Quick back-story here:

I bought a brand new 2013 STX 4x4 S-cab a couple of weeks ago. The second day I had it, I happened to be driving at night and noticed a fairly decent sized scratch in in the upper left hand corner of the windshield. It was mainly visible when I drove under a streetlight, but once I had seen it, and knew where it was, I could easily see it during the day as well. I called the dealer the next morning, told them about it, and asked them to take care of it. They hemmed and hawed a little bit, said they needed to see if Ford would cover the replacement.

Fast forward to the following week, they finally call back and say that Ford isn't going to cover it, but they will, if I insist that it be replaced. They go on to say that it's going to cost them several hundred dollars out of their pockets, and offer me a 3 year maintenance package if I'm willing to live with it. Being that it's a brand new truck, and the scratch is actually fairly distracting at night, I kindly requested that they replace the windshield.

I brought the truck to the dealership yesterday, they replaced the windshield, and I went to pick it back up after work. When I went out to look at it, I noticed that while it was a Ford branded window, there was no "SoundScreen" logo in the bottom drivers side corner, as there was with my stock windshield. When I asked the body shop manager about it, he said that they had ordered it from Ford, and that all of the windshields that Ford stocked for the F-150 were SoundScreen.

Two questions for anyone that might be able to help me out:

1) Is there any chance that this is actually a "SoundScreen" windshield, and just not branded as such? Or did the dealer cheap out, and order a regular one to save some $$?

2) If it's NOT a SoundScreen, is it worth pursuing the matter with the dealer? I'm inclined to do so, just on principle, being as the SoundScreen was what the truck was equipped with from the factory, but if the SoundScreen doesn't make that big of a difference, it might not be worth the fight.

Any thoughts that anyone has on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
-Andy

 

Moved to 09'-Present section.

 

Be Very Happy they replaced your windshield! The fact its not a Sound screen is not a big deal at all! Just drive it,and worry less. Hell a rock could jump up and break it tomorrow!

 

The biggest question is, is the cabin any noisier while driving with this new windshield? I would notice right away.

 

My F150 Platinum is the quietest vehicle I've driven, and if the "Soundscreen" is part of the reason it is so quiet, I'd be upset to lose it.

In my 2012 Tacoma I had the OEM windshield replaced (which wasn't acoustic glass to begin with) with made in USA glass (forget the brand, but it wasn't THAT cheap) and the truck was noticeably noisier, especially on a windy day.

 

It seems a bit noisier, but I could just be imagining things... It's also been windier out the last couple days, so that probably isn't helping either.

 

Thanks, I was uncertain if this belonged in the 09+ section, or general chat.

I figured it could go either way, as anyone with experience with a SoundScreen windshield might have an opinion.

 

My neighbors 2012 KR is bone stock, not even window tint on the front glass! Unbelievably his a cab is louder than my Xlt on the highway on a windy day! He has the Sound screen glass, I dont! He wasnt happy about it! Maybe you can get Ford to buyback the truck!

 

I thought the Sound Screen was only available on the Platinum and Limited?

 

The Soundscreen glass is a three-piece windshield. Climb up on either side of the truck and look at the very top of the windshield. If you can't clearly see two pieces of glass sandwiching a third piece, then you don't have a Soundscreen windshield.

And HELL YES you should take it up with your dealer. If they told you they would replace it, then they should be reputable enough to fix you up with the OEM parts that they took off.