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Anyone had to replace their windshield yet?

Discussion in '5th Gen 4Runners (2010-2024)' started by brochacho, Mar 1, 2018.

  1. Aug 4, 2019 at 8:09 PM
    #91
    4runningMan

    4runningMan New Member

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    Gonna go with OEM? Mine isn't cracked but it's sandblasted. Thinking about a replacement.
     
  2. Aug 5, 2019 at 3:56 AM
    #92
    DGP1961

    DGP1961 New Member

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    Yes getting done tomorrow and it's going to be OEM. With just under 9,000 miles on a 2018 my insurance company as most will put OEM as standard practice. Took a rock or something on the highway it had the nickel-sized mark where it hit then a line quickly spread out maybe 5-6 inches. Inspection sticker time in September also so I got right on it.
     
  3. Aug 26, 2019 at 1:50 PM
    #93
    93civEJ1

    93civEJ1 New Member

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    mines getting done in the morning. I have a limited...so is there something I need to look for to make sure its a limited windshield compared to a regular? I saw the other guys posts about there being a difference or something?
     
  4. Aug 26, 2019 at 3:55 PM
    #94
    SR5 Limited

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    Yes, I got almost twenty years out of my factory windshield.....
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2019
  5. Aug 26, 2019 at 4:50 PM
    #95
    rsimi72

    rsimi72 New Member

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    Does the windshield cowling have to come off to replace the windshield? If so, those clips that run the length of the underside can be fragile. Just be careful.
     
  6. Aug 27, 2019 at 12:28 PM
    #96
    Hans Moleman

    Hans Moleman New Member

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    My windshield got a star chip last week. My insurance company covered the repair 100% that was done by Safelite. The repair doesn't look perfect and the Safelite guy was trying to talk me out of getting it replaced because the sheet metal is really thin where the windshield is glued on. Although they apply primer to it, there is still a chance that it can rust and eat through it. He said he seen rust most of the time after someone else did the replacement before him on 4Runners & Tacomas. So I don't know now if I should just wait for more severe damage before replacing it.
     
  7. Aug 28, 2019 at 6:00 AM
    #97
    93civEJ1

    93civEJ1 New Member

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    well...mine was done yesterday and the windshield looks fine. I can see the heater grid stuff a little easier on this one than the other I had, but still looks fine.
     
  8. Aug 28, 2019 at 6:56 AM
    #98
    DGP1961

    DGP1961 New Member

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    Mine's been done a month or so now and all appears fine. Sits in the garage a lot and have only washed it once since the change out but didn't notice any leaks or anything like that. My insurance sprang for OEM as it's a 2018 most companies will on newer vehicles. The glass company told me there's no difference just the little "Toyota" printed on the glass, I have no clue but the woman said it's the same glass off the same production line either way.
     
  9. Nov 1, 2019 at 9:14 PM
    #99
    DurangoMax

    DurangoMax New Member

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    Dobinsons Lift (2.5F/1.5R), Dobinsons UCAs, SSO Slimline bumper, Smittybilt X20 Winch, RCI Aluminum Skids, RCI Gas Tanka dn Differential Skids, RCI Rock Sliders, BFG AT K02 (285/70R17), APEX Rear Bumper
    I live in CO and everyone has cracked windshields so when I bought my T4R I negotiated the permaplate glass protection package. I usually repair my own chips unless they are big. I am at 55K and on my 4th windshield. The coverage I have is for 5 years and up to $5K in repairs. I took it to the dealer for two of the installs and used Safelite for the others - same glass in both cases. Repair cost to the insurance company is about $500 a pop so I can get 9-10 windshields. I think one issue is the upright nature of the glass - obviously not as bad as a Jeep but still attracts rocks. I figure when I get to the end of 5 years and have some coverage left I'll just take a hammer to it one last time :)
     
    Carrie831 and (deleted member) like this.
  10. Sep 15, 2020 at 12:20 AM
    #100
    taco_runner

    taco_runner New Member

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    At less than 2k miles on my 2020 TRD ORP, I now have a 6 inch edge crack from a stone. My deductible is $500, no third party glass available yet, the cost of the OEM glass out of pocket is $800. Based on experience with my wife's Rav4, calibration was not needed, but unsurance company are obligated to have it done. I am hesitant to claim under insurance as I know from experience, premium will go high on renewal then record stays for 5 years. That's 5 years higher premium. That's based on experience. So in the end, I bought a DIY crack repaur kit from crackeraser.com, watched a lot of the guy's video's and did the repair myself.
     
    nimby likes this.
  11. Sep 15, 2020 at 5:47 AM
    #101
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    How'd it turn out? Pretty easy to do?

    Do you just inject some resin and and use a suction cup to distribute that resin through the crack?
     
    taco_runner[QUOTED] likes this.
  12. Sep 15, 2020 at 7:18 AM
    #102
    taco_runner

    taco_runner New Member

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    I used the cheap kit here: https://crackeraser.com/collections/all-windshield-repair-kits/products/diy-103. The owner has tons of video's on youtube on how to do it.

    It went well the first time I did it, but there were like 1/16 " air gaps in 3 different places after the resin cured. Being a little bit of a perfectionist, I tried to put a few drops along the crack and left it overnight with the plastic curing tabs, thinking the resin will get in via capillary action. When I got up in the morning, the air gaps are even larger. I emailed Tim, the guy who sells/owns the kit and he replied it happens especially when you try to get in and out of the vehicle which disturbs it, well I guess he knows his stuff. he's right.. and he said there is nothing much i can do to fill the voids, but he said the crack should be stable.

    I will try to redo it again today if I get the courage :(.

    The plastic kit is really good, I have used numerous cheap Amazon ones on my other vehicles before so I have a little idea of how the kits work. I am actually thinking of buying the metal ones he sells. I should have bought them in the first place.

    edit: the most scary part was the "drilling and tapping" to make a bullseye at the tip of the crack to prevent it from getting longer. The drill and tapper from the kit works great and made the job easy. In the past, I have used a high speed dremel and tiny drill bit which burned my windshield. So lesson learned, use the proper tools to do the job! If you are thinking of doing it, don't hesitate... if a guy like me can do it, everybody can!
     
    nimby[QUOTED] likes this.
  13. Sep 15, 2020 at 7:58 AM
    #103
    DaveW

    DaveW New Member

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    I owned an FJ from 2011 until i purchased my 5th gen 2020 4R TRD OR in July. In the 9 years that I had the FJ, I replaced the windshield 6 times. Seems that the vertical windshield would be damaged by nearly every rock that hit it. I have found with the new 4R that the windshield (which is not nearly as vertical) is much more tolerant to rock strikes than was the FJ.
     
    rickystl and taco_runner like this.
  14. Sep 15, 2020 at 8:32 AM
    #104
    MeefZah

    MeefZah ---

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    I had our 17's windshield replaced recently, and it was in dire need. There were probably 4 different cracks through the middle, along the bottom, and then cracks up and down linking the two horizontal cracks. Cracks started as rock strikes and then were exacerbated by body flex and heat/ cold cycles.

    We used a local guy who put in a non heated windshield for $300. It frosts here like once every 3 years so that's a non- issue, and the unheated one is cheaper.

    Interestingly, after the install there was a hellacious amount of wind noise. He came back and reinstalled a new windshield (free) and the noise was still there. He ended up reinstalling that second windshield but adjusted it ever so slightly upwards - like a mm - to tighten up the gap between roof and top of windshield... noise totally gone.

    He said he'd never done a 5th gen before so he was glad to know there was a "trick " to getting it set up perfectly...
     
  15. Sep 15, 2020 at 12:56 PM
    #105
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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    Good info! Thanks!
     
    taco_runner[QUOTED] likes this.
  16. Sep 15, 2020 at 4:29 PM
    #106
    mrmike7189

    mrmike7189 New Member

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    Glass repair is FREE here in Massachusetts. Didn't know you have to pay a deductible in other states?
     
  17. Sep 15, 2020 at 4:45 PM
    #107
    taco_runner

    taco_runner New Member

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    I'm in Az.. yes we didn't pay anything for glass repair/replacement last time.. but Az has the highest number of glass replacement in the country... I think the insurance scam changed 2 years ago. :D
     
    mrmike7189[QUOTED] likes this.
  18. Jan 21, 2021 at 8:25 AM
    #108
    jester243

    jester243 rabble rabble rabble

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    I changed some lights, tires and tinted windows...mind blowing huh
    I've had a small chip in mine for a year and the other morning it decided to finally spread its little wings and fly across the windshield. So time for another replacement...
     
  19. Jan 21, 2021 at 10:25 AM
    #109
    UncleShorty

    UncleShorty New Member

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    I don't know where you are, but if you're near Houston try Texas Quality Glass - (281) 961-0342

    Demas and his team are straight shooters, excellent techs and like their name says, they did a quality job for a very fair price...
     
  20. Jan 23, 2021 at 8:58 AM
    #110
    Dreaded_Marauder

    Dreaded_Marauder New Member

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    071AE543-AA0B-4B85-A3FC-A1295025F9E3.jpg I had to replace mine after a crack started from using the heater for the wiper blades. There wasn’t a chip that started it. I was driving home on a cold snowy day and heard a pop with no other cars around me. Went out the next morning and a clean crack had started. The next day I decided to use the heater again and I assume that water had got in the crack and blew out this chunk on the way to work. Again there was absolutely no chip, it started at the base of the windshield and started moving across the bottom toward the driver side. After spending $800 getting another factory glass piece I won’t be using the heated wiper function again.
     
  21. Jan 23, 2021 at 1:52 PM
    #111
    mrmike7189

    mrmike7189 New Member

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    That is disappointing!
    I live in the cold snowy northeast and I use the rear & front wiper defrost all the time.
    Hopefully not a common problem?
    Anyone else heard of this?
     
  22. Jan 25, 2021 at 1:25 PM
    #112
    jester243

    jester243 rabble rabble rabble

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    I changed some lights, tires and tinted windows...mind blowing huh
    I use the front window heater all the time and haven't had this issue, I think its more just bad luck. Now having said that these windows seem to crack and chip if you look at them wrong, they seem stupid thin. I even use mine in the summer just to get a little heat into the wipers, they seem to be a little more pliable.
     
    thirdyota likes this.
  23. Feb 20, 2021 at 11:59 AM
    #113
    4RunnrGal

    4RunnrGal New Member

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    I had to have my OEM windshield replaced after only 4 months of buying my new 4Runner. Driving the 95 got a few big rocks hitting it. So did the Safelite thing thru Geico, only cost me $50. I was stoked. But 2 months later driving down a small street and a small rock got kicked up by another car. I heard it hit but no mark. Put the truck away that night only to find a huge Crack the next morning. Safelite glass is cheap glass from China. I'm going to replace with another OEM windshield this time.
     
    mrmike7189 and taco_runner like this.
  24. Apr 1, 2021 at 6:01 AM
    #114
    ipnpulz

    ipnpulz New Member

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    OEM sucks too as it pits really bad
     
    bear1998 likes this.
  25. Apr 1, 2021 at 6:05 AM
    #115
    ipnpulz

    ipnpulz New Member

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    I put three in my 19 4 Runner within 14 months I had OEM installed the 3rd time and within 6 months it’s looked like someone took a sandblaster to it....
     
    bear1998 likes this.
  26. Apr 1, 2021 at 12:52 PM
    #116
    ElectroBoy

    ElectroBoy Ad astra

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    Maybe Corning Gorilla Glass would be a good solution. But I don’t believe it’s offered for 4Runners yet.
     
  27. Apr 1, 2021 at 12:58 PM
    #117
    taco_runner

    taco_runner New Member

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    gorilla glass still break thoug, just like on phones... it's just scratch resistant...
     
    bear1998 likes this.
  28. May 3, 2021 at 7:08 AM
    #118
    ipnpulz

    ipnpulz New Member

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    Will need to replace my 2021 windshield soon do to pitting and I can hardly see out of it sometimes....
     
    7385 likes this.
  29. May 3, 2021 at 7:42 AM
    #119
    rickystl

    rickystl New Member

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    My 2010 FJ Cruiser is in it's 3rd windshield. Trading it in this coming Friday as my new 2021 4R TRD/ORP came in. Much agree with the more upright windshields. Jeep Wranglers have a severe case of this. Less ability for a rock to glance off the windshield. More like a rock hitting a straight wall.

    Rick
     
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  30. May 3, 2021 at 9:19 AM
    #120
    ElectroBoy

    ElectroBoy Ad astra

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    Yeah, what’s up with that? I have a 2018 and when driving toward sunlight I see it’s terribly sandblasted.

    My previous 2000 4Runner windshield lasted 17+ years before looking this bad.
     
    7385 likes this.

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