Windshield replacement - best plan? OEM vs. Aftermarket?

Over the super-cold snap the windshield on our 22 Limited cracked from one side to the other. Happened during sleet running the heated wiper (in-windshield heating element).

So.... now what to do....

Any thoughts on OEM vs. aftermarket? More specifically is aftermarket as good in all departments, other than the Toyota branding? FWIW, we have no plans to sell the car - maybe ever.

Thanks in advance!
Brad

 

OEM Toyota glass and TSS recalibration at Toyota Dealership.

In the past I used Safelite generic brand glass and not happy with it. Not strong enough for tiny chips you get hit on regular driving. OEM Toyota glass was more forgiving/ strong for those real tiny dirt/chips.

 

Thanks kmeeg. My insurance company is pushing hard for non-OEM via Safelite. I'm going to push back. My Toyota dealer subs out the OEM replacement to a shop in our area and they're hitting me at $920 for OEM. With a $500 deductible I guess I'll file the claim. Safelite wants to put in a Fuayo brand. Never heard of it, but I think it's probably Chinese.

 

I too would lean towards OEM with prior issues with aftermarket quality and clarity.

 

I just had the windshield in our 2021 SR5 Premium replaced after a rock cracked it. I had a local glass shop that I trust do the work. They also happened to be on the "approved" list with my insurance company. The insurance company wanted me to go with Safelite, but I insisted on OEM - and got it. Since I have full glass coverage, the entire $1,387 bill was covered, and the shop did an awesome job.

Interesting side note. When I arrived for my appointment, the shop told me their lead technician - who does all of the safety system calibrations - had called in sick. They wanted to know if I wanted to re-schedule the whole thing. I asked if they could install the glass and just let me live without the safety nannies until their guy got back to work - and they agreed. (I did have to sign a waiver.) Oddly enough, everything seemed to work perfectly for the two days it took before they could calibrate it. I doubt that would happen with a Chinese windshield.

I've also seen cheap aftermarket glass cause some pretty serious problems. We had a 3rd gen Tacoma come into the dealership I work at with all sorts of weird electrical issues. Our lead technician quickly traced the problems to a poorly installed and incredibly wavy aftermarket windshield that allowed water to leak down the A-pillar and wipe out the main wiring harness in the cab. The insurance company paid thousands of dollars to have us install a new harness. Then they had some fly by night glass installers come in and install another cheap aftermarket windshield. Words fail me.

 

I've used Safelite twice and had 0 issues. Not on the 4R.

 

I just found out that Fuayo builds OEM-branded windshields for pretty-much all the USA brands - Ford, Chevy... But - that's even more reason to go OEM IMHO... Toyotas, especially the ones built at home in Japan like the 4R, are just simply a cut above literally anything else in terms of quality. I'm going to push even harder for the OEM glass now. No kidding - my 1979 FJ40 still has the original windshield and it's still good.

 

Hmm. You might want to check and see if your 4Runner has windshield wiper de-icers, and then make sure your replacement glass accommodates them. I could see that as a detail that falls through the cracks (no pun intended.)

 

@Texoma-Brad

Here's a good documentary on Netflix that talks about Fuyao glass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m36QeKOJ2Fc

 

Yes. All 22' Limited 4WD's sold in the US and Canada have wiper deicers. Definitively will be watching for that.

 

The factory windshield on my ‘22 only made it 3 months, and in that time it picked up several small chips before a final one that cracked. At the moment I’m happier with the aftermarket replacement I have now.

 

Just replaced my six year old OEM that was way past it's prime for a while. Can't tell a difference so far. Certainly nice to not be looking through what looked like the surface of the moon.

Price out the door was $471

 

Where did you get the Fuayo glass? Knowing that I’m likely gonna need new glass at some point, I’d like to get my ducks in a row. My insurance doesn’t do OEM.

 

I went to a local glass shop, didn't ask for it or make any special requests. Just happened to look at the label when I left.

 

In 2017...

 

In all my decades of driving. Never had a glass crack once. Rock Chips - Yes
Something must not be right with the T4R windshield heating elements

 

I suspect it’s more a problem of combinations of the extremes with the wiper heater cracking the glass- very cold outside air, hitting the glass with the defroster inside, and heat ON the glass with the wiper heater.

Three separate “temperatures” forcing the glass to expand/contract at different rates. And POP it goes.

 

Hmmm....
In that case, it should be a Toyota warranty claim under 3yr/36K mile. Right
Not Insurance claim.

 

I agree with the heating element point. I will not be using this feature again. While using it a quarter size chunk of glass ejected itself causing the need for a new windshield.

 

Whatever route you go with, make sure installer puts it in straight. Safelite installed mine crooked (5 mm gap on left roof edge an 7 mm on right) as well as weatherstrip on passenger side pillar is 2 piece with gap in the middle which creates noises when raining. I got partial refund for my troubles and can live with that but next time I'm getting install at my house and will make sure it is done right. Fuyao is the glass they use and seems to be well made sans weird name.

 

Had to have my wife’s Sienna windshield replaced due to a rock. Debated back and forth, Safelight or OEM. Ended up going with our Toyota dealership. Don’t think it really matters either way. It’s only as good as the person doing the job!
Ended up having to take it back to the dealership to be re-done. Leaked water every time it rained, caused lots of alarms on the dash. You name it, it was lit up. Oh, and that stagnant water smell, yeah that was the best part.

 

Cant win either way. It seems.
Was the work done by a service tech or an outside mobile contactor onsite.

 

Most dealerships do not have their own people do glass work - except maybe side / door windows which are fairly easy to replace. Windshields take specialized knowledge and tools - and you don't do them very often. It just makes more sense to have a professional come it. That's what we do where I work.

 

Toyota dealership we deal with has their body shop do all glass work. Same body shop also takes care of all their other dealerships. ie. Honda, Ford, Chevy, BMW, etc.

 

Fwiw, I’ve owned all my vehicles, my vehicle was manufactured with, and insured with oem glass, so that’s how I want it repaired. I’ve locked horns with my insurance company over this, and on every occasion, I get oem replacement.

 

Go with OEM Toyota glass and use an Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) certified technician. It does make a difference what glass you use and what installer you use.

 

I was literally getting ready to post this. Most aftermarket glass especially at the lower price points do not have the elements. We had aftermarket glass installed without the elements and I haven't missed them but some people might use them more then I do.

 

OK, I hope this post is in the best possible thread. Just a heads up, multiple Southern California dealerships wanted over $2,000 for my 2020 TRD Off-Road for not only the glass, but the calibration and labor as well.

You can buy the OEM glass retail for about $520 (PARTS.TOYOTA.COM selecting Longo Toyota in LA).

I had to put up a battle with my insurance company, American Family, that wanted to direct me to their sister company, Safelite, and pay out a maximum of $535.

One attached file was used to state my case for OEM glass and a dealership installation and calibration. The other file is the part number that I used for reference and the price from Longo.

I also highly recommend that you get a quote on the lowest possible deductible on your comprehensive coverage. My deductible is grandfathered in at $50. Connect insurance by AmFam is now at $100. The cost shouldn't be too great and the savings of $450 on this one glass claim will save me 37 years of the rate difference calculated at today's premium rates. ($1 a month more per car.)

Without writing an additional three paragraphs, even if you don't have full coverage with Collision included, some insurance companies will allow you to have comprehensive. Comprehensive coverage takes care of stuff like vandalism, theft, glass claims, stuff that you really don't have control over. Just don't swerve to avoid hitting an animal. As soon as you swerve, you hit a rock, it's a collision. If you hit a deer, and it's run in front of you, that is a comprehensive claim. If the tree is falling, it's a comprehensive claim. If the deer or the tree is already laying in the middle of the road, that's a collision.

Anything with the optical system from Toyota can use the service bulletin to prove your case. While it is not a new thing, as claims increase comprehensive coverage will get more expensive for cars with the pre-collision/lane departure stuff.

Safelite advertises that they can do calibration. Two Southern California Toyota Collision centers with whom I have relationships with estimators both said that they get a lot of work trying to fix calibration problems after Safelite has done a windshield repair. Thing is, they will not do a calibration if it is not OEM glass. I guess they had done it in the past, just didn't warranty it. Now, at least two places won't do it because they don't want the problems of an unhappy customer.

I like to share work that I have put a lot of hours into learning about. Please drop me a message if this saves you a buck or helps you out; I would like to hear of some real world help that I have given. Thank you.

An after note: The dealership bought the car back after my list of safety and condition concerns and a week in their shop led them to call it a day. They said they'd auction it off, but they're selling it in their website.

I did more to recondition the car than they did. Hours of ozone generation because it smelled like an ashtray, differential and transfer case fluid changes, etc...

 

Are you guys saying the heating element embedded in the windshield to de-ice may cause the glass to break? I’ll admit, it’s a feature I don’t need and have never had. But if I had ice on the windshield I would use it unless there is a known problem. Anyone on here successfully used it without causing a problem with the windshield?

 

I have used it many times. No problems at all. If the glass has been compromised in any way, heat changes could cause cracking. A simple stone chip, even a small one could be an issue. I'm not talking about typical pitting of a windshield I'm talking something that is 3 mm big could spread.