Cracked windshield

My 2021 Tacoma has a cracked windshield.
I was gonna call safelite or one of those companies to replace it.
My rear view mirror has a big console looking thing attached to it.
Are there any issues I should be aware of?

photo attached.

thanks!

 

Aftermarket glass cost something like $550 while Toyota glass is wayyyyy more. Oh, there is also a calibration they will do that costs a couple hundred. I have Safelite glass in mine with the same camera built into it. I think it's fine. I'm not sure there is any difference.

Since your likely making an insurance claim, you could try to get them to use Toyota glass. There may be an additional waiting period.

 

I had my windshield replaced by Safelite about...7 months ago? The "big console" attached to it is your radar cruise control. Safelite will re calibrate everything for you. I'm very happy with how they did mine. I was in and out in under 3 hours. I opted for OEM glass, and yes...I'm sure I'll hear arguments that there is no such thing as OEM glass.

I don't give a shit, the other guys insurance paid for it, not me. I have had zero issues. No water leaking in, no air gaps or wind noise, no issues with the radar cruise control or safety systems.

The non OEM glass was about $700, and the OEM was $1600, I think?

 

You aren't the only one, 3rd gen glass is....
https://www.tacomaworld.com/search/16124339/?q=Windshield++cracked&t=post&o=date&c[title_only]=1

 

$1600?! I think ill ride around until the cops stop me for a cracked windshield!!

 

I posted a thread about my cracked windshield. I was wrong, it wasn't $1600, it was more like $1400.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/well…-a-broken-windshield-issue-resolved.764050/

 

Go to an actual auto glass shop instead of taking it in the ass dry from safelite.

 

This. Whatever you do, do not use Safelite. Use a reputable shop. My insurance company partners with them for glass claims- Safelite is the worst, and my insurance company sucks too. I have what should be good glass coverage, $0 deductible etc... but I still fought with them last year to get OEM glass via my dealership’s collision shop when I got a good sized crack in my windshield and needed replacement. The eventually took care of me, but it was a huge hassle.

This summer it happened again- a rock kicked up by a car I was driving behind caused another nasty crack. I wasn’t so lucky this time around with my insurance, they wouldn't cover OEM glass and I ended up at Safelite. Not only did they butcher my a-pillar trim and f up the cowl on the outside on the install, but the aftermarket glass that was used (Fuyao I think the brand was, complete crap) had a huge distortion in the upper passenger side corner. I ended up having to contact a regional vice president to get them to make it right, and even then they tried to stick me with another piece of shit aftermarket windshield with a similar distortion. The real cost difference between aftermarket shit glass and OEM is less than $150. Don't believe any of the bs pricing that you see relative to windshields- the listed prices are all way higher that the real cost.










I ended up getting OEM glass in the end, and new parts to replace the ones they hacked up, but it took a few weeks and a lot of grief. I'm seriously considering leaving my insurance company over this, but I'm not sure that any of the rest of my choices will be any better.

 

I've had three windshields replaced by Safelite in two locations. Zero problems. Must be your location man.

 

I had mine replaced by my favorite shop with 2018 oem glass on my 2021. That way I got the GoPro mount which I use for a dash cam. Same price.

 

The only issue I had with Safelite was the radar calibration. I had led bulbs in the halogen headlight housing. They assumed I had LED headlights. So that is what they calibrated too...not halogen headlights. Truck did not like that at all after 5 miles of driving. Took it right back. Talked to the guys in the back. We worked it out it was the LEDs throwing them off. Change to the halogen calibration and everything was fine. Otherwise no issues with sealing or the glass used.

 

Check your auto insurance policy to see if you have glass coverage. If so, they may pay for OEM replacement. If you are paying out of pocket, I would still go to a dedicated glass shop - the kind that has hanging photos of vintage and high-end cars they've done. All things equal, it's preferable to replace the glass in the controlled environment of a shop vs in your driveway IMHO.

 

I bought my truck new just over 6 years ago and had 4 spiderweb cracks from rocks and stones during the first year. The first two were repaired professionally and then I bought a cheap repair kit off the web for $11 and repaired the next two cracks. Finally, the fifth crack quickly expanded to over a foot long and forced me to get a new windshield. My research on the OEM, Safelight, Pilkington, and PPG revealed that PPG had the best reviews for the Tacoma at that time. I had my glass repair company install the PPG windshield and have never had a single spiderweb or crack in the last 5 years even thought there have been several stones and rocks that have hit it. It took a couple more days for my glass company to find the proper PPG windshield but it was definitely worth the wait. In well over 55 years of driving I have never had such a bad experience with an OEM windshield.

 

That’s entirely possible, but this was my second bad experience with them. I might just be unlucky…

The aftermarket glass issues were actually the ridiculous part in the end. After the first one bad one, I asked them to inspect the second windshield when it came in. I made sure to look at it myself when I dropped the truck off, and sure enough the second one was also distorted. They said they would have to look for a different aftermarket manufacturer and then order, and reschedule for another day. They had an OEM windshield on the rack, which was of course not distorted, so I made them put that one in.

 

Why are you guys crapping on aftermarket glass when our OEM glass is cracking like a cheap wine glass. I dont see the quality in OEM on this item. My OEM glass cracked just from some temperature changes. Its obviously crap from the get go, so why tout the OEM garbage?

 

haven't had any cracks but there is a ridiculous amount of pitting after only 15k miles. it's hard to see at night due to the glare. not impressed with the OEM glass.

 

This happened 4 years after a safelite window replacement. They scratched the hell out of the front window frame and just glued the new window back on. The rust was all around the window frame. (Sides, top, and bottom)

I’ll never use them again.

 

It’s not about the cracking- I would expect most standard windshields to crack when struck like mine was. The windshield is made of glass. Both times the windshield in my truck has cracked it was a big ass rock that did it.

I want my windshield to be clear when I look through it, not blurry from distortions baked into it by a manufacturer on the other side of the planet who doesn’t give shit about their product.

 

That’s what I use mine for