2018 Windshield Replacement

Hey guys, just thought I would share some pics and experience with Toyota on getting my 2018 Tacoma windshield replaced.
Since the 2018 has all the safety sensors and cameras I knew that it was going to be an expensive replacement, however I did not know what a task it would be to get done!

Firstly, since this is such a new vehicle my only option was to order direct from Toyota, but my dealer said that the windshield is unavailable. After being put on a waiting list for about 2 months I was finally notified it was being shipped and that it cost $700 dollars.

The windshield arrived with the molding pre-installed on the sides and unlucky for me it was done really poorly straight from the factory. It was like they completely skipped adhesive on one side and instead opted for double sided foam tape. Also, of course the dealership didn’t notice this and installed it. Now my brand new truck’s window looks like garbage, and the wind noise coming through the poorly attached molding is super annoying. The dealer is also saying there is nothing they can do about it as the molding goes around the edge of the glass is secured down and any attempt to redo would probably shatter the glass.

I am currently in talks direct with Toyota but don’t seem to be making much ground.

Picture below is the “good side” and how the molding should be.


This picture is the bad molding. Stuck together with crumpled up 3m tape.


Overall not satisfied with my $1000 windshield (including install cost) and not happy with Toyota’s customer service on the matter. So if you do break your Tacoma’s windshield be prepared to wait a LONGGGG time and hopefully you have better quality control than I did.

 

You're not going to like what you'll find out about Toyota and windshields these days unfortunately.

 

Stop complaining. At least is glass. Their houses are made from paper.
2020 models will have cellophane windshields.

 

Water leak test? If it leaks, you get it replaced!

 

I mean I'm going on my 3rd windshield in under 2 years so....

 

That's ugly!

 

So what is going on with the windshields? Cracking in the cold? The dealership still needs to be held accountable for factory quality. That excuse would certainly not fly with me. Not your issue that they shipped a part that likely failed OE inspections 'rejected!'. Interested to hear what Corporate says. Pics tell the whole story.

 

They're just significantly more fragile. I don't think it's mfg specific. I think in the last decade the quality accross the board has been lowered

 

No idea what happened with the windshield, I must have had a small rock chip. Went out after work and had a crack horizontally spanning halfway through the windshield and on the drive home it stretched to the entire length. Toyota should really have these windshields stocked and ready to ship.

 

Seriously! I had a 1995 BMW that a fist size rock hit and not even a chip.

 

This is my third Tacoma. Had an 06' and 11'. You know those dump trucks with the signs that said do no follow? My job was to follow them. I live in New England. I ride dirt bikes, snowboard , boat, do all the stuff in the woods. Never had a cracked windshield in my life.

Got this truck and my first windshield spontaneously combusted in the middle 15 minutes into a ride at 1am (3rd shift) with no one around. That was 6 months into owning the truck.

Just a few weeks ago I was driving down the highway with a mustang 200yards or so ahead of me and I got a rock chip right in the center. We were on the highway.

Bad glass. Nothing in my life or driving style has changed. Just the truck has.

 

what safety features are attached to the windshield? i heard the windshield is expensive from toyota so i got mine replaced from a mobile glass co for 300.

 

Your 2016 Tacoma doesn’t have the “Toyota sense”. There is a camera behind the rear view mirror on the 2018 that provides adaptation cruise control, lane departure warning, pre collision breaking. It makes the replacement much more expensive... maybe another reason to stick with a 2nd gen?

 

You can get 2016 and 2017 without them. 100% the reason why I bought my truck. Was warned about the techno Bs coming.

 

“I follow dump trucks that throw rocks up for a living, obviously my cracked windshield is not because of that...”

“I had a rock chip and it cracked...”

Are you effing kidding? Let’s all jump on the “Toyota quality sucks” bandwagon now. Get out of here with your crap.

Don’t follow dump trucks, you will get chips, stars, and cracks. If you do get a chip, have it drilled and sealed, or it WILL crack, just a matter of time. Chips, stars, and cracks are nothing new to windshields, so take care of yours and you won’t have to replace them.


OP, your new windshield sucks. Sorry. Take pictures. Lots of them. Start the claim process to get it replaced. They should. If you can hear wind, it’ll leak water too. If it’s gonna take a while, use silicon to seal it up. Butt ugly but better than getting water all up in your dash board and electronics. Just saying.

 

If you're going to attempt to crap on someone, try reading what the person wrote first. I clearly stated when the two windshields cracked. Neither were following dump trucks.

Also, the point of mentioning the places and conditions that I drive in was to set the notion that I a) know how to drive in traffic where crack happen
B) had drove on roads for years that have a higher rate of cracks also with no issue with my other trucks, or any vehicle I've owned for that matter.

And the rock chip? Yeah that mustang must have gone off roading with its MT tires and picked up all sorts of crap and then when I was 20x farther back from it than in normal commuting traffic, it beat invincible windshield.

Must have just been a coincidence that all my life I've driven in rough areas where I probably should have been getting cracks, yet the windshields held up. Yet in less than 6 months of owning a new truck I spider one with no one around and later in the year it cracks at something which came at it from incredibly far away, something other windshields I've had we're never affected by.

Or we can just ignore all the details.

And get out with the crap? Not even going to address it.

 

I’m not crapping on you. Just trying to shut down the complaints over nothing. You were behind a car on a highway. They don’t need to go off-roading in their mustang to pick up rocks, a pebble on the road + hot tire rolling over it at highway speed = just enough grab to throw it backwards in to the center of your windshield.

I’ve been driving for a long time. Only had a cracked windshield once. That was on my 91 4Runner many years ago. I’ve had 2 3rd gens, and been driving them since early 2016, never had a single issue with the windshield, and I frequently drive on rough roads.

Seems everyone that does have an issue with it has a story about how they got a chip, or were prying on the review mirror, or anything that would cause cracks in any other windshield. But then they go blame the manufacturer calling it low quality.

 

You're completely missing my point. My point is all the other windshields were put through situations that they were way way more likely to crack and didn't. Further more it's more probable than not they also took harders hits inevitable due to where the truck went for work, and they still didn't crack. Decades.

Within 17 months of owning this truck , in far easier driving ( I work 3rd shift on top of it so hardly ever see anyone on the road ) I spider one windshield and crack another one 4-5 months roughly. Was back around March or April when it was replaced first.

There's a legit argument with history and variables included. And you're argument is " psh shit happens, probably the driver, get off the crap on Toyota bandwagon" (ps Toyota doesn't actually make the windscreen).

Take whatever you want from it .I don't really care. And crap on Toyota bandwagon? I flat out said it's the mfgs of glass across the board that's suffering, aka not exclusive to Toyota these days.

 

Excuse my ignorance but I don't think Toyota makes windshields. The name of the actual manufacturer is right on the windshield. Someone should called/email them and open a case. They need to know this so they can fix the root of the problem quality etc, perhaps taking action and having a group from TW email them concerning this problem including pictures will make a difference moving forward.

 

I think it is Pilkington, but they may not have been the folks that installed the trim on the OPs windshield.

Regardless, the dealer should never have installed that window in that condition. The responsibility lies with the dealer / Toyota.