Windshields covered under warranty?

I am not sure how it would crack due to thermal expansion from a temperature swing that minor, unless there was already a crack on the glass (either impact or manufacturing). I have seen it happening to people who decide to get their cars washed in a heated car wash in a -20F day, but I dont think it can happen with an air temperature swing. I regularly drive the truck at -16F and park at a 70F garage. Whatever temperature swing you got at Denver would not be as extreme as that.

 

Yeah just don't be shocked if they deny it when you get there.


I had the same thing happen to mine about two months after I got my truck. Was sitting a parking spot after getting some food through a drive through with the truck off, and I could hear the glass contracting and it spidered right out.

 

First chip was in the black part of the windshield, right by the edge there. Could not be repaired.

The second chip grew so fast, i had no time to repair it.

Edit: maybe it has to do with the windshield being acoustic?

 

If there are no signs of a chip starting the crack it’s covered under warranty. I see none in your photo but your eyes will see better. Be forceful and contact Toyota corporate if needed, that’s a defective window if not caused by a chip. If the service manager says “not covered” ask why and tell him you’re going to contact Toyota corporate if no signs of a chip.
If a chip caused it contact your insurance company.
Too many people roll over for dealers.

 

I was told no glass under warranty, broken windshield on the lot, idiots, I didn’t buy.

 

Mine was replaced under warranty with no problem! But mine was very obvious that it wasn’t caused by a chip. If there is no signs of an impact/chip they should replace it.

 

There aren’t any chips. I’m sitting here now watching it grow. Not moving, so the only thing that is causing it to grow is thermal. I see this a lot on buildings, so you’d be surprised how much a 60° swing can do. I don’t think that was it entirely though. The windshield was most likely cold from sitting outside, and then the defroster hitting it caused it. Glass can handle some pretty temperature swings, but it’s more about being heated rapidly and unevenly. And since the crack started pretty close to the middle of the windshield, I’m guessing the hot defroster has something to do with it.

 

YOU: "My windshield cracked due to thermal expansion. I want it warrantied."
TOYOTA: "Prove it."

Point is, you can't prove it like you can with a rock chip. Toyota (or any manufacturer) will say "we build millions just like this and have no problems with windshields cracking on their own."

 

Without a chip I think Toyota would have a harder time proving it was caused by a chip.... you know, since there isn’t a chip.

 

Exactly. Gonna be hard for OP to prove there wasn’t a small chip etc that developed into the crack. Sure maybe no evident chip as of now but you can’t prove that the crack was not a progression of one or said imperfection due to daily driving. Been down this road before.

Have gone from -10 to 50 here in the wonderful Midwest without any issues. Betting there was a small something that started that crack not “thermal”, but he can get it covered under warranty by all means.

 

I feel like its usually the other way around with any denied warranty part. Toyota looks, denies citing so and so...then its up to the owner to prove it wasn't and you're usually SOL. Also I had a windshield replaced where it was hit by a rock on the highway, the crack lined up perfectly with the chip so if I didn't say anything you could never identify where it first started.

 

Its Colorado... I don't think theirs a windshield in the state that doesn't have any chips. Especially with how crappy modern glass is. Might have just be some tiny little spec of chip on the very edge. Wish you luck but I wouldn't hold your breath.

 

I can personally toyota doesn't cover broken windshields unless they caused it. I had a cement truck a lane over throw a large stone that nearly went through my front windshield. $400 later i had a new one only to go on a fishing trip a few weeks later and have a bungie cord snap from my rear bed with an end taking out the rear cab window. Bits of glass everywhere that caused me to remove all items in the extra cab so i could vacuum them up.

 

Not covered.

 

A cement truck throwing a giant rock through your windshield is a little different than the OPs story...

 

We had a TSB or tech note at Lexus that some of the GX470's windshields were cracking.
It would start at the perimeter and slowly travel inward. Don't know if it was temp related.

 

This ^ its all nice till you have to use the warranty,then the dealer laughs at you.

 

Yeah, a little like I said, I would have put my money on it not being covered, but we’ll see. I agree about Colorado, but I’ve actually been pretty lucky so far. Besides the tiny pits that you can only see driving into the sun, no chips yet.

 

Ya its night and day difference after living in AZ and now back to IL. I remember taking delivery of my new 2017 at the time and on the drive home, bam big old chip right dead center, every truck's windshield while living there looked like it had been sandblasted within a few months of ownership. Here in IL been lucky nothing yet on the 20.

 

Yeah, that seems to be the case all too often. I get that what is being said about Toyota “Making millions of them and this not happening”, but I also fix stuff for a living, so I am well aware that all manufacturers have defects. That is after all what the warranty is, coverage from manufacturers defects. Most people think it’s the free oil change, but that’s a service agreement, not a warranty. If a manufacturer honestly thought they could produce something without any defects, there probably wouldn’t be time limits on warranties. Just my thought process at least. But now I have to go replace a motor VFD that’s 2 months old because it failed.... good thing it’s a warranty issue I’ll keep everyone posted, I could see this going either way.