I don't know about Tennessee (or California) but here in Washington State not only is the driver
responsible for damage cause by any of the load leaving their vehicle on the highway, but allowing
it to happen is subject to a moving violation and fine...

(So far I have only one small 'chip' near the top edge of my windshield over the last year, and the
3M paint protection film on the front-facing painted areas has protected the paint from damage
quite nicely.)

 

what about laminates?

 

What are laminates?

 

^^^what are laminates?

 

The windshield is already a laminate - laminated glass is required by federal law.

In the case of the windshield, the plastic layer is placed between two thin layers of glass since ANY
of the plastics scratch and mark much easier than glass does. If the plastic layer were put on the
outside, the wipers would scar it beyond usability in just a few uses.

Trust me, you don't really want a plastic coated windshield...

Currently that thin layer of glass on the outside of the windshield - less than an eighth of an inch
thick - is the best, longest lasting, most durable transparent material for the purpose. The only
even marginally better material, at least to prevent scratching, would be synthetic sapphire, but
even though a thin layer of sapphire would be more resistant to scratching and pitting, it will still
shatter in a spectacular manner when hit by a high-speed rock on the freeway.

(A sapphire windshield would also be a bit expensive... :D )

 

Well just to clear up the bug shield question, no it doesn't prevent cracks on the windshield. I've been rolling a bug shield for over a year to protect my hood since rocks seemed to be attracted to the portion of the hood hangin out front. Yes, the bugs were deflected because they are light and the shield created an updraft, but no not the rocks, too heavy and there have been numerous times i actually see rocks coming straight for the windshield from a trucks tire and it didn't get caught in any updraft but they were coming too fast to dodge.

Anyone, know any good shops that won't scratch your paint and do a good job replacing the windshield in socal area?

 

Yeah im in the same boat as yall. I got a rock chip the day after i bought my xb. i was ____ed. I went to get it fixed so that it wouldnt spread, but it did. But i realized that using the hot defroster caused it to crack. makes since that the dramatic change in temperature would make it crack. so if you dont want it it to spread i suggest using the defroster on cold or normal setting. since then ive gotten another big chip. also if the sun hits my windshield just right when driving, you can see little pits all of the windshield. i guess thats just something you have to live with when driving an xb

 

My box isn't even 2 years old and I'm going through my 2nd windshield already. The stock glass cracked last year and the replacement just cracked across from side to side last week. It all started with a chip, and then eventually over time spread. Now I'm going on my 3rd winshield. Kind of sad but it seems for now that's what I'm going to have to put up with untill they come out with stronger glass or some solution which I doubt. Either or I love the box enough to deal with it. I'm NY so I see alot of traffic and run into trucks all the time on the highway

 

Ouch guys! Afraid to post anything else since my car has been an accident, title, and paint issue since only Oct.

 

i am so mad i have had to replace my second windshield !!!i swear there is a defect here .the windshield start's to crack from the ruber seam .i love my xb gas mileage not what they say but still better then my 4runner .anyway back to the windshield now on my 3rd windshield and not happy the windshield has had no damage or anything like rock's hit it i am the only one who drive's it so i know nothing has hit it .the windshield just start's to break from the ruber seam and goes out from there both have broken in the same area the first from the ruber seam on the driver side and now on the passenger side right in the middle tward the bottom on each side . now how in the world could this happen twice .if anyone else has had this problem let me know because i don't know what to do i swear there is a defect and it's not fair that i have to replace the windshield again and i haven't even had the car a year and i plan on having this car for many year's to come i wonder how many windshield's i will have to put into it ?

 

So many xB owners are reporting cracks spreading across from chips, and even spreading across sponteneously, I wonder if the body could be flexing and stressing the glass. If so, perhaps the strut bars that stiffen the front of the body would reduce stress on the glass.

Has anybody with a strut bar experienced window cracks?

 

i have the same problem as you, i.e. windshield cracking from the rubber seam passenger side near the middle. this crack has nothing to do with rocks, everything to do with a design and/or factory installation flaw.

i think if we get a list of people together who have this problem, toyota will have to solve it, etc.

 

There is no rubber seam in the window. There is a rubber gasket around it. So these cracks are starting at the edge of the window under the gasket on the passenger side?

 

I've gotten 2 in mine on a year and 4 months....it sucks, but I will live with them until it cracks all the way across.

 

ONly 1 chip so far in 2 years - luckily Florida requires insurance companies to pay for the windshield at not cost to customers or their premiums, assuming it cracks

 

Add me to the list. I've owned my XB a week and a half. Went into the office and the windshield was fine. Left at 5 and I have the classic L shaped crack. Started at top middle of windshield.

No rocks, trees, squirrels or vandals involved. Just decided to crack. Plain and simple.

 

I guarrantee a small rock hit your windsheild and then the heat/cold difference between when the rock hit and you back out to yoru car caused it to crack.

a friend of mine got a rock on his way to a meet. no crack. about 5 hours later. crack was there.


on another note. my safelite replacement windsheild has taken more rocks hits than my stock one ever did and I have no cracks or chips in the current one .

 

Have literally only driven my car four miles each day to and from work. I do not live in a quarry and drive down the same two lanes every day. I drove the Ford Escort down the same street every day for 16 years and never got a rock, but DID get a golf ball that bounced off it one time.

I'd have noticed a rock/pebble because I'm short and drive with my face up IN the windshield. If I hadn't, my daughter would have. We are "all about " staring out that big old windshield right now. We like it, and have only driven in it a few times, as I only bought the 10 days ago.

No, if you read these posts, the L shaped spontaneous crack that starts mid window at the top is a recurring theme on Scion message boards and some blogs I've found. There is no indention or "strike point". At first I thought it was a long scratch. Starts right at the rim seam. Why it detours and makes an L is beyond me.

I'll give this factory replacement ONE shot. Then I might be emailing you about the industrial strength window replacement you got.

It's a SHAME. I sooooooooooooo love this car. But constant replacements of windsheilds (I've read posts from folks on their third one here) is kinda gonna take the "economy" out of the car. Don't ya think?

 

you don't need an indentatior or strike point.

i'm on 9 out of 10 scion boards and am online all day every day. i have the highest post count on sl as well as another site or two.


none have I read about a mystery crack. it's all from a tiny lil rock that you hear hit but don't see a chip. think it's all good and then a few hours or the next voila crack.

 

Well gee. Why is it that the thought that a "tiny little pebble" can take out multiple windshields, causing the same L shape like that (including mine) not such a "comforting thought"?

I love driving that car. It makes me HAPPY just to climb into it. But if I get on the third windshield in a year, driving the same four miles (well five if I go to the grocery store) a day I'll have to address it in SOME fashion, with somebody. I mean "sixteen years on the same route with no glass trouble vs - - --

I'll give the replacement window a try and see.