be worth the money to pay for the $0 deductible, OEM coverage if you own a Bronco...

the poacher

Feb 11, 2026

#22

I’ve had my 2025 Outerbanks for 3 months. Within the first 2 weeks of having it, the windshield got 2 long cracks from the base of the window. Safelite said that it had a chip probably from a rock, not that I could recall anything hitting it. Had that replaced and now I have 2 more cracks that just happened. One goes almost the length of the windshield and another coming up from the bottom. I do live in upstate NY and it’s very cold right now but is this what’s expected on a Bronco? Cost was over 1200, and now it has to be done again. I owned a Wrangler prior to this and in the years of having that, I only replaced the windshield once.

TK1215, MWNew

Feb 11, 2026

#23

aclaybourn
I’ve had my 2025 Outerbanks for 3 months. Within the first 2 weeks of having it, the windshield got 2 long cracks from the base of the window. Safelite said that it had a chip probably from a rock, not that I could recall anything hitting it. Had that replaced and now I have 2 more cracks that just happened. One goes almost the length of the windshield and another coming up from the bottom. I do live in upstate NY and it’s very cold right now but is this what’s expected on a Bronco? Cost was over 1200, and now it has to be done again. I owned a Wrangler prior to this and in the years of having that, I only replaced the windshield once.

I suggest windshield protection film, such as XPel or ExoShield. Byproduct of a flat windshield

Mar 16, 2026

#24

I made the mistake of cranking my defroster too long on HI in below freezing temps while driving this morning. Windshield cracked almost all the way across spontaneously while driving 25 on a surface street with no traffic… no rock chips, no ice on the windshield, nothing. Safelite is coming on Friday. I bought this 22 Bronco Badlands (non-Sasquatch) 15 months ago with 10,000 miles on it (I’m at almost 33k now) and there was some telltale glue that looked like maybe it had already been replaced before I purchased the car (it wasn’t on the Carfax report). I’ve had some rock strikes that I thought would crack the windshield on a bunch of road trips but this is the first break. Live and learn, I guess… I’ll be more careful about the defroster, and think about changing my comprehensive deductible to $0 from $500.

Mar 16, 2026

#25

chriscolburn
I made the mistake of cranking my defroster too long on HI in below freezing temps while driving this morning. Windshield cracked almost all the way across spontaneously while driving 25 on a surface street with no traffic… no rock chips, no ice on the windshield, nothing. Safelite is coming on Friday. I bought this 22 Bronco Badlands (non-Sasquatch) 15 months ago with 10,000 miles on it (I’m at almost 33k now) and there was some telltale glue that looked like maybe it had already been replaced before I purchased the car (it wasn’t on the Carfax report). I’ve had some rock strikes that I thought would crack the windshield on a bunch of road trips but this is the first break. Live and learn, I guess… I’ll be more careful about the defroster, and think about changing my comprehensive deductible to $0 from $500.

Get some WPF it works

Mar 16, 2026

#26

You will break numerous windshields on these vehicles

May 06, 2026

#27

Can someone with Windshield Protection Film tell us more about their experience. I've heard that it takes maintenance to avoid scratches across it. Is the maintenance just wash the windshield regularly and stay on top of replacing wiper blades? Is there more to it than that?
If you do get a star on the windshield (not a crack) from a rock strike, can you have Safelite repair it? I would imagine their heat and/or chemicals would degrade/damage that area of the WPF.
I'm considering XPel WPF and possibly XPel PPF. That sounds like a big investment though.
I also need to check on my glass coverage.

May 06, 2026

#28

Big Red Bronco Overland
Can someone with Windshield Protection Film tell us more about their experience. I've heard that it takes maintenance to avoid scratches across it. Is the maintenance just wash the windshield regularly and stay on top of replacing wiper blades? Is there more to it than that?
If you do get a star on the windshield (not a crack) from a rock strike, can you have Safelite repair it? I would imagine their heat and/or chemicals would degrade/damage that area of the WPF.
I'm considering XPel WPF and possibly XPel PPF. That sounds like a big investment though.
I also need to check on my glass coverage.

My 22 Badlands has ExoShield. It has some things about it that I don’t like; prism effect in a couple of spots. Also since new has what I describe as some micro fractures in it that appear more when dirty. And after 3+ years it shows signs of slight pitting. That being said it has saved me probably 8-10 windshields. It works. After the life expectancy passed I did finally break the window from a rock hit last month. I have XPel WPF on my 2025 and I like the optical clarity better. And both Bronco’s have XPel PPF. Great product.

Big Red Bronco Overland

May 06, 2026

#29

Big Red Bronco Overland
Can someone with Windshield Protection Film tell us more about their experience. I've heard that it takes maintenance to avoid scratches across it. Is the maintenance just wash the windshield regularly and stay on top of replacing wiper blades? Is there more to it than that?
If you do get a star on the windshield (not a crack) from a rock strike, can you have Safelite repair it? I would imagine their heat and/or chemicals would degrade/damage that area of the WPF.
I'm considering XPel WPF and possibly XPel PPF. That sounds like a big investment though.
I also need to check on my glass coverage.

maintenance is simple but easy to mess up. Because its plastic film, running the wipers dry can scratch and so can something stuck in the wiper. Eventually enough nicks and scratches will appear and you will need to replace. im at 2.5 years on my Bronco, but as I said in an erlier post, I run it on my work trucks and the drivers do not take care of it, so it lasts about 6 - 10 months. Keep in mind these trucks run in a very dusty environment.
As for the star question. I have gotten them and just left them alone. No attempt to repair, mostly because they are not in my line of sight. I can say that they have been there a awhile and have never grown.
About a year ago they cam out with one that was supposed to self heal. I tried it on a vehicle and it just did not last.

Big Red Bronco Overland

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