Windshield Replacement from Hell - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Pipemajor · 05-07-2007, 12:07 AM

The wife's '92 Camry took another rock off the windshield and resulted in a prominent crack from the upper driver's side corner to compliment the chip which has adorned the original glass for nearly 15 years.

We still have glass coverage on the car so called insurance company for possible replacement. The glass guy came out and said he could repair the existing windshield but it was pretty badly pitted. He'd call our insurance to get authorization for replacement.

A new windshield was authorized and a week later the same guy (a rather young man) came to the house on the wife's day off. Once it was finished she got the warning not to drive it for 2 hours and not to wash it for 2 days. It sat in our garage for a couple of days then I took it in for a scheduled oil change and new tires. I could definitely hear the air rushing through at 40mph. She called the glass folks again and they sent the same young dude out to reseal the windshield. Another 2 day wait and no improvement. We didn't dare try to wash it since it was obviously still leaking air.

Glass folks sent a more mature technician out Saturday to pop the replacement off and put another new windshield in. That was the first opportunity for me to be home while they worked on it. It took him about 2 hours and when he left we got the same disclaimer not to drive it for another hour and don't run it through a car wash for 3 days. Ok, no problem - until I drove it later that evening. Very noticeable engine compartment noise and the wind noise is now even more pronounced than ever.

Tomorrow I will call them (our 4th call) and ask to speak to a manager. Up until now it's been the wife who has been doing the calling. I'm p*ssed and will let them know it.

Novice_cardude · 05-07-2007, 12:28 AM

I might be biased toward the technician, as I am one myself (not a glass tech, but still). Just explain what happened, that you're impatient, and the service has been unsatisfactory. If you act too much like you're pissed and nothing's going to satisfy you, then you're most likely going to get second-rate service. The young tech most probably missed something obvious, and the more expirienced trech, who has had more than one warranty repair, did a plaster mould don't-know-nothing-newbie-screwed-it-up repair.

Tell the person on the other end of the phone that you're not satisifed with the work thus far, you'd like a different technician to check it out, and emphasize that this is what, the 4th call you've had to make? That way they should (if they're a good company) do anything to keep your business.

Just a word of advice. If you keep calm, people will take you much more seriously. Good luck!

leasaunce · 05-07-2007, 01:24 AM

yesterday while i was driving back from the Airport, a rock, about the size of an Ink cartridge smashed into the windshield

Stupid TRUCK! luckily there was no damage.

ghettosled · 05-07-2007, 11:28 AM

are you sure you arent focusing more on the noises now than you did before you had the windshied replaced? ive never heard of anyone having so many problems. if it was me, after the 3 day no wash window, i would spray water all around and see if in fact it is leaking. then there really is a problem. a little water leaking in wont hurt anything.

Pipemajor · 05-07-2007, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghettosled

are you sure you arent focusing more on the noises now than you did before you had the windshied replaced? ive never heard of anyone having so many problems. if it was me, after the 3 day no wash window, i would spray water all around and see if in fact it is leaking. then there really is a problem. a little water leaking in wont hurt anything.

We've owned this vehicle for 15 years. I know every creak, groan and clack. No, I'm not imagining "new" noises. After the last try, the engine compartment sounds are MUCH louder. I've tried to close off the fresh air vents but makes no difference. At about 35mph we get the wind noises. It's definitely coming from in front of me when I drive.

And if I wanted water leaking in I'd drive with the moonroof open in the rain.

I'll call them in the morning and calmly discuss the issues with one of their managers. It's just a pain having to re-arrange our work schedules and jockying cars around to have them keep coming out to replace a windshield.

Pipemajor · 05-07-2007, 09:06 PM

Found the source of the increased engine noise. The rubber seal between the hood and firewall has been ripped off. The plastic pins are broken and they just laid it back down, hoping it would not be noticed.

Not sure why I still get the air leak noise. We'll see what they say when I call them tomorrow.

I really want to wash this car but they keep telling I can't for another 3 days, then another 3 days and another and...

Pipemajor · 05-10-2007, 06:40 PM

Finally. Fourth callback to the autoglass company and we agreed to take it to their shop where they could thoroughly inspect it, fix it and test drive it. They told me they were putting their best technician on the job.

I dropped it off and took a bus to my downtown office. The tech called just after lunch saying he had finished it. Yes, the 2nd replacement install was flawed as he found some leaks on the bottom side which would also be the source of louder sounds from the engine compartment. He popped that windshield out, installed a new one (replacement #3), let the adhesive cure for an hour or so then took it out on the street for a test drive. He said he was satisfied it was now done correctly.

I picked it up at 4:40 and noticed the engine noise was indeed back down to normal levels. On the short stretch of hiway where I got up to 55mph there was now very little wind noise. Temperature here in Minneapolis was 87º today so had the A/C on. I turned it off for a good listen. It passed my inspection and now sounds like any normal 15 year old car.

I plan on washing it and giving it a coat of wax this weekend.

EvoFire · 05-11-2007, 03:18 AM

Good to hear that it was sorted out.

davemac2 · 05-11-2007, 12:18 PM

That's too bad you went thru all that trouble. Sounds like the techs were inexperienced. To get a good seal on a windshield, cleanliness around the sealing area is very important. After the tech removes the windshield, they should thoroughly clean the pinch weld area of dirt. Then the existing polyurethane has to be cut down flat to expose fresh sealant. It should not be totally removed and no chemicals or hands should touch this freshly exposed sealant. When applying a new bead of sealant for the new windshield, it is VERY important that the caulking tip be cut using a 'V' about 3/4" tall and 1/2" wide on one side of the caulking tip. This allows the sealant to stand fairly high on the pinchweld so that when the new glass is seated, air bubbles and gaps are minimized. I have seen a lot of techs just cut a flat tip on the caulk tubes and lay a round bead down. Wrong! Watch them do your car next time and insist on these procedures. If proper installation is followed, you can still have problems with leaks because the pinchweld may be bent, corroded, or warped from a prior collision, and the glass just does not sit right, or the glass itself may be out of spec.

dave mc

marc780 · 05-14-2007, 07:38 AM

Quote:

That's too bad you went thru all that trouble. Sounds like the techs were inexperienced.

'inexperienced' or 'tards'?

Pipemajor · 05-14-2007, 08:53 AM

I did hand wash the car over the weekend. Did some waxing as well. No leaks from what I could see but the trim around the windshield doesn't fit snugly as it did prior to all of this.

dunhamrc · 03-06-2008, 06:19 PM

I consider water leaking into the passenger compartment a potential safety issue especially considering potential fog and or ice build up on the inside of the windshield creating dangerous - hazardous driving conditions ... ghettosled needs to re think his/her position

***Eye8Pussies*** · 03-06-2008, 08:07 PM

^ lol...good searching...but this thread is from almost a year ago, so I'm sure that the entire issue has been resolved...

as for what ghettosled said, I think he meant that it wouldn't be a problem to have a bit of water leak into the cabin if it can help show where the leaks were. he wasn't referring to letting it leak and forgetting about it

nukem678 · 03-06-2008, 11:15 PM

Man those rocks scare the shit out of me when they hit the windshield going like 70 on 95.

ghettosled · 03-13-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eye8Pussies

as for what ghettosled said, I think he meant that it wouldn't be a problem to have a bit of water leak into the cabin if it can help show where the leaks were. he wasn't referring to letting it leak and forgetting about it

exactly what i meant. im glad someone picked up on what i what i was trying to convey. thanks for the PM regarding my post as well.