Written by Melvin
As a V40 owner, you’ve chosen a car that combines elegance with practicality, safety with performance, and environmental care with driving pleasure.
Does your Volvo V40 have an unexpected windscreen crack?
At UK Car Glass, we embrace the epitome of Scandinavian design and innovation with the Volvo V40, a vehicle that redefines the hatchback experience.
This article looks at possible reasons why it happened, how to prevent it from occurring again, how to repair or replace the windscreen, and why the price is rather eye-watering.
NEW VOLVO V40 WINDSCREEN
Why is the Volvo V40 model so popular?
It’s rather obvious to see why the V40 is one of Volvo’s best-sellers in the UK. Apart from being affordable, it slots perfectly into the valuable small sedan class.
Its appearance alone sets it apart — a sporty look with a low bonnet and roofline. A refined version of the successful earlier chassis complements a wide range of high-efficiency engines.
There’s no doubting the performance potential of this exciting combination.
The V40 is economical, fashionable, made from high-quality materials, and offers fantastic value – a winning formula.
How is the Volvo V40 car glass made?
Volvo manufactures the V40’s windscreen and side windows from two types of glass: laminated and tempered.
The factory constructs the windscreen from laminated glass and uses tempered type for all the other panels, such as the door and back windows.
What is the reason for using this method and why is it important?
Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
Laminated Glass
This type is more robust and enduring than tempered glass. The manufacturer fuses a synthetic interlayer (vinyl or a substitute) between two or more sheets of ordinary glass.
Manufacturers compress the layers using extremely high pressure. Bonding at high temperatures produces durable glass that can withstand massive pressure before cracking.
Laminated windscreens restrict the number of glass shards resulting from an accident that could injure a vehicle’s occupants. It’s possible to repair limited areas of damage to laminated windscreens, thereby saving the customer considerable money.
A Volvo V40 Windscreen Replacement can be very costly.
Tempered Glass
Although more brittle, this type is more durable than regular or annealed glass. Factories manufacture tempered glass by baking sheets of glass at unbelievably high temperatures (600 + degrees Celsius) in an industrial oven.
The glass sheet undergoes a coolant procedure known as quenching where it is first pressurised and then cooled with water.
This procedure results in tempered glass, which splits into small and relatively safe pieces when damaged, unlike regular panes of glass.
Due to these properties, Volvo uses tempered glass where human safety may be more at risk, such as the side and rear windows in the Volvo V40.
Tempered glass is irreparable and requires total replacement every time it’s damaged.
Why do cracks and chips appear on my Volvo V40’s windscreen?
We’ve all been there – enjoying the day’s drive when suddenly – wham!
A tiny crack or chip that is suddenly marring the perfect view.
Here are a few possible reasons:
Road debris
Driving along (or in the vicinity of) newly paved roads potentially puts the windscreen in harm’s way. Road surfaces are typically constructed with a mixture of asphalt and rock aggregate.
The broken rock is hazardous to a windscreen —especially at high speed.
The impact of these small pieces of stone can create a chip and eventual crack in the windscreen.
The angle and speed at which the rock hits the glass play a significant role.
This kind of damage is frequently a fixable problem and typically the most common cause of all windscreen-related grievances.
Stress fractures
The UK’s weather is not extreme, but seasonal change can cause temperature spikes.
Temperature extremes due to icy winds and direct sunlight may cause a Volvo V40 and its components (including the window frame and car glass) to contract and expand.
Although these tolerances are minute, they may produce a stress fracture — aptly named because both the windscreen and driver may suffer due to the resulting stress.
A random and sudden car glass crack in your Volvo V40 might be due to these fluctuating temperatures.
Weather patterns
Besides potentially causing stress fractures due to hot and cold temperature fluctuations, stormy weather also goes together with airborne debris. Hailstones and wind-flung tree branches are typical culprits.
Accidents
A crash might be a slight fender-bender followed by some interaction with an insurance provider or, at worst, the Volvo V40’s total write-off.
Even a minor collision can lead to the need of a complete car glass replacement of multiple panels, including all the required interconnecting parts.
Sub-standard materials, repairs and installations
Inadequately trained car glass technicians, worn-out tools and non-OEM compliant materials are bound to result in quality problems down the line.
Car glass parts and window frames that are not perfectly matched will generate friction, form stress fractures, and cause a windscreen to shatter suddenly.
This is why it is important to get it done right the first time.
What can I do to prevent further cracks from appearing on the windscreen of my Volvo V40?
We’ve discussed the primary reasons why a Volvo V40’s windscreen may develop cracks.
Some measures to restrict or entirely block these problems from occurring include: protected parking, responsible de-icing, regular cleaning, paying attention to your surroundings, and using professional car glass technicians for windscreen examinations and repairs.
Learn more about how to prevent cracks on windscreens.
Now that we’ve gone over some of the things that can go wrong, let’s have a look at the Volvo V40’s outstanding windscreen features.
What windscreen features does my Volvo V40 have?
The Volvo V40 has a host of technical features designed to make driving safer and more enjoyable.
Some of these features will impact windscreen repair and replacement costs due to the need for more sophisticated equipment. Keep these in mind before calling a car glass professional.
Rain sensor
The Volvo V40 has a rain sensor positioned behind the windscreen and the rear-view mirror. It activates the wipers automatically when it detects moisture on the windshield.
Tinted windscreen
The windscreen’s blue or green tint is most noticeable towards the top part of the screen. Tinting blocks harmful sun rays, making it especially comfortable and safe during sunrise and sunset driving.
Noise reduction windscreen
An acoustic windscreen consists of an extra sheet of vinyl sandwiched between the glass layers.
The soundproofing properties of this additional layer protects the cabin against outside noise (road, engine, and traffic), providing a comfortable and peaceful environment.
Windscreen camera
Cameras on the windscreen and rear window assist the driver with parking the car.
Additionally, it can record evidence in case of an accident — helpful information should liability become an issue.
Heated windscreen
Triple-glaze windshields have electronically controlled heating elements in the glass. They allow the safe discharge of heat in strategic areas of the windscreen.
This system provides enhanced driver comfort and vision in icy and misty conditions. It also counters the previously mentioned stress that temperature fluctuation induces in the windscreen.
What does it cost?
On average, a Volvo V40 windscreen replacement cost ranges from £318.51 to £916.50.
Interesting brand Volvo facts
- Volvo is strongly connected to its Swedish heritage. On 25 July 1924, Assar Gabrielsson and Gustav Larsson founded the Volvo company in a Stockholm-eatery called the Sturehof. The name Volvo is from volvere, the Latin verb for roll. In its first-person singular form, the verb volvere becomes volvo, or I roll.
- The Volvo emblem consists of a shield and a spear. It represents Mars – the god of war in Roman mythology and the male gender symbol.
The circle with its diagonal arrow also resembles the prehistoric chemical symbol for iron. The slanting iron bar attached to the logo in the first Volvo grilles become part of the standard logo.
The iron badge represents the Swedish iron industry and its qualities of power and endurance.
- Volvo produces turbine engines for Saab Gripen military fighter aircraft and a range of industrial and commercial diesel engines.
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