Mystery cracked windshield

Regardless of what happened, get your insurance company to replace the windshield.

 

Yep, call your insurance company and file a claim. The cause could have been an impact long ago that remained hidden by the wipers. The right combination of temperature and vibration eventually triggered it to spread.

Auto glass can crack with no impact due to a manufacturing or installation issue. Unless it becomes common to many owners, the finger of blame will most always be pointed at a rock.

Speaking of manufacturing defects, be glad you don't drive a Cadillac STS or SRX. The last generation STS had numerous reports of shattering backlights when parked or while driving. The first generation SRX had an optional large ultraview sunroof. Aside from being a constant source of creaking, the sunroofs would also occasionally shatter - raining the interior with glass if the shade was open. I made sure my 06 SRX had no ultraview and I leased the MKZ instead of the STS.

Is there anything special about Prius windshields that would lead one to insist on OEM glass rather than aftermarket? My LS430 has the rain resistant glass and automatic windshield wipers which owners said often won't work right with aftermarket replacement glass. My (soon-to-be-gone) Outback windshield has heating elements under the wiper resting position that sometimes are omitted in replacement glass.

 

Only the front side windows on trims Four and Five are rain-resistant. The OEM front windshield on all the trims are supposed to be sound-insulated, but a member here who had it replaced with aftermarket and whose insurance company refused to pay for the OEM can't tell the difference. This was on a Five with Adv. Tech package and the aftermarket replacement seemed to work with the LKA camera with no problems.

 

^^
Aha, didn't think of the LKA camera. HUD windshields are usually expensive to replace because they're supposed to have a special layer inside to better reflect the display.

 

Prius windshield has a special coating that makes it magnetic for stones

First week we had it , stone chip, later we had to replace it, a eek later another stone chip
ife just got after a 4000 km road trip , more stone chips
Had a Serria pick up eights old, no stone chips

It is that special layer I tell you

 

I have State Farm and my policy has 100% coverage for windshield repair with no deductible. Funny thing is that they no longer cover chip repair. I find it easier to pay the $40 for a chip repair rather than risk a windshield replacement that may leak, be ugly, or have wind noise.

 

You don't necessarily need to have an actual chip in order to get a crack from rock impact.

 

A crack appeared on my windshield this morning. It's about eight inches long extending from the the roof line on the passenger side. There was no rock strike event.

This is a 2012 PriusC which I purchased in February (about 6 weeks ago).

UPDATE: On closer inspection I am able to detect the point of impact. It was a rock strike. The body shop estimate for windshield replacement comes in at just under $1,000.

 

I had a low crack develop on the RAV4 I was driving a few years ago. The crack is low enough not to affect the field of view, and a safety inspector told me it was fine--with the laminates in the glass there was no way the windshield would collapse simply from driving.

I fussed at the service area of the Toyota dealership, and the manager there showed me the chip that did it.

It was almost invisible to the eye, but large enough to be felt with the tip of a ballpoint pen. One has to fastidiously examine the windshield to find tiny chips regularly, using a ballpoint pen to check any potential chips.

Since my insurance covers chip repair, but my deductible is too high to cover the windshield, I plan to take the car in before and after each winter for a chip repair person to check the windshield.

I also put a deflector on the hood, and have one on order for the Prius, in order to try to bounce off a few more rocks.