2003 4Runner- Cracked Windshield

A few years back, I had the windshield replaced in my '96 4Runner for around $600. Best to get a quote from a glass shop, though...

If it's a small star or shell, and not a long crack, it can probably be repaired. Unless it's in the driver's field of view--then by law, the windshield will have to be replaced.

No....But it is covered under your Comprehensive coverage (minus your deductible). Contact your insurance company.

--Dan

Most insurance (State Farm) cover it under their policy with no deductible. It doesn't affect your good driver discount either. Its strange when you call a glass place to replace it -- if you say you are paying its $200 but if you say insurance is covering it then its $5-600! Call your insurance company and find out what their poilicy is.

I was just thinking about that. I had the windshield replaced on my '88 pickup. I didn't check insurance, just went to the glass place. They charged me $125.00 total...

Tom - Vista, CA

It seems to me that stepping on a rock is just as unavoidable as an accident, so liability for it should be similar.

What would be the reponsibility (legally) of the vehicle that kicked the rock? Shouldn't their insurance company bear the repair cost?

--Ibrahim

Unless its an uncovered dump truck hauling stones (and your state requires it to be covered) you'd be hard pressed to prove it came from a particular vehicle. I got hit by a stone thrown up by crew mowing grass on a Military Post --- no cars were even around - yup, I ended up paying for repair.

In news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, Ibrahim being of bellicose mind posted:

Stepping is a more deliberate, agile, and at slower speed than guiding a four wheeled motor vehicle. Ever hear of "side-stepping?" What's the motor vehicle equivalent? Your premise of avoiding a rock ... biped vs motor vehicle, is fallacious as is your belief in who, if anyone, is liable. You take risks driving a vehicle. Flying rocks is one of them.

Warranty pick up the tab? Idiot! Or, maybe a fu**in' lawyer!

Yeah, right, go track down the offending vehicle! You gotta' be kidding!

Interestingly enough... I bought a 2003 Tacoma DC in late September. On I-95 in South Carolina an oversize load carrying a large boat up from South Florida passed me going 75mph and kicked up something that put a 4" crack in my 3 weeks old windshield. We got the phone numbers of the trucking company and the escort called them all and talked to the saftey hotline at the trucking company, Teton Transportaion out of Tennessee. I thought they might at least cover the $275 windshield in good faith or good PR. Nada. The SC higway patrol even wrote up the inclident and just listed it as "road debris".

I'm still smarting from a 3 week old truck getting a cracked windshield. :-(

Oh well.

JBA

If it was kicked up on the road, no one should be responsible for it except for the owner as that's accidental. If say a gravel truck you were following at a safe distance hit a bump and dropped a big rock through your windshield into the passenger seat because their load was not covered properly, and you got their plate # and the # of the company they work for, then sure, you can push the issue. Happened to my husband and the gravel company asked for proof, so he took photos of the fist sized rock sitting on his front seat with glass all around it. With a little argument, they paid the bill in full. Other windshield chips we've had were covered by our insurance company. We've had three chips fixed, (the current two vehicles chipped on the same day we bought them, funny enough,) with no adverse effect on our insurance rates.

I could see maybe if someone had severely mud-caked tires and a dried mud clod came off and damaged your car, pushing for them to pay for the damage, since it was avoidable (they should have washed it off.) Expect a lot of argument and wasted time.

Warranties are for defects, and unless the glass just broke with no outside help, it's not defective. "Warranty: n. A guarantee given to the purchaser by a company stating that a product is reliable and free from known defects and that the seller will, without charge, repair or replace defective parts within a given time limit and under certain conditions." If you cause the damage via improper care, accident, or someone else's vandalism, it's not the manufacturers fault.

-- Dee

Note: please remove all pre-flight tags before replying via email.

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That is why everyone should be armed on the highway.

Like Clint Eastwood...we could just have instant justice...

Scott in Florida

I'd tell anyone who came after me for that to f. off and see them in court.

Ouch.

The answer is, it depends.

If the crack is shorter than 1-2ft long, you can generally have it repaired unless it is an edge crack. If it hit the edge of the glass, or is longer than 2ft (absolute max), it's a goner. I think there is also a stipulation that the repair must not be in the driver's direct line of forward vision.

The catch is, for a good repair, you need to get it done *NOW*, before weather and dirt has time to collect.

If you are insured with AAA, they will cover it under your comprehensive and waive the deductible IF it can be repaired and IF the gasket does not have to be replaced (IE, glass remains in the vehicle).

If it can't be repaired, then all it will cost you is your comprehensive deductible. Put in a claim for it.

I think I lost my Tundra's in 8 months. I do about 50k/year, mostly highway, so I'm ALWAYS getting beaned. I wait until I'm stopped for a DUI profile, when the officer uses the crack as the excuse for the stop-and-talk... I tell him it just happened and I'll take care of it, which I then DO the next day.

--- Rich

If it is a gravel truck or concrete mixer from one of the larger companies like Granite or Redi-Mix, all you need to do is give them the truck number, date/time/location (they will verify), and they'll cover it without a problem.

--- Rich

Just get good quality glass to replace it, none of that made is china shuff. I had some cheap chineese glass replaced, few months later went to squash a bug on the inside of my windshield - craked the damn glass with my hand!