Advice needed- Who replaced my windshield?

If you want my honest advice, here it is.

Call your insurance company and initiate a claim. But tell your insurance company what led up to the claim so they can go after the dealership and hopefully get their (your) money back.

I happen to work in Parts at a local Toyota dealership and we had a very similar case a couple of years ago. The symptoms were similar in that the customer had all sorts of weird electrical problems. Our best Tech got the job and quickly noticed that water was running down the A-pillar. He also noticed that the windshield was 1) not OE Toyota and 2) the aftermarket windshield had huge waves in it. Together with and crap aftermarket seal and ugly installation job, this led to the leak - which led to the electrical problems. The whole Main Harness needed to be replaced along with a number of related parts. All told, the bill was almost $8,000.

Here's where it gets weird. His insurance company paid for the repairs including a new windshield. But they insisted on another cheap aftermarket windshield. Our Tech did his job perfectly and just shook his head when the gypsy glass installer that the insurance company insisted on showed up. Words fail me.

 

I don't see this as insurance issue, this isn't an accident. More so, claim like that will jack your rates for years.

 

Agreed, but if the cost of the repair exceeds what your rates will go up - if they agree to cover it - it's worth it.

 

For anyone interested I had a major breakthrough with the dealership this weekend.

After a week of going back and forth with management, the general manager reached out on his own to let me know that they are going to whole sale my 2021 ORP (the one in the shop) and find a 2024 ORP for me. Far above what I expected as my best case scenario, but it also tells me they know this was an issue and were bluffing at first. I thought if I was lucky they would fix the damage out of their own pocket so hearing this was a total shock. I'm not sure what changed to get them here, maybe they realized that I wasn't going to bend the knee and file a claim? Regardless it has restored some faith in the dealership.

The one they've got lined up is in the underground color. I'll be sad to say goodbye to the Barcelona Red, but I think the underground gray looks badass.

It's still in production so I'll be without a car from now until mid June which kinda sucks, but I'm still one happy camper.

Thanks for all the replies, as ultimately this thread gave me confidence to push back harder.

 

Great news. Ask your insurance company/agent about glass coverage. It’s dirt cheap, covers all the glass, doesn’t go against your auto policy if you have a claim, and no deductible. I made a claim a little over a year ago and they even covered the wrecker since my windshield was smashed out completely.

 

Sounds like you’re happy and that’s what counts. Do you have this deal in writing? Even swap? I probably would have pushed for a vehicle until the new runner came in.

 

Some policies have a deductible.

 

Mine doesn’t. Before glass coverage glass was always claimed under comprehensive which has a $50 deductible. But other companies might be different. Mine is Amica.

 

From the sound of it, the dealer offered @Ss1999 wholesale value on the trade-in and sold him a new 2024.

You can lookup the KBB wholesale value for a 2021 OR with typical mileage.

 

I’ll post details of the deal when I have them. (I’ll be happy if it’s not gonna cost me a shit ton)

Pushing for a temp vehicle is probably still a good idea.

 

Just had mine replaced last week with Toyota glass.

 

Seems like I read that the windshield glass has to be Toyota OEM on 2022+ 4Runners due to all the safety sense stuff and cameras + calibration. Anyone know if that’s true?

 

^Doesn't have to be, but depending on quality of the aftermarket glass, there may be greater likelihood of lane departure alert malfunctions.

 

That would be REALLY bad deal. They owe him refund of the FULL purchase price for the original deal.

 

Yeah that's a deal I would not take haha

They are going to take the full purchase price of the 2021 and put it towards the 2024. So I believe I'll have to pay up a couple grand, which sucks but I'm thinking it'll make up for itself (at least partially) on the resale value when I get there.

 

I hope you over paid for the 21, and I’d start shopping the 24 and see what the best deal you can get is, and fight with them to match it

 

This is ridiculous. They are going to have to repair it prior to re-selling it anyway. Why not just take care of it for you and be done with it. They must be making a few thousand off the purchase of the new rig that will help them with the cost of the repair to the old rig; otherwise, this doesn't pencil.

 

Not only are the making money on the sale, it’s another unit sold on their numbers.

 

They can half-ass the repair and send it to auction.

 

That's exactly what they will do.

 

Maybe they'll offer @Ss1999 a 50% discount on a platinum extended warranty on the 2024, and make more money on the warranty than on the vehicle...

 

It's too expensive a vehicle for that. They won't receive enough at auction to make it pencil.

 

^It's 3 years old, no different than any other off-lease 4Runner

 

Sorry OP. This was why the truck was for sale. That dealership knew it too. Since its not an "act of god" it will increase your rates. Do not file a claim. Time to sell this truck and get another. That electrical rabbit hole is long and requires $$$$$$. IMO this will probably require representation if you talk to the GM and try to hold them accountable. You can certainly call them out and say their CPO process is utter crap and worthless. What dealership is this? We need to know so we can avoid this place!

I've been telling ppl for years CPO is complete bullshit. You still gotta check every piece of glass, you gotta look at tire codes, you gotta look up the vin on toyota owners app, shit ton of work when buying used! GL OP!

 

I need to replace my windshield on a 23 4runner TRD Pro. Nasty crack after someone pulled out in front of my on the interstate.

After the initial call where nationwide said they wouldn’t pay for OEM, I was able to send my claim to a highly rated independent shop who said they’ll have no issue getting OEM approved.

The problem is that the glass is back ordered everywhere, and Toyota apparently says that the 24 model uses different glass than 20-23….this seems fishy to me so I’m going to call Toyota directly.