Cracked windshield on prius 4 with HUD

So i believe the shop book rate for changing this windshield is like 5 hours or so. I remember seeing it during my brief subscription to the toyota technical site. The deal is that the camera needs to be recalibated after a window replacement

I have the docs on this but they are in XPS format so priuschat isn't letting me upload them. I also tried attaching them in a word doc and uploading that but it is also rejected.

I uploaded a zip of the 3 xps files related to this-

 

I have an appointment with the dealer today at 2PM. I'll pay and send the receipt to the insurance company for reimbursement.

 

So, the car dealer says that Safelite apparently left a part out when replacing the windshield and that they couldn't have calibrated the camera without it (even though they said they did calibrate it). The part is called Forward Recognition Heater Hood Sub-Assembly. I'll have to wait till Monday to escalate this with Safelite and the insurance company.

 

They have other ways to calibrate it

 

The latest info from Safelite is that the installer tried to re-use the old part with a non-OEM windshield replacement, but apparently it's not working. They are now ordering an OEM replacement windshield assembly which is supposed to include the missing part from the dealer.

 

Geesh! I remember buying my first Honda when their slogan was "We make it simple"

 

HEY!!! That's my old avatar!

 

I'm afraid those days are long gone!

 

Yep, true. But - my Dad's first car, '49 Austin A40 was so simple you could repair almost anything yourself. Our neighbour rewired it completely in, from memory, a half day.

But - really, we don't want to drive Austin A40s.

 

OEM windshield finally came in and was installed this morning. Pre-Collision System is finally working again. So it's been 10 days since the first attempt by Safelite.

 

So the dealer says Safelite forgot to install the Forward Recognition Heater Hood Sub-Assembly, meanwhile Safelite claims they tried reusing the previous FRHHSA with a non-OEM windshield but it didn't work so they ordered an OEM windshield with FRHHSA.

Seems sort of odd that the FRHHSA only works with OEM windshields, but then again I have no idea what it does. But if Safelite's story is true, why didn't they just order a OEM windshield since they already had the previous FRHHSA? Is it because Toyota doesn't sell it separately?

It would be nice to know:

1. Can non-OEM glass be used as long as they install a FRHHSA?

2. Whether using OEM or non-OEM replacement windshield, can the FRHHSA be reused from the previous windshield since presumably it will not have been damaged, assuming we are talking about a rock chip not a collision.

3. Can the windshield and FRHHSA be purchased separately from Toyota or only together?

 

It was definitely just a rock chip and no collision was involved. The Pre-Collision System was working fine when I took the car in for the initial appointment with Safelite. It's interesting to note that when I took the car into the dealer and they noticed that the FRHHSA was missing, they offered to have it ordered and that the part would cost around $250. So assuming they knew what they were talking about, the part could be ordered separately. Whether the dealer could get the part to work with the non-OEM windshield is open to question at this point though.

 

It could be that Safelite wasn't sure either and rather than take a chance they ordered an OEM windshield and new Forward Recognition Heater Hood Sub-Assembly, either as a courtesy to you, or they just didn't feel like experimenting anymore. Maybe a little of both.

So Safelite didn't charge you extra for what was presumably a more expensive windshield than what they first put in?

 

Correct!

 

I am glad that I insisted on the OEM windshield when I had mine replaced last year. It took an extra approval from the insurance agent, but was easily approved. The independent body shop sent the car to the local dealership for calibration. The dealership made a big deal of the 1" lowered height - said that it made calibration more difficult.

 

So your car is 1" lower to the ground? It seems mine is low enough as it is to cause ground clearance issues on some of the awful city streets around here!

 

Yes. Tanabe lowering springs. Plus a whole suit of Cusco suspension braces and upgrades. Car turns like a go cart - just have to avoid those nasty parking blocks and steep driveways.