Considering its a solid piece of plastic (assuming pet-g) I would not consider it normal. It is a pinball machine and it will get beat over time but it would bother me too being new. I'm betting it was a bit to tight and expansion caused it maybe when the humidity change and the wood expanded. Who did you buy it from? I would think they would be able to help more.

Just one reason there why I'm having a hard time going prem over pro. I don't want to have to deal with window issues but the pros of the prem are hard to go without.

I've had mine since November and no cracks. IMO you're not nitpicking. That would definitely bug me.

Here is mine. It's a first run Premium. The one people complain about. A friend asked me to send some close ups and I saved them.
https://picasaweb.google.com/101901886865205452853/ACDCMiniPlayfiedCoatingPics?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJ7Y8dySi8SFbQ&feat=directlink

I have probably 500-1000 plays on it. Thats a WAG, but I've updated thje software a few times and don't check the play counter. It has some wear. I should tell you that mine is not bothersome. The game looks and plays fantastic. Would it be nice if it was clear? Sure, but it's no big deal in person playing the game.

How the heck is shipping $300? I have had cars shipped cross country for $500. Sounds to me like someone is recovering some cost in trumped up shipping costs.

Mine has cracks in the right horn. If people didn't mention cracks in the window, I wouldn't have seen it. They're really minor. Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy about it, but I have learned to "accept it"

I read a thread on another forum about a month ago where someone made a statement they heard the new ones with clear windows were having cracking issues.

That was basically the extent of it.

No-one else added anything else...it was just a comment by someone stating what they heard.

I have no idea how true this is or is not at this point.

these little stress cracks happen in all playfield plastic parts. I see them all the time in inserts as well. I think they are from tiny air bubble in the plastic when it's formed. Even brand new inserts have them from time to time. Pinball playfields will never be completely perfect and flawless. and if you have one that is, playing on it will cause things to happen, if it's not micro stress cracks, it's could be ghosting, or ground in dirt spots, or wood edge wear or whatever. Personally I think that is minor and look how close you have to get to see it. The only reason it's standing out to you, is because of the way the lights reflect off the microcracks. Be happy your window is actually clear. i'd rather deal with micro cracks than major fogging or yellowing. I think it's a bad move on sterns part not to have made that window removable.

I doubt that window is PET-G, it doesn't get stress cracks and is too soft and would sag in that application.
With PET-G you trade clarity for durability, that window is probably a polycarbonate trade name Lexan.
PET-G is a Polyethylene, you can fold it in half at room temp something you can't do with polycarbonate.

Mine was built on September 26th.
I would say yours is a LOT worse than mine.

It's not ideal but I've seen worse. These things aren't going to come out 100% perfect ever really. If you look long enough you could probably find some minor issue with every NIB.

I'd like to get an AC/DC someday, but i'm kind of glad I don't have the room right now. We've been seeing all kinds of problems with this main window from day one. Nice to be able to see problems that develop down the road on this window. It's amazing how Black hole, haunted house, elektra, congo didn't have all these center window problems.

Yup, pinball is not the hobby if your anal retentive about everything, if you are, you can't play your own machines which really defeats the purpose of being a pinball collector in the first place. Just have to accept flaws and be able to look past them.

Stern should have made these removable like CFTBL.

Not to mention, they could sell more parts.

My LE was much, much worse than that. I have not seen a perfect one yet and I have seen about 15. They are hazy, scratched and foggy. They are always worse in the horns and corners. I agree that it sucks, but it is no worse than the hundreds of dimples we end up with in the play fields and the wear we get in the ramps and shooter lane. Just try to enjoy the game.

CFTBL is another i never see problems with the window.

But when you start getting to the point where you become so anal that is you can't focus and enjoy a game anymore that has flaws, I think we start losing touch of what we were in pinball for in the first place. I find myself getting distracted even in tournament by a burnt out bulb or playfield wear. I start focusing on that more than my playing. It's hard not to, but at the same time, I realize that you start losing touch about the fun of pinball and just play to play. It's a game, it's suppose to be fun. Not an anal fest of flawless museum pieces.

btw, if anyone has problems with their Ac/DC windows where they can't enjoy the game anymore because the flaws bother them to much. I'll buy it off anyone for 5k.

CFTBL window isn't a permanent part of the playfield.

LTG : )

Agreed. I had a playfield shipped from Europe for $125. That seems excessive.

I guess the question now (since it's said to be normal). Is this something that will get worse over time like a car windshield?

OK, not going to read though the posts. If my playfield shows any sort of stress at $6K+ you bet it is gonna be replaced. Or it will be my last Stern.

Have Stern replace it and move on.

Sounds like the game has to back to distributor and then back to the owner of the game.

Not just a bare playfield.

LTG : )

Agree with Spyder, at 6k+ Stern could and should fix your problem. The whole idea with nib is that you get to be the first one to screw it up They should find some way to make it right.

Mine has small cracks on right horn also...... I can understand it would concern some people.
I guess I am to lazy to worry about it.
I hope they fix it for you.

That sucks man, GL getting a resolution

Stern sent a new BIB LE backglass to Australia for me as it was marked so contact them direct I think they will help, other guys in Australia have have new PF's sent also with mall marks.

Good luck.

+1

flashburn, I'm wondering if you replaced the factory balls with brand new ones before you started playing your ACDC prem?

Are these stress fractures or micro scratches?

I am curiuos what does this defect look like from the bottom of the same plastic piece?

Also how does the right horn area feel to touch.

I have a hard time looking past flaws. I usually hunt for machines with as few as possible. It is easier done with older titles then new ones.

This really concerns me. What are these going to look like in 15 years of play?

How many extra PF's is Stern going to make?

I know more questions than answers. I do not have the machine OP sorry.

Personally I think many are making too big a deal with this window issue. I have seen very few that are perfect. They all seem to have some flaw or cloudiness to them. Yes, I have seen a couple that are worthy of complaints but most are not a big deal. This one doesn't look that bad to me either. If it bothers you this much I suggest grabbing a NOS playfield and holding onto it as backup or just sell the pin and miss out on one of Stern's best!

Was this one of the reasons Stern shut down the February run?

I wonder if some were even worse (and rejected) but Stern thought these were "good enough"?

It's too bad these aren't LE's, as Stern doesn't want to shoot themselves in the foot with their LE owners.

Mine comes later this month....after my fiasco with AVLE NIB I'm really hoping for as close to perfection as Stern can muster. Otherwise I'm back to HUO with Sterns.

Fingers crossed that on this next batch they get the window issues figured out (cause im gunna have mine in about 2 weeks)

It will be your last Stern more than likely. I already went a few rounds with Stern sbout the cloudy window and they aren't gonna replace them plain and simple. I'd also like to add that they almost never reply to any of my emails. I also sent a email straight to Gary that I'm sure got tossed in the recycle bin. The bottom line is Stern doesn't care what you think, just pay them your money for their very overpriced games and keep your mouth shut. I'm sure that's the motto over at Stern.

I have to admit when I seen this post "cracks in the window" I was really expecting something ugly. I don't see the big issue. You took a couple of close up pics with a flash which highlights everything... take a deep breath and relax, this is not a big deal. Sure we would all like perfection but c'mon man! Like I said before if it bothers you this much buy a playfield to have as backup. I think this whole window issue has been blown so out of proportion... some of you guys must be in the media business?

Believe me its not that bad... its like that pimple you get on your nose. To you it looks 10x worse than it does to everyone else.

September run 2012, never noticed any cracks but am to afraid now to do a good inspection

Only had a small dip in the Playfield were a stern worker dropped a tool I suspect. Not visible when playing, only when you look more close

You see those stress checks all the time beneath the clear coat on plastic inserts. Even on brand new playfields.

The reason you don't see them on Haunted House is because the HH window is not clear coated.

I know, no one wants to hear someone say "It's nothing to worry about", but it really is nothing to worry about.

The game has a CANNON!

Its purpose is to shoot steel balls directly into the surface of plastic windows, wood, inserts, metal posts, targets, anything on the playfield.

This is a great system to expedite damage.

A cannon is an item used in war to harm an enemy.

I don't think its blown out of proportion if this came shipped that way, $6-7k for these new machines. If Stern wants to mark up their games twice as much in a 4 year period they better damn well beef up the quality also. I bought a 69' Camaro with a perfect body and frame with a good running 327 in it for 5 grand in 2004. I expect some quality
when I pay 7 grand for a nib game. A couple little non-noticeable flaws Is one thing. Overlooking glaring issues (cloudy windows, cracks in inserts or cleatcoat) during inspection is shoddy business. 2k more for a pinball machine than my car and the company selling it could care less about the quality or the customer. Jmo

It was a design decision for Stern.

They could have made a window like Black Hole, Sexy girl or Genesis that needs to be continually and precisely adjusted to avoid air balls, or they could have made it an insert that is level with clear coat.

If they would have made it a replaceable window, people would be complaining that the screw heads were scratching their balls, they were getting air balls, or that the rubber O-rings were changing with the humidity.