This is great....had my xB for under a month, and as I am backing out this morning a huge L shaped crack on the windshield just appears in front of my rearview mirror. It made a popping sound, and I watched the thing form....I hear things hit all the time, which is a new experience for me, but there was nothing that could have caused this one....

I already know I can get it fixed for free at the dealer if it is a stress crack...but if there is a stronger windshield out there, I would gladly pay for a new one outside of the dealer to prevent this stupid crap from happening again. Seems to be a problem with 06 models mainly (granted the thing is almost vertical...) and really, really cheap glass.

back to my question though....anything you can do to strengthen the dealer windshield, or are there non OEM ones out there?

 

I just got a quote from safelite online...the going rate there is 550$, but a summer sale of 57% off makes it 220 something....would they install the same windshield that the dealer would?

also...is this more of a cheap glass issue, or the fact that the windshield is vertical?

 

from the countless threads about this issue, the consensus is that the more vertical positioning of our windshields contributes to the vulnerability of getting these cracks and pits, as there is less deflective trajectory when objects hit the windshield relative to other car windshields out there.
also, the glass the toyota uses on the xB's may be of a softer glass composition, as it is built as a city car with less focus on the windshield hardness.
thus, many people who opt to get the stock glass replacement sometimes end up getting it replace numerous times, while those who get Safelite or PPG glass replacements tend to have a longer lifetime.

 

I have used the "search" and done lots of reading of the dozens of old posts about cracked windshields on xB's on this forum.
Seems some people have had theirs replaced 2-3 times.
From what I have read - it seems mostly due to the steep angle of the windshield, though I can see how replacing with a Safelite or other higher quality glass *may* help the odds.

My question ....
I've had my xB about 3 weeks now.
I heard a a "pop" this weekend and got out and looked and sure enough I have a very small "pit" near the edge of my windshield.
I am VERY careful to stay waaaay back from any cars in front of me.
(and this is a good thing for me -- I was a horrible tailgater in my previous cars I am a refromed tailgate driver now - I stay way clear of any cars I can)

So, I don't know the properties of glass all that well.
Is this tiny, tiny little "pit" ..... likely to develope and turn into a huge cracked windshield ?
Am I gonna come out one day to see this little pit has zig-zaged its way into a crack across my windshield like Andewmham has found ?
The little pit drives me crazy - although it is so small no one else can see it.

 

I didnt even have a pit....but from the little I know, pits usually dont crack unless they are really bad. if you get one of those spider web looking hits, they usually splinter off...but then again my old Volvo S70 had a fantastically thick windshield, with a few pits that never cracked. Thats the only thing I dislike about the xB....the whole thing feels cheap (well, it is cheap...) you could knock on the windshield of my old volvo and just tell that it was thick as hell, and well made...the scions' feel like plate glass, I hate it...not just the windshield, but the side windows too. Most cars have windows that are curved, and it makes them feel stronger....getting the blowdry at a carwash scares the sh*t out of me.


the only reason I am keeping this car is because I like the look, I get 35+ mpg and it only costs 25$ to fill me tank...as opposed to the 60$ I would pay to fill my turbo guzzler up with premium.


Anyhow, I am stuck with a choice to make... Have the dealer replace it for a stress crack (free if they determine it wasnt hit, which it wasnt...)
or
Go to safelite and pay 220$ for one that might be better. I dont have long with the safelite price, because it says summer sale...

 

i have had my xb about a month and a half, and i am fearing the first windshield crack. Small price to pay to have such a beautiful car tho.

 

There are a few prices that go with it apparently....not just the windshield...The inside seems like a friggin dust magnet, EVERYWHERE there is lint, and dust etc...the dashboard is hard as all get out to clean because of the texture, the door plastic scuffs very easily....seats attract all sorts of stuff, highway noise, random rattles...you can hear everything in that car, especially things that hit the windshield or get kicked up into the tire well.

Its a tossup for me...I am pretty much stuck with it. Not saying I dont like it, I love it....it just kills me that they cant put a little more quality into the parts. Other than that, its an amazing car.

 

I had mine replace with a non original it cost me $280.00 .
since then no more cracks and sure i have recived serious hits.
and its stills holds.have replace for almost 9 months.

 

Thanks for the info back about the small pit in my windshield.
Much appreciated.

I don't know Andrewmham ..... If it were me I think I would go ahead and let the dealer replace for free this time if they will OK to replace it as a stress crack.
Save your $$ and *IF* you ever get another crack - then replace with Safelite or another quality glass.
I've seen them run sales at all times of the year on glass .... so don't let that be the only determining factor.
Free is even better right now.


About the interior dust magnet qualities of our xB's.
Yep .... totally agree.
Get yourself a "California Dash Duster".
They work great at picking up all the little bits of dust/lint/etc and only cost about $6.00-$7.00.
They are shaped to really get into all the little cubby's on the dash and pick up everything without scratching.
Here is a link to the California Dash Duster .... but I found mine for even less $$'s on the shelf at a local auto parts store.
http://calcarduster.com/dashduster.asp

They make larger ones that you can use to dust the exterior of your car too (great for darker colored paint).
But because the xB is small .... I just use the same small "dash duster" for both the interior and exterior of my xB. (just make sure to shake out any grime in the duster bewtween jobs)

I use it is remove the dust that seems to instantly attach to any dark colored paint .... keeps my Blue Onyx Pearl xB looking shiny + new between washes.
And also gets all the lint on the seats/dash too.
I keep mine under the front seat and use it pretty much daily.

i LOVE my xB !!

 

More great news for me...with the right sunlight now, and upon further investigation, I found a damn pit right at the top of the windshield in the black area....not even the size of a grain of sand, but I can feel it when I run my fingernail down the length of the crack. Looks like I will be going to safelite since the dealer feels it is necessary to charge me 400% more than it costs them...money whoring buzzards. I really think this should be put into a petition, or even a class action suit. On my volvo, there was a problem just like this (a far as the number of people having it) with the electronic throttle module- 1200$ worth of work, but after a suit it was covered under a new warranty for 200,000 miles or 10 years, regardless of the current owner. Got it fixed absolutely free, with better quality parts. It would seem, that if enough people stop brushing it off and fixing their windshields, and start complaining, they would want to do something to save their customer base. Fixing it on the next model is unacceptable also, which is the kind of crap I would expect a company to do (if they come out with a new xB) But in a class action suit, I would think that a recall would be issued, or any and all windshield problems would be covered under an extended accident warranty that covers things like stress cracks, and rocks. Windshields should be able to withstand things like that, Im not talking about someone closing their garage door on it and cracking the thing, but stuff like mine. The rock that hit it left such a tiny mark, Im sure it was the size of a friggin grain of sand...its bullcrap really.

 

Sorry to hear about your windshield, I have had mine about 7 months now, taken some pretty good hits from debris. Knock on wood, so far no cracks or pits. It IS a bunch of crap about them finding that pit, They should have just replaced the windshield as a Courtesy. Had you had it a year or even as long as 6 months, I could see them not wanting to do it.

 

yup.. our windshields are pit/chip magnets.... already had 1 replacement for 220ish... and will probably getting that replaced sooner than later as its got 3 chips and a leak somewhere

as for your dust problem tho... add the DIY cabin airfilter..or buy one for it.... behind your glove box.. you'll find a spot for one.. most likely empty

 

Yep, I forgot about mentioning adding a cabin filter to decrease the dust/lint problem.
Here is a recent DIY cabin filter thread that gives details on how to make one.
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...=inside+filter

I still shake my head that Toyota actually ships these cars with an EMPTY inside air filter tray. That's cheap !!
Anyway .....take a look >>> the filter tray behind your glove box is most likely empty (no filter) and that if you install one it will decrease the amount of dust.
They cost $20 bucks at the dealership .... or follow the DIY linked above to make one for waaay less $$.

 

If you are like me you will use Safelight. They have been out 3 times now to fix chips in the windshield. The last time the guy was out he told me that if I wasnt 100% with how the window looked they would replace it for the cost minus the amount of money I have already put into it, which is about 160.00 so a new one would be about 60 bucks or so now.

 

Safelite PPG glass.

serious hits. not even a chip yet.

 

I have been surprised at the high quality and good feel of everything about the xB. I have also noticed how fragile it is.

The body and every part is as light as it can be. You must be careful where you lift it, and it "totals" easily. This is what happens when you design a rather large car that can get over 35 mpg for $15,000.

Rather than cheap, I would call it well-designed for its purpose and price. If another 1,000 lbs, 500 cc and $5,000 could be added to the xB, it could be a solid little car.

 

1 year and 5 months 38,000 miles still going strong on the factory windshiels

Scott

 

well I found the chip... it is really really small, but I know that they would find it.
It is not in my line of sight, but knowing that it is there is making me INSANE....one I am ____ed off because I drive that thing very cautiously, and two I just hit 1500 miles today...[/i]

 

With the amount of darn issues everyones had, I wonder if they should put a darn recall on the windshield. Tc had it for their air deflectors changed from glass to plastic.

We need one for our darn windshields! Maybe we should just all call Scion customer support and let them know their OEM windshields suck and aren't safe.

 

Agreed....It would be nice if we could get something going with the site too, an online petition or something...couldnt hurt in the least, I think its worth a try.