Replacing cracked windshield on my baby

August 8, 2023 9:24 AM

I got a weather-related horizontal crack in a 2023 Subaru a month after I purchased it. The dealership refuses to admit it was due to a defect with the glass, so I am just going to go ahead and get it replaced at this point because I am sick of driving around with it (plus, it finally split off in another direction, so it's getting extra annoying)

Am I making a mistake by taking it to Safelite this week and letting them replace the windshield and do recalibration vs. going through my dealership or a local shop that will order OEM Subaru glass, which will take 2 weeks?

Not worried about cost as much as I am worried about quality, so I guess I am hoping y'all can sell me on Safelite as being a great option that I won't regret.

posted by ttyn to Travel & Transportation (19 answers total)

Your insurance company should be covering the cost as a broken windshield is an enormous safety and liability hazard. Reach out to your agent and ask them what to do to get it fixed properly. I mean, I'd even hesitate to drive a car with a pinged windshield and you're talking about major spreading cracks? Please get it fixed right away!
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:27 AM on August 8, 2023

My insurance company is covering it. They don’t especially care who I get it repaired with so long as it’s one of their approved service providers, which safelite is.
posted by ttyn at 9:31 AM on August 8, 2023

I had a summer where I had two cracked windshields on my 2020 Outback. First one got done through the dealer (they sent it to a glass shop and then brought it back and did the recalibration), the second through Safelite. The first involved some delay to get the glass (not two weeks though) and I got a loaner car, the second I had to wait a few days for an appointment and had to stay at the shop (only car) but it only took a couple hours. Safelite did the recalibration, which was notably “off”, or at least different from the factory/dealer settings. (The automatic lane keeping wanted to put me in a slightly different part of the lane but nothing major.) It got fixed on my next normal service appointment.

Anyway my glass replacement deductible is now super low, and I’ll probably go through the dealer if I need to do it again.
posted by supercres at 9:39 AM on August 8, 2023

We've had windshield replacement and calibration done by Safelite twice with no apparent problems. (For the record, though, it was on a Mazda but I can't imagine that would make a difference.)
posted by DrGail at 9:42 AM on August 8, 2023

I used Safelite for front and rear windshield replacement (hail damage) on my 17 y/o Subaru. The job was OK (a little sloppy with the sealant) but no major problems. For such a new vehicle as yours, I think going with OEM glass would make sense- non OEM branded glass might raise questions (was this car in an accident, etc?) if you sell/trade in the car. I would also trust the dealer to calibrate the EyeSight system, and you won't be caught in the middle with the dealer pointing fingers at Safelite if there are problems with the system later.
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 9:46 AM on August 8, 2023

I've used Safelight for multiple Subarus with eyesight. All is well.
posted by rich at 10:04 AM on August 8, 2023

A podcast I listen to recently had a multi-episode saga about one of the hosts attempting to have a Volvo windshield with a heads up display replaced via Safelite. (After two attempts, the first being the wrong part, the second being a failed calibration, they gave up and got it done properly at the dealership.)

From the unofficial transcript:
Windshield Replacement
Follow-up: Windshield replacements

The follow-up has listener feedback that goes in two directions:
a) the dealership will probably outsource the replacement anyway (with a sidebar into Original Equipment vs Original Equipment Manufacturer vs Aftermarket)
b) Safelite has been going downhill

Calibration of sensor and display systems sounds like the main area where Safelite can let you down.
posted by zamboni at 10:04 AM on August 8, 2023

Just because your dealership refuses to treat it as a warranty issue does Subaru? I'd get in touch with the main customer service number for the manufacturer and ask. (I'd also likely try taking it to a different dealership but that's more of a commitment of time and resources.)
posted by sardonyx at 10:32 AM on August 8, 2023

I had a terrible experience with Safelite, and it seems like it's a franchised biz, so it might just have been my local place.
posted by Dashy at 10:43 AM on August 8, 2023

You insurance almost certainly won't cover the cost of what your dealer is going to charge, so deciding between the dealer and Safelite is a moot point anyway unless you want to pay out of pocket.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 11:31 AM on August 8, 2023

Safelite can do OEM glass if you call them! I got their glass once and it didn’t have the sun-blocking but behind the rear view mirror, which turned out to be incredibly aggravating.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 11:37 AM on August 8, 2023

If you want to dive in deep, there's a lot of discussion of this on the forums and on the Subaru subreddits, since supposedly the windshield glass is thinner due to the Eyesight and therefore cracks easily. But from what I've seen, the discussions exactly mirror what is being said here, with some people having poor Safelite experiences with calibration but most having fine experiences, and varying experiences with insurance and the dealer.
posted by Dip Flash at 11:40 AM on August 8, 2023

Safelite is expensive, when I had to replace side window many years ago. Local glass show was able to get an OEM window and installed that for roughly half the price.

If you are going to pay this out of pocket, call a couple local glass places and see what they say before going to Safelite.
posted by kschang at 11:51 AM on August 8, 2023

Had a lacrosse ball go through my front windshield within a minute of the practice then game starting. Had a new OEM windshield installed on site by Safelite before the end of the game. Nothing to calibrate, but my rearview mirror was always a little loose there after. Insurance paid 100%. I would go where the insurance will cover all (or more of) the costs.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:57 PM on August 8, 2023

I've never used Safelite, I just call around, and it's not expensive so I don't even involve insurance. My car also doesn't need anything calibrated, but it was a $50 line item at the last place I used. It only takes like 20 minutes to do it. The price is based on your vehicle, but my Honda done a few months ago was $350, and my Nissan a few years ago was less.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:15 PM on August 8, 2023

You are not making a mistake. I've got a 2017 Subaru Outback that is on its frikkin' fourth windshield. I used Safelite this time, because Subaru refuses to admit this is a problem. No problems. Note that my insurance (Amica) paid and the out of pocket was only $100. They calibrated + replaced the glass. All is well.
posted by jzb at 2:05 PM on August 8, 2023

Safelite replaced our Prius' rear window twice. The first replacement window was deformed such that large portions wouldn't make contact with the rear wiper blade. The second is better but, looking through it, the glass seems wavier than I remember the original being. I assume these were not OEM. I wish I'd known OEM was an option.
posted by mpark at 2:06 PM on August 8, 2023

Update for anyone who finds this and wonders what I decided.

I’m going with a Subaru dealership and OEM glass. This dealership (different from the one where I purchased my Subaru) was able to schedule me for Friday this week, so it seems I lucked out and they happen to have my glass in stock already, so no two week wait time.

Insurance (State Farm) is covering 100% of it.

Interestingly enough, the out of pocket price this dealership quoted me for OEM glass and recalibration (before I decided to go with insurance) was $350 cheaper than what safelite and 2 other auto glass shops quoted.

Fingers crossed the new windshield makes it longer than 100 miles without a spontaneous crack materializing!
posted by ttyn at 3:32 PM on August 8, 2023

The complexities of modern car electronics these days would steer me toward the dealer and OEM parts for a new-ish car. Yes, the dealer will charge more, but you won't have any issues with warranty if the related systems start to play up down the track, where the dealer will take any chance to lay the blame elsewhere if you don't use OEM parts. If you do get someone other than the dealer to do the install, insist on OEM parts.
posted by dg at 3:33 PM on August 8, 2023