Here We Go Again (Windshield)

Sounds right to me...

 

Replaced windshields on most of the cars I have driven. The worst offender, my ol' 2006 Scion XB. The boxes were notorious for cracking windshields. Replaced 3 for the 9 years I owned it. The XB was a magnet for rocks and debri.

 

Well, I guess Florida is the place to have a windshield break -- by state law, insurance must do the replacement without deductible. I've heard we're not the only state that's this way, so I'd encourage everyone to check their local laws carefully. No sense in letting an insurance company "mistakenly" have you pay the deductible as if it we're just another comp claim. Of course, an insurance company would never do such a thing...

I've have them break of several brands too. An Infiniti G35, a long-ago VW Jetta, a Camry Hybrid and yes, my 2004 Prius. The glass was clearly simpler, but on the Gen 2 car the replacement was with Safelite glass, not OEM. It turned out to be fine and I needed the repair done immediately and they had the glass -- no wait. If readily available, I'd push for the OEM glass. Complexity of the current setup (camera and all) may make it OEM only anyway.

 

I had no idea Florida had a law like that. My husband needs his windshield replaced, so now he is suggesting we move there. I know when I had GEICO, they had free chip filling of windshield damage, and if you weren’t happy with it, they would replace the windshield for free. USAA has no such thing. I think damage all depends on where you drive. I-285 in Atlanta is bad luck for windshields.

 

Is that on the Prius Two?
All the windshield issues I recall were Two Eco and higher. I believe the glass was supposed to keep it cooler inside.
I know we had one situation we were surprised we did not break the windshield on our Two during a storm.

 

No. I’ve had zero issues with the Prius windshield, I had replacements with previous cars, and my husband’s current non-hybrid. I honestly don’t see how there could be issues with the windshield glass specific to one car. My Dad manufactured glass for a while, and glass is glass, unless you are talking the bulletproof variety, all windshields are pretty much the same.

 

The glass on Twp Eco and up was supposed to reduce the effect on sun radiation inside the car. IF not properly shed or absorbed it could affect the glass integrity. That would be my guess. The Trims One & Two have less expensive, normal glass.

I just checked. There are indeed different part numbers.

 

If it makes anyone feel better?
I can tell you the Honda Fit comes with similar concerns.

I had to replace the windshield the very first winter.

It's IMO just inherent to the design. Large, aerodynamic windshields, on vehicles that travel relatively low to the ground.

Where I live, the primary weapon employed during and after any winter storm, is gravel on the streets. I actually have more trepidation and fear about driving around on the remaining gravel AFTER the snow and ice have mostly disappeared than I do about driving on snow and ice.
Until the gravel is removed, every time I go out I figure there is a real good chance I could end up with a crack or damage that would either immediately or eventually result in my having to replace the windshield.

But unless I wish to morph into a high riding Monster Truck, I think it's just the cost of doing business with a vehicle designed to be aerodynamic.

 

Like the safelite commercial say's: "Sooner or later, every chip will crack."

 

Back in the day, here in California, it used to be against the law to:

• Drive a pickup truck raised more than the legal limit
• Drive with headlights incorrectly angled due to the height of a vehicle
• Drive with too bright of a headlight
• Drive with windows so dark you cannot see driver
• Have bumper stickers that are vulgar in language and hateful in nature
• Drive without mudflaps if vehicle is raised high enough
• Drive a vehicle that engine noise is beyond legal noise limits
• Drive a vehicle with sound system playing so loud, you cannot hear a siren

Is it just me, or, do others remember this?

 

When did all of this change? I still see the "authorized headlight adjustment station" placards all over town.

 

It seems to me that "fix it" tickets no longer happen.