Windshield woes

[PMFTanx]

Well; 15 months of ownership and 19,000 miles. Last week was my third windshield replacement. Yesterday, apparently I picked up a tiny pebble and a chip and crack ensued. Hopefully Safelite and repair it, the drives to the SC are far too frequent.

Am I the only one? 3 (possibly 4) windshields in 15 months is CRAZY. I’ve replaced 1 in my life prior to this.

Has there been any scientific study as to the strength of this glass?

Once my insurance cuts me off, I’m going to have to get rid of the car I think. $4k in windshields is absurd, no?

 

[atlchamp]

Well; 15 months of ownership and 19,000 miles. Last week was my third windshield replacement. Yesterday, apparently I picked up a tiny pebble and a chip and crack ensued. Hopefully Safelite and repair it, the drives to the SC are far too frequent.

Am I the only one? 3 (possibly 4) windshields in 15 months is CRAZY. I’ve replaced 1 in my life prior to this.

Has there been any scientific study as to the strength of this glass?

I don’t have any cracks or chips in mine, but there are wavy distortions that are causing me to be dizzy and nauseous when I drive sometimes

 

[DesertEagle]

I don’t have any cracks or chips in mine, but there are wavy distortions that are causing me to be dizzy and nauseous when I drive sometimes

I had the same issue of distortion which was quite annoying. I added a 50% ceramic tint and it reduced that distortion considerably. It was an unexpected benefit of tinting.

 

[PMFTanx]

I also see distortion in mine. Luckily it’s on the passenger side. I just can’t justify continual replacement of these. Literally 5 days after the new one was installed there was a chip and crack. I don’t know how long insurance will continue to reimburse me and not looking forward to what my premiums will go up to.

 

[atlchamp]

I had the same issue of distortion which was quite annoying. I added a 50% ceramic tint and it reduced that distortion considerably. It was an unexpected benefit of tinting.

Does it make sense just tint the windshield instead of dealing with Tesla and possibly replacing it with another windshield at the store did? Do you remember what brand of tint film you used?

 

[PMFTanx]

Does it make sense just tint the windshield instead of dealing with Tesla and possibly replacing it with another windshield at the store did? Do you remember what brand of tint film you used?

How many windshields have you replaced?

 

[atlchamp]

How many windshields have you replaced?

None

 

[Fourdoor]

Strange for me, the Tesla is the only car I have owned in the last few years that I DIDN'T have to replace the windshield! Where I used to live, it is very common for rocks to be picked up in truck tire tread and flung at high speed, it is the luck of the draw weather you get hit, happened to me about once a year, some of my co-workers would just leave a cracked windshield because they knew that within a year after they replaced it they would get another crack. But my Tesla seems to be blessed, after 32,956 miles on my 2021 no cracks so far (knock on wood).

Keith

 

[alexcue]

I’m on my third one… Ugh

 

[DesertEagle]

Does it make sense just tint the windshield instead of dealing with Tesla and possibly replacing it with another windshield at the store did? Do you remember what brand of tint film you used?

I had LLumar IRX installed. The distortion is still there, but reduced to an acceptable level. I’d get Tesla to fix it if they can. I was just gonna deal with it.

 

[laservet]

Rocks + glass = broken windshield, it isn’t a Tesla issue, although some want to try to make it about Tesla. Human nature.

From a BMW site: "This is my 4th car and I've driven on these NYC highways all my life. Never had a cracked windshield before. Rocks or pebbles would just bounce off. Cant believe they're that sensitive."

MB site: "so to sum up... 6 months, 3 windshields. MB, the best or nothing."

Lexus: "Are Lexus windshields more prone to cracking than windshields on other cars? I've had my Lexus for less than a year and I need to have a third windshield replaced!"

Honda: "I had a Kia Rio for 2 years, NEVER cracked my windshield. I just bought a Honda HR-V, and I’ve cracked my window twice in a month. I’ve not moved, nothing has changed."

 

[PMFTanx]

Rocks + glass = broken windshield, it isn’t a Tesla issue, although some want to try to make it about Tesla. Human nature.

From a BMW site: "This is my 4th car and I've driven on these NYC highways all my life. Never had a cracked windshield before. Rocks or pebbles would just bounce off. Cant believe they're that sensitive."

MB site: "so to sum up... 6 months, 3 windshields. MB, the best or nothing."

Lexus: "Are Lexus windshields more prone to cracking than windshields on other cars? I've had my Lexus for less than a year and I need to have a third windshield replaced!"

Honda: "I had a Kia Rio for 2 years, NEVER cracked my windshield. I just bought a Honda HR-V, and I’ve cracked my window twice in a month. I’ve not moved, nothing has changed."

My example is anecdotal, for sure. But my 5 day old windshield that cracked two days ago has really got me wondering. It IS possible that the install, mfg and durability IS a Tesla problem. Just like it WAS a Subaru problem. I'm trying to see if there are any dots to connect here.

 

[Tonedog77]

mine broke last week car has just under 2k miles, massive rock first broken windshield in the past 15 years, nothing to do with tesla a bigger factor is the vertical degree of the windshield. Model y is a very upright car and the windshield follows those lines the more direct a rock can hit compared to hitting at a lower angle the better chance it will crack, if a rock hits a windshield thats a lower angle it would more like bounce off easier. the rock that hit me came from a car that was a good 8 car lengths in front of me

 

[Corndart]

Any current or former Jeep Wrangler owners here will feel your pain...

Zero experience with the glass protecting films but may be worth investigating.

 

[PMFTanx]

Any current or former Jeep Wrangler owners here will feel your pain...

Zero experience with the glass protecting films but may be worth investigating.

I’ve wondered if something like that exists. I’d be willing to try it, if so.

 

[PMFTanx]

In the forum I found some people mention C-Bond. I’ll try anything this point so I ordered a kit for $75 ($20 s/h)

 

[davraker]

Two replacements on MY in 20 months. 1 windshield broken over previous 40 years.

 

[Corndart]

 

[Navak]

Got my 2022 MY 7 seat end of June and immediately noticed a heavy glass distortion on the windshield (mid-left area of driver side, extending about 10-12 inches horizontally). Tesla agreed it was defective and replaced it under warranty. New windshield still has some distortion that annoys me. This is my 4th Tesla and I never seen glass distortion before.

Came across the article about how natural gas shortage in Europe effecting auto glass industry globally.
Could be glass manufactures changed their processes to cut the gas usage and glass quality went down?

 

[Pianewman]

2021 MYLR, 32k miles, 18months, several road trips. Zero broken windshield. I DID get a rock chip, directly in front of the driver, in the first 10 days. Curiously, I didn't jump to the conclusion that it was Tesla's fault.

Many cars in the past 50 years. A few windshield replacements, but never the auto manufacturer's fault. Operator error!