My windshield received 3 chips from passing logging trucks last month while vacationing in pacific northwest. I contacted my insurance company who has farmed the repairs out to Safelite. Long story short, Safelite did not show up during the scheduled time and I coordinated with insurance company to have a local auto glass make the repair. Immediately on arrival the company said biggest chip would not be a totally transparent repair due to small cracking around edges but said that the repair would add some strength and should prevent further cracking so I proceeded with repair. I did not proceed with repairing the other minor chips thinking I would replace the windshield when I got home. Now going back and forth with insurance company who is implying that the auto glass company did faulty work and if I let Safelite do it it would not be a problem now.. My questions are what are others experiences dealing with windshield repairs or replacement? And should I insist on a Ford OEM windshield or would a Safelite replacement meet the same specifications as the OEM with regards with strength and acoustic properties?

 

as long as you specify carlite glass you are okay

 

I had a rock chip filled by Safelite and after the repair it was still visible and directly in my line of site so I had them replace the window. I did not ask for any special glass and as far as I could tell it was the same quality glass as the original. The issue came to the camera system. When they tried to calibrate the front camera they struggled with but eventually called me to say the truck was ready. They told me the issues they had with the cameras but that they had figured it out and everything was all set. About a mile down the road I got a warning on the dash about the camera and that adaptive cruse was not available. I drove it for a few more days and found that it wasn't just adaptive cruse but all cruse control and lane centering. I brought it to the dealer where I purchased the truck and they spent the next 9 weeks chasing the issue around the truck replacing wire harnesses, cameras(yes plural) , re programming the modules, etc... before they were able to fix it. They got all of the warnings to go away and it mostly worked but the lane centering was never quite right and blue cruse would try to center me in the middle of 2 lanes The truck was a lease so I ended up just dealing with it for a couple of months until my lease was up. In the end I wish I had just left the chip the way it was after being filled.

 

@MMBW

I have heard of this if a carlite glass isn't used

 

Be careful with safelite. After verifying the correct windshield with them, they attempted to install something else. Tell them you want to see the glass that is going in your truck before install.

 

What I did, and it may depend on your insurance company, is paid a glass installer to install Ford OEM glass that was purchased through the local dealership. I submitted his invoice to insurance and I had a check a few days later.

 

My insurance paid 100% to get a couple of chips repaired or I could have opted for a new windshield. $350 out of pocket for aftermarket, $500 for Ford . I don't recall who did the work but it was fine. 3 years later I have a couple more chips and they tell me that is too many to repair. I paid $350 for an aftermarket windshield. Thats been 3-4 years ago and I have no complaints.

 

They did the same with my mother.

 

I believe that a w/s replacement has to be Ford OEM because of all the gee whiz stuff like lane departure and cruise embedded in the glass. Safelite can secure and install OEM glass, and has the technicians and electronics to correctly calibrate the windshield. I’ve used Safelite for years and have been satisfied.