Have you ever cracked a windscreen de-icing it?

[akku]

I hear horror stories abound about how you must never de-ice your car with hot water because it will crack the windscreen. I have been de-icing windscreens and side glass on cars for, erm, longer than I care to remember by this method and never cracked one. Both my parents used this method since I was a kid. I never saw one crack.

So I asked about and a straw poll suggested no-one I know has ever cracked a window in a car using hot water to de-ice it.

So is this just an old wife's tale? Or has it ever happened to anyone here, or anyone that anyone here actually knows well enough to verify the tale as not being an urban myth?

[tonka12]

i use the same method and i never have

[Fennec]

As far as I'm aware, hot water is fine, but boiling water should be avoided. I cannot verify that, because I've never tried anything other than hot tap water.
My lada has a small crack on the screen, so I won't even attempt tepid water - just in case.
I think we do take a lot on hearsay (curse word group) , but I'd not like to find out the hard way and be stuck with no windscreen at 5.30 am one winter morning.

[cobblers]

I saw my grandad do it on an old r25 about 15 years ago - massive frost then a kettle full of boiling water sent a crack right across the middle

[akku]

Yeah, I use water from the hot tap. Run until its nice and hot. Never fails except the days it freezes back up again LOL. Then just more hot water and a squeegie

[popuptoaster]

The trucks screen cracked all the way across the bottom a few weeks ago, it had the heater blowing hot air on it on max and it cracked right where the frost and the cleared part at the bottom met, there was a chip in the screen and the crack runs through its likely thats where it started, truck wasn't moving when it went so was definately the heat from the blower on the inside and the ice on the outside that made it go, the crack runs all the way across.

[optima21]

no but I've never used hot water on a windscreen. I use rain-x on my windows and it seems to work a bit like a non stick coating. I just scrape the ice off with a rubber edged squeegee. I don't even use de-icer

[PandaSelecta]

Another one here that just uses rain-x, plus you can now get rain-x for the inside, to stop condensation

[dave21478]

No, but I only ever used warm-ish water.
Not a windscreen, but anecdotal....I remember years ago my mum making a cup of coffee, the glass milk bottle was straight from the fridge and as she poured the kettle, a drip splashed onto the milk bottle and smashed it. Scared the curse word out of everyone in the kitchen and made a fantastic mess.

[hairnet]

run hot tap

soonas you feel heat use on windscreen

doesnt have to be boiled

friend did it to a fiesta rear screen once kettle was fully boiled i ran a mile when i saw steam............

[Brian Damaged]

I've always boiled a kettle, then left it five minutes to cool...then poured it over the metalwork just above the screen and let it cascade down. same for side windows, been doing it for years, never broken one yet.

[keithyboy]

I use cold water straight out of the outside tap. Various theories abound about how hot or boiling water can freeze quicker than cold. I've no idea if it's true or not but cold works just as well. As an added bonus I don't have to worry about leaving the car running whilst I run in for more hot water.

[Autofive]

lukewarm water works the best, then use the wipers a couple of times

i have never had a screen crack - but then i don't use hot water, or waste money on rainx

[Lewis]

No, never - but I've never dumped boiling water on one either, usually a modicum of common sense is retained

I just use warm water from the tap, or warm water that's in the kettle from being boiled an hour ago or similar

[robinmasters]

Had a screen crack because I had the blower on full (Volvo V40, the blower heated up very hot very quickly). It made a very big bang, I actually ducked when it went! ;D

[ruishy1]

tried it a few times and never cracked it, but not boiling water, just luke warm.

[dickdasterdley]

Cracked mine with the blower a few weeks ago....although everybody in my street seems to use the kettle with no ill effect

[Deleted]

never cracked one myself but have seen plenty that have cracked through using boiling hot water best way to do is use warm water and pour it on the roof above the screen that way it will have cooled sufficiently as to not shock the glass but still be able to melt the ice . my Audi has climate so tends to clear the screen pretty quick anyway

[awattam]

Warm water and try to cover the whole screen fairly evenly, so that it heats/ expands evenly. Never had any probs but wouldn't use this on a screen with a crack or a big chip.

Interesting that people have had heater related problems - never thought of that.

[Dez]

ive seen someone do an E30 one with the heater fan too.

i never use hot water cos it just seems to freeze again, i just scrap it off and go.