Miata Mailing List: May 1996, Message #120
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   From: Stuart Hellis 
Subject: Re: Cracked Windshield Cowl Grille
   Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 17:24:58 -0400

Sean Archer wrote:
> 
> At 01:08 AM 4/29/96 -0400, Tom Manson wrote:
> >For you guys who have recently had a windshield replaced, keep an eye on
> >the plastic cowl piece at the bottom of the windshield (the one with the
> >oval plastic snap-in screw covers).  There have been a number of
> >cracked cowls specifically cracking at the right-most (LHD Passenger's
> >side) screw location.
> >
> Almost every 1990 Miata I have seen has this crack in the plastic cowle
> grille you describe, windsheild replaced or not.  Mine cracked shortly after
> the 3 yr bumper to bumper warranty expired and I finally replaced it this
> spring.  I still have the original windshield.  I beleive it's likely due to
> body flex on the earlier models.
> 
> Drive Careful Fast ...
> 
> Sean N. Archer                  P.O. Box 61143
> President,                      Kensington Postal Station
> CDN Rockies Chapter             Calgary, Alberta
> Miata Club of America           Canada T2N-4S6
> 
> 1990 Mariner Blue Sebring Supercharged MX-5 Miata "MAX" (short for Maximum
> Headroom)

Mine was cracked when I purchased Tabasco in April, '95.  I replaced it in the 
summer, and the replacement cracked in about 8 months.  I had it replaced by
Mazda under warranty (1 year), and was told that the part has been updated in
design from the original '90 part, and that, somehow, my replacement one must 
have been of the old design.  Is this another "crankshaft" type problem?

My windshield is the original, and has never been replaced.

IMHO, it is a weak spot in the moulding process at the right hand mounting point.
Thermal expansion and contraction finally makes it give way.  It always seems to
crack upwards not downwards!
-- 
Stuart Hellis
Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA
		e-mail  health4u@connect.ab.ca
			hellis@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca	
		http://www.connect.ab.ca/~health4u/