Windshield leaking after replacement

This has become such a major hassle. My windshield took a pebble on the highway and cracked so instead of going through Safelite I went to a local dealership, thinking that would be a better choice. The first they installed had bad distortion on the sides. The second one I just noticed is leaking on both sides. It’s usually parked in the garage and hasn’t been in the rain much since getting it replaced so this is the first I’ve noticed.
Just wanting some advice on how to handle this. Something simple has become this huge headache. The dealer says they’ll replace with a new one on Thursday but do I trust them to do it right or contact my insurance?

 

Sounds like you are going back to who installed the windshield.

Did your insurance pay for it or did you pay out of pocket?

 

Have your dealer, in good faith, send you to Safelite (or substitute your choice) for the replacement. That is what I would ask/demand.

 

I had to replace my windshield 3 times with SafeLite before I got an OEM one. The first two were non-OEM and had heavy distortion on the corners. The last one was OEM and was just right.

I would take it back Thursday and tell them you will be dumping water out of a waterbottle (emphasize this) onto the windshield after it is replaced. It should be rain/water RESISTANT 1-3 hrs. after installation, depending on which epoxy they use. They will tell you not to pressure wash it; this is not what you are doing. A windshield SHOULD BE water resistant once they give you back the keys. Otherwise, my truck would have had a puddle of water inside of it after my replacement (I live in Oregon where it's always raining).

If they say that they can't guarantee that it won't leak because of a waterbottle test, tell them you do not want to pick up your truck until they can guarantee it is waterproof (which it should be waterproof 100% after a epoxy kicks completely).

Also, make sure YOU write down the serial number for each windshield they give you. That way you can be sure they are not giving you the same one.

 

Is there anything I need to worry about as far as water damage inside the dash?

 

Ugh, this is exactly what I'm worried about with replacing my windshield. The first time i've ever cracked a window is of course on the brand new truck. Now, my insurance won't replace it with OEM even if i demand it.

So, i'm just driving around with a fat crack in the windshield. Probably not the best idea.

 

As a former auto glass installer, I knew of zero dealerships that installed glass. It was all subbed out. Are you sure the dealership did it or did they farm it out to someone?

 

Tell them about the safety features that mount to the windshield and how aftermarket glass can often cause issues with it that will result in having to put in another windshield or the safety feature failing causing a crash.

There are cameras in our trucks that mount to the windshield for some of the safety features.

 

Yeah, I did that already. They were pretty stern that the aftermarket glass is just as good and i'd have to get it installed and prove there was an issue before they would consider OEM glass.

 

yeag I’m pretty sure they sub it out but my contact was a guy who was a service advisor. He wanted to send the same guy out and I was like no, I’ll bring it directly to you. The installer was out to my house twice and was a jerk.

 

I've never had the windshield replaced on my Tacoma, but the safelite guy that replaced the windshield on my corolla was high AF. It never had any issues though. I'll probably take it in somewhere rather than using the mobile service next time I need a windshield replaced.

 

This was six months after I had it replaced;
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/leaking-onto-interior-electrics-behind-drivers-kickplate.744761/

I would take off the drivers kick panel and make sure nothing is soaked back there.

 

Just keep record of every single little imperfection in the glass: scratching, nicks, warping, light distortion, incorrect installation, overflowing epoxy, or faulty moulding. Literally anything you can show, go back and tell them about it. Complain that the piece of glass is causing visual impediments. Document the serial number of the glass. Make them redo it once, twice, three times. However many it takes for them to give up and say they'll order OEM.

I can tell you from firsthand experience the aftermarket glass is NOT the same. I don't care if they are made in the same factory, on the same day, at the same time. There is a reason they do not want to put OEM on your truck.

Before I left the first two times, I would sit in the driver's seat and the passenger's seat and carefully inspect every square inch of my windshield. Both times I was able to find abnormalities that caused light distortion and eventually got an OEM piece. Takes some time, and more visits that I wanted to, but at the end of the day, you go what you needed!

 

Yeah the second windshield had distortion in the upper corners, not nearly as bad as the first one but still annoying. The service guy *assured* me that this was normal and is apparent in all these (sounds like bs to me, never saw it on my original windshield). I guess I just have to keep on them until I don’t get a Fuyao or whatever Chinese aftermarket. At this point I’m just concerned with water intrusion.