Windshield Replacement

Maybe you didn't pay any deductible for replacing a damaged windshield but TANSTAAFL. It was never "Free"; you and every other policy holder paid for this coverage.

 

Promising a free lunch is the easy part. Getting the tab picked up is the tough job.

 

I strongly suspect that there is a problem with the windshields of recent Prii (or Priuses, if you prefer). I just found another crack in mine and it was in a replacement windshield for a large crack that occurred in my 2016 4 Touring 5 months ago. I recently saw another 2016 Prius in a local parking lot with a large crack. I have been driving for about 50 years and these are my first encounters with such fragile windshields. My 2011 Prius did not have this problem. State Farm Insurance paid the full price ($1,300) to replace the first windshield. They may not be willing to do that again (I'm almost afraid to report it). Obviously, Toyota needs to acknowledge the problem and correct it. I love my car, but...

 

no problems after 11 months.

 

In Illinois you have to replace it by law. Ive been issued a citation for a smaller crack in a windshield here in the past. Its a regular thing they do here..

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I'll add my voice to the chorus saying there's a problem here.

My brand new (less than two months old, less than 2,000 miles at the time) 2016 Prius just got a rock chip yesterday. I've never in all my years of driving had a chip with any other car and I regularly drive 40+ thousand miles per year. I had a repair done this morning before the cracks could grow and the guy at the glass shop said he's seen several Prii lately.

 

I don't mean to revive an old thread, but add me to the unlucky list. 4,000 California urban miles in 3 months for the 2016 Prius for me and in the last two weeks, I've had 2 chips. I repaired the first one with cured resin only to get chipped again a second time. The first time I was going probably 65-70mph staying about 3 seconds behind a mid sized pick up truck when it happened. The second time I was going 50mph about 5 seconds behind a Prius. I'm afraid to drive fast or get anywhere close to another car now. I've driven the old '98 Camry this same route for 5 years with no chips.

 

Y'all have me worried now! At 133 miles on my new 2017 Four, I will make sure that we have fuller glass coverage with USAA because we have always gotten cracks from small rocks dinging our windshields. Replace about two of our three car windshields each year. Will use a shop next time for inside service and consider the ClearPlex windshield liner, but hate the thought of having to polish it every two weeks. Yikes!
Have any of the rest of you tried the ClearPlex? It is offered by a nearby tint shop; does it really only last for 3 years? Will get a price tomorrow as I am worried about a 100mph rock coming through the thinner windshield and taking off my head. This is a safety issue as well as a cost issue.
It sounds as if Toyota went too far in thinning the windshield to meet lower weight requirement; has there been a recall or has Toyota changed the windshield yet? Also what is the price for OEM glass without an HUD? (Glad that I don't have to worry about an HUD...we manage to kill windshields way too often at our house.... usually when cars are brand new, too. I have a relative who is a trouble shooter for Lexus and can find out lots of interesting things if needed.)

 

As an update, it is too late to chat with a rep tonight, but I was able to change our USAA coverage on the 2017 Four to $100. deductible (from $500.) for both collision and non-collision damage. It raised the premium for this new car by less than $5. a month. Now I will sleep better. We previously carried $1,000 deductibles on all our cars, but changed this to $500. a few months ago after filing my first USAA claim in 40 years of driving due to hailstorm damage in a freak May storm. That same storm resulted in my first homeowner's claim (for damage to our roof) in 40 years coverage with USAA...due to the same hailstorm. Let's hope that my long run of no claims continues again. (I could not find the details of glass coverage online at USAA, but there was a note saying that different states have differing requirements for glass coverage.)

 

Good move. Have USAA myself but driving my best to dodge rocks. Sometimes they seem to come from outer space.

 

Thanks, ETP! There seem to be a lot more rocks on the road trying to attack our cars these days with highway maintenance so poor and the amount of traffic much higher than five years ago. We take many rock hits from vehicles in lanes next to ours, and there is little you can do about those hits except try to stay away from all traffic. I always try to find a sweet spot between packs of cars on the Interstate even it is means lowering my speed because it is so much easier to drive alone than surrounded by rock slinging madmen weaving back and forth while texting/talking away. Many hard hits by rocks don't leave marks that we can see, so they have improved front ends quite a bit in some ways. But I am not looking forward to an easily cracked front windshield that costs so much even without the HUD. Fortunate to work in a home office, it is rare when I get caught in rush hour traffic. My commute takes about 2.5 seconds most days.

 

Got another chip on the windshield today. Very small chip, and it sounded small. This time I was over 3 seconds behind a pick up truck nearby driving at about 50mph. That makes 3 for me. This one isn't worth another $10 for the resin repair. I'm getting tired of this. It's really hard to make room up front when the road is full of cars. The rear just wants to pass me so I'll end up with another car close in the front.

 

Prius 4 windshield may be a "thinner" than previous generation (or other cars). This is probably to save wait and/or $$$.
Anyways, just got a small rock hit it and it chipped (size of a pea). Got it repaired though to prevent spreading. Cost me $50.

 

Had to replace the windshield on our 2012 last year after it was hit with a rock which I saw coming, but was too late to avoid. Had a few choice words to say when it happened. The worst part was that it had to be replaced twice and took 5 weeks to get resolved. Long story short -- called my insurance company (SF) and they suggested Glass Doctor since they had the windshield in stock (uh-huh!) so I took it there the next day. Windshield installed near the end of the day so I was the last customer. They told me the car was ready and to leave the tape on for 24 hours. I signed and went to the lot to get my car. Wth - is that the right windshield???? Apparently an aftermarket glass which didn't fit, used a generic molding which he put the gap at the top of the windshield - nice way to let water in. Went back to the door of the shop, but they had closed up and locked the door. Immediately called SF, sent them pics and they jumped on it. Two days later the adjustor called and asked me what I wanted to do - "go to Toyota dealer and get the right windshield", I said. Went to Toyota next day and found out just how hard it is to get the right windshield - needed VIN, etc. - apparently windshields differ based on location of assembly? I didn't know there were that many places that assembled Prii. After two weeks got the OEM windshield installed and listened to the guy doing the work tell me he knew the guy that did the previous install. He had a few other things to say which I can't post here.

New windshield looks like original, fits just as well. Best news - no money out of pocket, but a long inconvenience of not driving the car (my choice). SF went after the original installer for money they paid to have windshield installed.

 

Arrr! Any hint?

 

I suspect this sort of scenario will become an increasing issue with modern cars. Gone are the days when generic windshields were "good enough" to fit with generous amounts of silicon sealant and rubber gaskets to try to hide the gaps!

My Prius has the Toyota Safety Sense camera and rain sensors mounted on the windshield -- presumably these will need to be carefully removed and replaced (with new adhesive pads) when the windshield is replaced -- hopefully the person who does the replacement doesn't damage any sensors in the process. I also notice a small antenna array embedded into the top portion of the windshield -- presumably any replacement windscreen will need these fitted, which precludes a generic replacement?

I've made sure that my insurance includes coverage for windshield replacement with no excess (or "deductible") -- I'd shudder to think what a genuine Toyota Prius Gen 4 windscreen would cost in Australia!

 

Re-starting this old thread: I just took a trip to Florida and received three new rock chips all at once on a back road in Georgia. I am starting to think the new Prius windshields are made out of lightweight material that can't take even the lightest blow.

 

How fast was the impact? I've received one more chip since my last post. I didn't even know about this one until I realized my windshield wipers wouldn't remove it.

 

I was going somewhere between 30-40mph this time, and the impact made three very small chips. The last impact was at interstate speed and made one very large chip.

 

New Prius the windshield glass is thinner (to save weight to increase gas mileage).. when you take something away, something else has to give...