Watch Your Windshield

Sorry about your new car windshield getting cracked. You might have a $0 deductible on glass w/ your insurance.

 

Unfortunately, I believe that this kind of crack is going to become commonplace with higher fuel economy vehicles.

I'd owned this '09 RAV4 a little over two years when a crack suddenly appeared across 60% of the windshield. Chips had been repaired twice on this vehicle. The one that caused this crack was very hard to spot, low on the windshield and only the size of the tip of a ball-point pen. The thermal shock of defrosting the windshield on icy mornings kicked it off.

Long crack, LEFT side


Continuation of long crack, RIGHT side (Please pardon my coffee stains!)


I was very frustrated with Toyota for having such a thin windshield that this would occur. In contrast, we've owned a '94 Chrysler for almost 20 years, and the only time we had to replace a windshield was when the hood latch failed and the hood flew up and smacked the glass HARD.

I'm not so sure that the windshield is where I want manufacturers to be economizing for weight, not if it will lead to a new windshield every two years.

Because this crack didn't pose a visual obstruction, and a highway safety expert assured me that the strength in the glass was in the laminates anyway, AND I had a whole Nebraska winter of gravel and snow ahead of me, I didn't replace the windshield right away. Now that it is spring it's on the list. I have a $500 deductible, so windshields are going to come out of my pocket. (The insurance DOES take care of chips however).

So I plan to take the car to get it inspected for the smaller, harder to find chips to be fixed every few months, and PARTICULARLY right before cold winter sets in.

Maybe the insurance companies will start complaining to the manufacturers. Who knows.

 

yeah, please check your insurance co about having your glass repaired, no cost.

now with that said and done, i recently had my glass repaired with safelite. i was TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED. the "resin injection" did nothing for me EXCEPT stopping the
spider webbing that naturally occurs, but the crack is still very visible and with them
"cleaning" the surface of the windshield with a razor blade afterwards, I can see the
scraping whenever the windshield is wet. I dont know if that destroyed the hydrophobic
coating on that portion of the windshield.

my suggestion - replace the windshield.

 

Sorry KKIM....but based on this...I just switched my comprehensive from 500 to zero deductable...only cost me 60 dollars a year for two cars

-M

 

Sorry you had to replace your windshield so early. I had a similar incident with my prius 1 month into my ownership. I also believe that lightweight/ thin glass materials have limitations. I used Safelite and replaced the whole windshield without any issues.

 

A long crack started across my 2009 Civic Hybrid windshield at 50,000 miles. It had a similar starting point and curve to kkim's crack, but the body shop could feel no nicks when they ran their fingernail down the crack. The body shop believed it was a defective windshield, which normally occur prior to 200 miles. Also, I've had sheetmetal dented by small hail that didn't harm nearby vehicles. That was especially irritating.

Because of the thinner materials used in hybrid vehicles, raindrops make a high-pitched plink on the windows and sheetmetal. I've learned to accept the fragile external shell as a hazard of hybrid ownership. I don't like it any more than anybody else, but I've learned to accept the tradeoff and risk.

 

off topic but is it safe to replace the GLASS with LEXAN window?
it will also be lighter

 

No, all galss used in automibles must neet DOT approval.

Lexan yellows and crazes too easily. It also pits too easily with sand inpact. Lexan is too soft and flexible.

 

OMG. That's horrendous about the cost of windshield.

And good that your rates won't be going up. That would add insult to injury!

 

Something else to watch for in winter - be very careful if you need to scrape ice/snow off the Prius windshield. It scratches very easily.

I've taken to not scraping with a plastic scraper at all but using the windshield wiper/washer and front defogger with a little warmup time to keep it from refreezing.

 

does anyone pay for glass repair? i have a $100 deductible on windshield repair that the insurance company pays (why is there a deductible then?? good question...)
based on contracting ahead of time for the repair at a reduced rate to lower the cost to zero...at least that is what i was told.

i asked why they couldnt just say the deductible was zero...but.


another thing, the crack is not enough that you can claim it. have to wait for the crack to get big enough to obstruct your view. considering the location, that might never happen

 

I had to replace the windshield 2 times in 5 years on my GEN II prius. I hope I do not have that issue with my Prius C.

 

I think that it depends on the laws of the state where you are insured. Of course, the insurance company will have priced in whatever your state requires of them into your rate.

In Massachusetts where I used to live, windshield replacement was fully covered with no deductible, even though I had a deductible on any other claim.

Here in Nebraska, my $500 deductible applies to the windshield replacement, too. However, chip repair is covered with no deductible.

State-by-state information about windshield coverage requirements is here at INFORMATION ABOUT CAR WINDSHIELDS

 

cracks in windshield are sometimes covered under manufacture warranty, if discovered before 12k miles. (if not from impact)

 

Actually windshields are a laminate of glass and plastic where the plastic holds the glass together in event of an accident limiting shards of glass from slicing you to death.