How bad is this windshield replacement?

Recently had my windshield replaced by the company my insurance wanted to go with. I went with OEM glass but I'm not too happy with the job.

Main concerns are that water is going to accumulate around the new windshield and it'll rust out. It also just visually looks pretty bad.

A few things:

1. Massive gap at the top of the windshield now, I realize this might just be unavoidable but wondering what other people think. Worries about water sitting up there.
   
2. Non OEM moulding on the left and right side of the windshield. Much smaller, and again will probably let more water flow right up next to the glass.
3. The cowl cover seals (left and right) dont line up with the body anymore, there's a significant gap. Any easy way to fix this?
   
4. Massive gaps at the top left and top right of the windshield

Mainly just wondering how screwed I am here and what other people would do. I've taken extremely good of this vehicle and was hoping it would last 20 years (LPS-3 and fluid film x 2 a year, wash regularly, overkill on maintenance)

 

Welcome, can you provide pictures?

 

Sorry, had selected the gallery and figured it would auto-attach. Pictures are there now! @PVT Pablo

 

It is OEM glass, I'm just wondering what I should do now. Go back and demand OEM mouldings around it, clean it up and re-align the cowling covers properly?

 

yeah those gaps are mile wide.. definitely going to have issues later on , plus it just doesn't look right ...

 

Completely agree with the above statement. OP, you should get them to replace the molding with oem ones.

 

I went back and talked to them. It looks like when they ordered the glass they assumed it came with all required mouldings, and when it didn't have the side mouldings and they already had the old windshield off, they went with their own aftermarket ones.

They've agreed to redo the job with the OEM mouldings. They're going to have to completely remove the windshield to install them.

They mentioned that the OEM glass comes with the top moulding already on the glass, and it flips over to the front. They mentioned this could get damaged when they remove the glass. They also mentioned there's a chance the glass could break.

Should I be concerned about anything else now that they're going to be removing the new OEM windshield to install the correct mouldings? I feel like now it's going to look good but something else is going to be wrong underneath... (maybe with the top moulding that they plan to re-use, or if damaged use an aftermarket one). Is it worth it for me to get them to order a completely new OEM windshield?

 

They made a bad decision and are responsible.

Sounds like they are accepting responsibility so far for their poor decision. Good.

Well, if it gets damaged they'll have to fix it. We've already established above that they are fixing a mistake THEY made.

Sounds like they're setting up excuses. For what? To explain a poor job with the re-do work? To justify additional charges?

You should NOT be concerned. They should.

Tell them something along the lines of: Sounds like replacement windshields can only be installed once given how the pre-installed molding works. I expect a perfect job, the some one I expected when you replaced it the first time but didn't get. Anything less, such as damaged top molding from you doing a reinstall with the same glass, will not be acceptable. Do whatever you need to do to deliver the job to an acceptable quality level. If that includes getting another oem windshield, then you'll have to do that.

I fucking hate excuse making companies who expect you help them fix their mistakes.

Jason

 

@jasonmcelroy the guy actually called me back, and he's saying there are no side mouldings and it's urethane adhesive. I'm not a window installation expert by any means. Any idea what needs to be done here, is it this interior seal that comes around to the outside to make it look like side mouldings?

https://parts.lakelandtoyota.com/p/TOYOTA_2022_4RUNNER/Windshield-Seal/4002284/5611735150.html

 

Since the replacement company was picked and paid by your insurance company, I'd quit dealing with the installation company and go back to your insurance company. I'd call them and say I have an expensive and well maintained vehicle, the guys you picked did an unacceptable job and I have no confidence they will make it right. I want to take the vehicle to a Toyota dealership and have it put back in the condition it was in before the windshield was damaged. The insurance company should be able to go back to the installer they picked and get a refund for whatever they paid because the installer likely gets a lot of business from them and wants to stay on their good side.

 

I'm no expert but that really does look like poor job. Hopefully they will step up and fix it properly or get it done at a different place.

 

Not acceptable and should be set right without any potential cost risk to the OP. Pretty cut and dry.

 

Wow, thats brutal.

 

Well, they've agreed to redo it. It looks like the Toyota diagrams for windshields don't show the side mouldings, which is why the place that replaced the windshield was confused and then decided to use aftermarket ones.

https://parts.toyota.com/a/Toyota_2...ANEL--WINDSHIELD-GLASS/671490-5553.html#56111

Apparently it was on some body diagram instead. I'll keep everyone here posted on how it goes!

 

When I replaced it on my 2015 LE I went to the dealership first. They wanted nothing to do with it. My insurance company farms Auto glass to Safelite. In my neck of the woods, Safelite is the bottom feeder to be avoided.

Long story/short, I got an Indy to do it and had to go with after market glass! OE glass was north of $1000. I need to get different insurance!

Good luck!

 

well my 1996 Impala of the windshield is the GM rubber sealer over the metal and the glass edge ...
Toyota runner is the gap of the glass and the metal ....
I was the runner up date the rubber tape sealer around the glass edge ...

 

OP, you should also check they connected the bottom (wipers) heated coils the right way and make sure they work as well. This is one thing they cut corners in a lot of shops.

 

Hope you get this fixed ok. Thanks, though, for the PSA - warning to others - take photos of the 'before'. Sometimes it's hard to remember exactly what you had before a repair.

 

I don't know about where you live but in Texas the insurance buzzards can't force you to go to their favorite shop, ("favorite" being insurance speak for cheap...).

Now, you're still bound by what the adjuster says the job is worth. So finding a quality shop for an insurance price might be difficult.

Lots of dealers contract w/ shops for body work. Around here it's the rule rather than the exception. But I've had dealer's contracted shops call the adjuster, explain why they need more dough and then have the increase approved. I'm sure it gets nixed sometimes too.

But it might be worth a try... No way would I let that first shop near my truck again if it can be avoided. Think about it. That job they did cleared their quality hurdle...

 

I went through this with my tacoma, dealership is the only one that got it right and its not cheap!

 

I’ll definitely check the wiper blades were connected properly, didn’t even think of that.

I also didn’t cheap out on this job, it came out to ~$1300 taxes in so I’m surprised it’s turned into such a mess.

 

Your installer wasted OEM glass with such piss poor work quality on trim. Have them redo it, ask for your location install and watch them in your driveway, make sure trim is cut to correct and full length. Often times they will offer generous refund, so you might have to decide whether to live with it for say $200-400 or demand them to invest in and properly install another OEM glass. G.L.

 

@MAXIM they seem to think they can re-use the glass when the fix it, and ordered a new top seal that usually comes on the glass.

Should I be concerned and push for new glass?

 

I went through my State Farm guy for a windshield replacement with a local company. The first one they put in made a lot of noise along the top when driving. I called S-F back and told him I wasn't happy, he handled a different install team (higher up in the company) with a different brand of glass. Problem solved, happy customer in the end.

 

Here is a list of Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) certified technicians. I would find a master tech and go with them.

https://agsc.org/technicians.php

 

I will confirm that the places I've used on that list have done a great job every time.

 

Is that list only USA? I'm in Canada @steelevo

 

I swear quality service is getting so hard to come by these days

 

yes the new years are smashing the windshield .... a small little rock then the spider cracks ..

 

That I’m not sure of. I’d give them a call and see if they have a Canadian list.