New windscreen fitted - Model 3.

[Mr Miserable]

So last week my windscreen cracked. I’m not sure why because I couldn't find an impact mark but the heatwave can’t have helped. My insurer, LV.com use Autoglass and so I booked an appointment online at a convenient local fitting centre in 2 days time. Easy.

Next morning I received a phone call from Autoglass telling me that because it’s a Tesla I would have to go to a specialist centre to have the windscreen fitted. We booked an appointment for last Friday once we determined the nearest one. In my case, it was going to be Southampton. OK, fair enough.

Next day I received an email telling me that since Autoglass don’t have the software required to calibrate the cameras I would need to take my car to a Tesla Service Centre afterwards to have them calibrated, at Autoglass’s (or LV.com) expense. Mr Miserable is becoming Mr Grumpy.

I decided to book the Service Centre first using the app and then arrange the Autoglass appointment around it. The availability of Service Centre appointments for camera calibration varied - I tried Brooklands, Bristol and West Drayton which are all equally inconvenient but West Drayton came up trumps with a 15:30 appointment available today (Monday). I then went back to Autoglass and they found me a 10:00 appointment at their specialist centre in Southampton. I did ask for one closer to West Drayton but Southampton was it. They say they need 3 hours for the job. Autoglass took details of my Tesla appointment so they could coordinate the bill with Tesla.

Anyway, dropped off at Autoglass this morning and the car was ready for pickup within 2 hours. A genuine Tesla windscreen had been fitted. On the drive to West Drayton, the AP appeared to work as before with no visible change to road position. At West Drayton the calibration was done within an hour. Driving home I had a flashback to collection day because the cameras needed about 6 miles to recalibrate (didn’t I just have that done?). Once recalibrated, normal service resumed.

I did wonder whether I actually needed to go to the specialist centre if they didn’t have the software but as it turned out I’m glad I did because the windscreen fitter was clearly familiar with the Model 3, which was reassuring. I’m not sure what Tesla actually did and whether it was worth it but, if nothing else, it was nice to watch a steady stream of folk taking delivery of their new cars. Transporters were still arriving from Southampton as I was leaving.

I’ve had new windscreens fitted on other cars and they were always done by mobile fitters who pitched up at either my home or at work and so it was a painless and quick process. I lost a day today solely because it was a Tesla.

 

[Medved_77]

Hopefully it'll be less of a pain in a few weeks time as the next update allows you to reset the camera calibration yourself from the service menu.

 

[Mr Miserable]

Will I be able to send Autoglass a bill for calibration then?

 

[Medved_77]

Will I be able to send Autoglass a bill for calibration then?

Not this time unfortunately but fingers crossed it'll be possible for you the next time you replace your windshield

 

[LongRanger]

Did you get the obligatory stone chip in new windscreen on way home or saving that for tomorrow .... ?

 

[NewbieT]

There’s probably a ‘physical’ calibration (focus/pitch/yaw/roll) and then a ‘software’ calibration (correlate pixels to known lengths & distances). The former probably involves a laptop and some targets (like the end of the production line), the later a simple reset & 6 miles. Not hard but important. The computer must compare known lengths/sizes for certain things the with what the camera sees and then set some adjustments / offsets for each car setup.

It’s all about perspective. Made up numbers but to illustrate the need: Imagine a 0.05mm difference in camera angle could equate to say 20 meter difference 800m down the road. It might be the difference between the car thinking the car in front is braking fast or very fast.

 

[Medved_77]

There’s probably a ‘physical’ calibration (focus/pitch/yaw/roll) and then a ‘software’ calibration (correlate pixels to known lengths & distances). The former probably involves a laptop and some targets (like the end of the production line), the later a simple reset & 6 miles. Not hard but important. The computer must compare known lengths/sizes for certain things the with what the camera sees and then set some adjustments / offsets for each car setup.

It’s all about perspective. Made up numbers but to illustrate the need: Imagine a 0.05mm difference in camera angle could equate to say 20 meter difference 800m down the road. It might be the difference between the car thinking the car in front is braking fast or very fast.

I suspected that too initially but now I'm not sure, mostly due to this:

Tesla windscreen replacement

The above article is quite recent and discusses the calibration requirement and doesn't mention the need to visit Tesla.

 

[NewbieT]

Interesting. In which case the SC visit will become a thing of the past.

Tesla Model 3 Front Windshield Autopilot Triple Cam Camera Assembly 1143746-00-B | eBay

Camera gimbal does look to have at least a yaw adjustment. Maybe if it’s just being unbolted / re-bolted to the windscreen and as long as the yaw doesn’t get changed it might just be fine 99% of the time.

 

[AndrewGR]

Autoglass replaced my windscreen at home. After checking their systems they said recalibration would be automatic. I wasn’t aware of it happening on my next drive and AP worked at least as well as before. They seemed to do a good job although a couple of weeks later I noticed the headlining was hanging down a bit where the interior lights are. One phone call and they made an appointment to come back. All sorted in a couple of minutes.

 

[adsheff]

Reassuring to read the comments here. I had a 2cm crack from a stone, and Autoglass are coming to my house to repair it this week. But I was a bit concerned if they had to replace - with it being a Tesla if there was some specialist gubbins going on and if it would be better at a Tesla Service Centre than with Autoglass. Seem they've got it covered.

With regard to the long drive / day off required to go to Tesla Service Centre - I think this is the pact we sign up to when buying a Tesla. We know they only have a few locations, so just have to make the most of it. Stick a bike in the boot and have a nice ride while they fiddle with your car.

 

[Rustybkts]

Did you get the obligatory stone chip in new windscreen on way home or saving that for tomorrow .... ?

Received that one on my way home from picking the car up! Three chips where the rock hit. I thought one of the screens had split as it hit with a bang!
Do the windscreen guys repair chips or is it only cracks they come out to repair as a freebie?

 

[LukeUK]

Did you get the quite common paint scratch to the trailing edge of the bonnet?

Birmingham SC changed by windscreen as it had a light scratch across it at collection. Hardly noticeable really, but it was there.

They changed the screen, and in doing so, scratched the paint off the drivers side of the rear edge of the bonnet. Far more noticeable than the the windscreen scratch that they were attempting to fix in the first place.

Reading on here, it's quite a common issue, when the windscreen is replaced.

 

[AndrewGR]

No scratches from Autoglass for me. I think they were pretty careful.

 

[JIBYC]

Does anyone know where the glass product code is? Autoglass won't take any of the numbers from the nearside lower corner.

 

[Medved_77]

Does anyone know where the glass product code is? Autoglass won't take any of the numbers from the nearside lower corner.

Odd that they require this, I wasn't asked for it when AG changed my windscreen.

Anyway, they're probably referring to the part number in the Tesla catalogue:

https://epc.tesla.com/#/catalogs

 

[JIBYC]

Odd that they require this, I wasn't asked for it when AG changed my windscreen.

Anyway, they're probably referring to the part number in the Tesla catalogue:

https://epc.tesla.com/#/catalogs

Thanks.

I actually tracked down the part number and called back with it, only to be told I didn't need it...

 

[GRiLLA]

To update this thread with my experience. Over the weekend a stonechip in the windscreen which I had botched a repair of grew into a long crack, contacted Autoglass through Churchill insurance. They called me back on Monday, and offered to come fit it on my drive the next day, today. The fitter had done several Model 3's before, 2 windscreens and a roof last week apparently. He made sure to show me how the factory screen was fitted with a slight height difference between glass and roof etc. He did ask if it had been suggested I go to a fitting centre, which it hadn't. Another van turned up after a while as it's a 2 man job apparently to lift the glass. All looks good, he asked me to book an appointment with Tesla to recalibrate (he thinks they are getting the software to do it themselves soon).
Tesla app offered me a mobile technician on Friday by default, within half an hour that was changed for an appointment at West Drayton at the same time on Friday.

All very easy so far, can't see any issues with what they fitted, if anything the height is closer matched to the roof panel.

 

[impee]

3 weeks I got a chip on my car so I called Direct Line who told me to call their AutoGlass number. I spoke to them and said I wanted an original Telsa windscreen and they said they don't fit original windscreens and said if I wanted one I would have to pay the cost difference, I agreed.

That was 3 weeks ago, I called them last week to check what the delay is, and I was told its still with the quotes dept. I don't mind the wait as more this screen gets used, the better, but I don't want to hit a pot hole and the 3cm crack becomes 30cms!

Lets see how things go and what the actual price difference will be

 

[Tiger]

3 weeks I got a chip on my car so I called Direct Line who told me to call their AutoGlass number. I spoke to them and said I wanted an original Telsa windscreen and they said they don't fit original windscreens and said if I wanted one I would have to pay the cost difference, I agreed.

That was 3 weeks ago, I called them last week to check what the delay is, and I was told its still with the quotes dept. I don't mind the wait as more this screen gets used, the better, but I don't want to hit a pot hole and the 3cm crack becomes 30cms!

Lets see how things go and what the actual price difference will be

Tesla does not make their own original windscreens so that's going to be a long wait ...

 

[Medved_77]

3 weeks I got a chip on my car so I called Direct Line who told me to call their AutoGlass number. I spoke to them and said I wanted an original Telsa windscreen and they said they don't fit original windscreens and said if I wanted one I would have to pay the cost difference, I agreed.

That was 3 weeks ago, I called them last week to check what the delay is, and I was told its still with the quotes dept. I don't mind the wait as more this screen gets used, the better, but I don't want to hit a pot hole and the 3cm crack becomes 30cms!

Lets see how things go and what the actual price difference will be

I had a Windscreen replaced via Autoglass whilst with Direct Line and it came with the Tesla logo on it.

Didn't ask for anything special and didn't pay anymore than the excess.