A woman says that taking her car through the car wash on a scorching hot day caused a long crack in her windshield.

TikTok user @monsinooo posted the video of her discovery on June 17.

“So who was gonna tell me that if you take your car through the car wash when it’s really, really hot outside, it cracks the windshield?” she says. “Because I was just not made aware of that.”

She flips the camera so that the viewer can see the crack.

“All the way up to the top,” she says with resignation.

Her post has inspired some debate. People can’t agree on what really caused her windshield to crack.

Cracked by the Car Wash?

Automated car washes are widely known to exacerbate existing cracks or chips in windshields and windows. Under the right circumstances, it’s also possible for a car wash to cause a crack.

The high velocity at which water is sprayed in a car wash can put enough pressure on a cracked windshield to worsen an existing crack or even shatter the glass entirely.

‘Do Not Leave Your Car Out in the Heat:’ Woman Says It’s So Hot Her Grandmother’s Buick’s Tires Exploded. Is That Possible?
‘How Bad Is This?’ Woman Hears a Clink While She’s Driving. Then She Pulls Over and IDs the Real Source of the Problem

Another way a car wash can intensify a crack is if water and soap get trapped between the two layers of glass that make up your windshield. This can weaken the structure of the glass, making it more likely to crack or break.

According to MS Glass Outlet, @monsinooo was onto something when she guessed that temperature could be a factor.

A drastic difference in temperature between the weather and the water the car wash uses can cause something known as “thermal fracturing.”

If your vehicle was baking in the sun and then suddenly goes into a car wash with frigid water, the temperature change can cause one side of the glass to shrink more rapidly than the other. If it already has a crack or a chip, that retraction may cause it to lengthen or spread.

Auto Glass Now says that heat can “absolutely” also cause a crack in a windshield.

This is in part because windshields and some car windows are made of laminated glass, rather than tempered. Tempered glass is manufactured to withstand extreme fluctuations in temperature. But it’s less than ideal for vehicles because it is more prone to shatter, such as when struck by a piece of gravel on the interstate.

That’s why experts recommend foregoing the car wash if you have a cracked windshield.

A Costly Wash

A cracked windshield isn’t just a safety issue; it’s a potentially significant expense.

A lot of insurance companies cover replacing cracked windshields. If you pay out of pocket, it could cost you several hundred dollars.

The cost depends on a number of factors, according to AAA.

These include your vehicle’s make and model, if you go to an original equipment manufacturer or an aftermarket one, if your vehicle is equipped with any driver assistance systems, your mechanic’s labor rate, and the state and city in which you live.

What Really Caused the Crack?

Although there is a possibility, albeit arguably remote, that @monsinooo’s windshield cracked purely because of the temperature difference, most people in the comments weren’t convinced.

“I live in Texas in triple digit heat and go through car washes all the time. Never happened to my car,” one wrote.

At least one agreed with her take, writing, “Ummm science.”

A general consensus many shared was that she probably already had a defect in her windshield.

“That is not supposed to happen,” said one. “Your window probably had a crack or indent somewhere.”

A third user implied that there may be another explanation for the crack: The car wash attendants caused it. “So that’s what they told you?” they wrote.

Motor1 reached out to @monsinooo via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll be sure to update this if she responds.

 
Ford Bronco Driver Goes Through Car Wash. Then She Forgets To Push This Little-Used Button
Watch This Obscure Mitsubishi Sports Car Get Its First Wash In 12 Years
The Coolest Car Toys We Forgot: Super Spin Car Wash
Watch This Abandoned Porsche 944 Get Its First Wash In 15 Years