Windshield Crack

2021 Limited with 4800 miles and the windshield mysteriously cracked.

Driving North Carolina 321 toward Charlotte on an open road at 12:40pm and the upper right passenger side windshield suddenly cracked. The near exact location when the crack happened can be recovered using the 360 app that I use for family and friends. The noise did not sound like a bug or stone hitting the windshield. The noise sounded like a pop when the crack happened.

I practice Smith Systems Driving Skills and there was no road hazard which may have caused this crack. You will find no rock chips in the hood, bumper, or front end. I immediately reported the incident to my insurance agent and stopped to inspect the windshield. There is no evidence of cause or reason except for a stress crack from defective material or assembly.

Since 2003 I have owned at least a dozen 4th and 5th generation 4Runners. This is the first occasion that I have raised concerns for warranty replacement.

Arlington Toyota (Jason) will not initiate warranty repair for the crack because the owner does not want to pay for it. Jason said that I will need to call Toyota Consumer Affairs. Jay at Toyota Corporate pushed back and said that I will need to process my claim through Arlington Toyota.

If you, your family, or your friends who are Toyota owners are having unexplained cracked windshield concerns, please use this thread to possibly open a class action lawsuit. Subaru settled a similar class action and Toyota has open windshield/glass lawsuits as well.

 

These windshields are notoriously flimsy. I have had mine replaced once and now my second one has a chip.

But, just because you don't think anything hit the windshield doesn't mean it's not possible. Maybe you hit a bird.

Your insurance company should replace the windshield.

 

Agree, and due to the heightened potential of having to replace the windshield(perhaps multiple times) and, have Safety Sense recalibrated, I've recently changed my comp deductible to $250.00/from 1K. Was it worth it......only time will tell.

 

I believe some insurance companies will fully cover windshield replacement, without you having to pay the deductible. It seems to depend on the carrier, though.

 

May be ............. not mine

 

I don't actually know if mine does, either.

I should probably find out.

 

State Farm let me take my comp deductible down to $0 from $250 and my collision from $500 down to $250 (lowest they would go) it only raised my premium by $6 a month. I need to call and ask what kind of further discount I could get if I started practicing Smith Systems Driving Skills, which are basically the Harvard of driving skills.

 

This Harvard?

 

For me it was cheaper to replace my cracked windshield in my 2020 4R myself rather than to pay the extra premiums for glass coverage and pay the deductible to go through insurance. I am happy that the 4R windshields do not become damaged nearly as easily as the windshield did in my FJ (6 windshield replacements in 8 years).

 

I googled this out of curiosity. It sounds like the common sense stuff that my brothers and my parents taught me. I think any decent driver is already practicing these basic skills.

But, sadly, I know that there are plenty of drivers out there who don't use any common sense or courtesy. These are the same assholes who camp in the passing lane and tailgate in the cruising lane.

 

Nice. Do you recalibrate SS too?

 

3 windshields in my FJ from 2010 - 2019...that windshield is a debris magnet! The three wiper blades were cool though...

 

I have 34K miles on my truck and am on my 3rd windshield. Not sure why these windshields are so bad...

 

Corporate bean counters.
Make it thinner to save weight.
Increase profit.

Bastards

Mine has been cracked for almost 3 years.

 

And it depends on the state you live in.

When I lived in MN, American Family would replace windshields free without me needing to pay a deductible.

American Family doesn't offer that option in WI, I pay my deductible and they'll cover the rest. However, the difference in cost between the $250 deductible and the $1000 deductible policy means that I would need to replace my windshield every other year to break even.

 

@xyzzy sounds like @travelinscout is on target

 

Hopefully I don't get a cracked windshield. Only happened in one vehicle I owned because highway 880 in the Bay Area near Oakland is rock chip city. Dirty as hell.

I will agree with others who say the windshield is flimsy. Case in point, after every wash and detail I do myself? I discover new fine scratches on the windshield. It's like that thing has eczema because it's super sensitive

 

I think I’m on my seventh windshield.

 

Some of that’s probably from gunfire.

 

Have zero interest in breaking your, likely record. Thank you very much

 

Pretty typical for Colorado.

 

My pickup is on it's second windshield. Not bad for a 30+ year old truck. My 87 4Runner is still on it's factory windshield.

We had 2 problems in Yuma, that was a relief to get away from when we moved to Oregon. 1, sand in the air. Eventually, the more you drove, the more hazed they got. Since my pickup was my DD, on an hour's drive, on the highway, to and from work (hour each way), it got hazed up pretty good. I had it replaced, and 2 days later, the SECOND problem Yuma has reared it's ugly head.
There was a large gravel quarry on the highway to/from work. Trucks loaded, or just unloaded, constantly going up and down the road. And they shed small-ish rocks the whole way. I caught a rock bottom center of the passenger side of the windshield. Talk about a pisser. Inside a week, a crack ran from bottom to top.
I said to heck with it, and just left it. Still there to this day. Don't give a darn. We got out of Yuma not too long after that, and no one "official" has said anything about it. Every now and then, my lovely wife and I talk about getting it replaced, but heck, there's always something else needs doing first. I think that 20+ year old crack will be there when I finally sell it to my daughter. Her problem after that

Have fun, all!
Pat☺

 

Yep, already had one replaced on the 2020! On my first 4runner, i had replaced 6 of them! They are not the best, but thank GOD for our insurance company, and their willingness to keep replacing them without any premium increase.

Interestingly enough, my partner came home with nice bullseye that's turning crack on the Tacoma now. Guess what I will be doing this week?

Yes, on 20's and up, you have to recalibrate the TSS. It costs about $350, plus or minus, but insurance reimburses this as a part of the glass claim.

I really wish there was some kind of protection that we can put on to avoid this, seeing that I don't mind having them replaced, but i HATE people "cutting" into the vehicle each time.

Cheers,

Sean

 

I accidentally posted an empty reply somewhere.

I am on my third windshield. I travel between Chicago and pahrump, nv. The first time, a rock hit my windshield on a Nevada highway. It made a small chip, tried to get it repaired and it spidered. Got windshield replaced, a week later I noticed a crack. Took it to the dealer and they said it was my fault and they found the smallest impact crater. Got that one replaced, drove to Chicago. On the way back to Nevada, driving through CO, I noticed a chip….only a week after the windshield was replaced. I usually buy Honda Civics, but due to a growing family and lots of travel, I wanted an SUV that handle icy/snowy conditions. I have had rusty bolts hit my civic windshield while driving on littered Chicago highways and I keep my cars for 7-8 years. There is no reason why these windshields should chip or crack so easily. What happens when you’re off roading? I would definitely be interested in a class action lawsuit. Windshields are supposed to prevent the roof from caving in during a rollover accident. These windshields would, no doubt, crumple like paper.

 

I had a rock from a dump truck hit mine. Cost me $200 local and windshield is better quality than OEM. Took a similar hit again, didn’t leave a mark.

 

$0 deductible here and only a $8 per month increase. I've done this for years and it's saved a TON of money for me. I live in the DC area and drive 45-50K miles per year over the eastern seaboard. The minute I get a chip or crack, I call Allstate, they have someone come to my house (or hotel if traveling) and replace the windshield within 3 days.

 

Yes, the FJ's (like Jeep Wranglers) with their straight windshields, were notorious debris collectors. I was lucky I only had one replacement on my FJ over 11 years.

By the way, I'm insured with Safeco (which is owned by Liberty Mutual I believe). Whatever your Comp deductible is, their policies automatically include ACV (no deductible) for windshields - only. When I had my FJ windshield replaced, they sent me to Safelite (which I later learned Safeco owns). Did not pay one penny out of pocket.

So I know Safeco has this ACV coverage for windshields that automatically come with their policies. JFYI

 

I now join the ranks. Noticed it today and sent an email to State Farm. Not sure what they'll do as I've never filed a claim on a windshield. I would think this size could be patched but ??. What say ya'll?