I need some advice on windshield problems:

1) Minor: A dime-sized sunburst crack (low) in the center of the windshield - from a small rock from oncoming traffic. The exterior of the windshield has a tiny pit, but the shattering appears to be in the middle-ply of the windshield. This is minor and it was a fairly hard hit traveling at 45 mph - would have probably occurred in any car.

2) More serious: traveling around 35-40 mph last night i heard a small rock ricochet off the passenger side windshield (not following too close). It sounded like a tiny rock - just a "click" sound. When I got home I inspected it and found no apparent damage. This morning I went out to my car in the garage and now have a 10-12 inch crack across the windshield. Temperatures only got down to the high-40's and the car was in a garage.

I have read of many cracked and chipped windshields on the WRXs. Is the car so tight that it puts pressure on windshields or are the windshields just fragile?

The question: What advice does anyone offer about how to handle this? Should it be a warranty issue?

Thanks.

Good luck. I just had it replaced through insurance

The windshield is not a warranty item, as it isn't a defect since a rock hit it. If a rock hit your fender and put a dent in it, you couldn't warranty that.

thanks, but a pebble should not cause the fender to crack in half.

Cracked windshield from rocks not warranty.

Analogy...and I said dent, not split in half.

Anyway, if you're travelling at 75mph and a pebble is travelling toward you at 50mph, that's 125mph of closing speed, and a pebble can do damage. I wouldn't want to get hit with a pebble travelling 125mph...

If you can show them the windshield was not impacted by something else then it is warranty otherwise insurance.

They do seem to crack easily.

Glenn

Originally posted by driver8
thanks, but a pebble should not cause the fender to crack in half.

You can't even prove that it is a pebble. Did you stop and pick it up? No?

Windsheilds have always cracked under force. The windsheid on a impreza new and old were and are likely to break because as drivers we drive to close! Out hoods on the cars rise into the window. Look at an impreza shape to a legacy. Look how flat the legacy is and how onle the very front of the car has a curve to it and then runs almost flat to the wind line. On an impreza should anything hit the hud its hurrled into the wind!

bemani: thanks for helping.

MY POINT: First, I love my Impreza - It's a great car!
However, it seems that the windshield is incredibly fragile (yes, I know it's made of glass!) ...it's much more fragile than on any car I have had in 20 years. I don't follow anymore closely than in any other car I've had or driven. In a short amount of time, it has suffered much more damage than any car I've driven.

It maybe many factors :
- the shape of the front end propelling objects into the windshield.
- a tight car with rigid pillars - maybe creating additional stress on the windshield.
- or even possibly...substandard or defective windshield or installation.

I was seeking assistance from anyone who might have experienced a similar problem. But it seems that many people are sharing other problems that I do not have.

To those genuinely trying to help...Thank you.

I've had a good sized chip on mine for 4 months. Keep waiting for it to crack, but it hasn't.

Sorry yours is broken, but I've never had a problem with Subie glass.

Ed

Since I started following Subaru internet forums in '97, I had always heard about windshields cracking and "soft" or "problem" glass.

Last year the windshield on my wife's OB cracked and I asked the glass shop guy about soft glass. He laughed and said there is no such thing.

Some states have a $0 deductible for glass. Check your policy.

Dennis

If you can't tell that it was done by a pebble, you can just say that you came out one night after it had been cold, or something, and it cracked.
A friend of mine had his windshield crack cuz it was really hot out, and was washing it, and the cold water cracked the windshield. Ford covers this on a focus, standard warranty...so Subaru should definitely cover it if you don't mention the pebble. Just bring it in, and see what they do. If they ask you about the other one, say you don't know either, but it happened after, or something.
Yea, stuff that happens on the freeway or "acts of nature" are covered by insurance (but you gotta pay your deductible)...not warranty.
Sarah

There is a simple test they can do to see if it was a rock or a stress crack. It involves running a pencil over the crack. I don't know the rest.

The test consists of running a pen down the crack until you find a crack or dimple.The only time a windshield is warrantable is for a stress crack.If the windshield had a stress crack you will no dimple and the crack will be smooth.To answer your question the windshield is not under warranty try insurance.Most windshield
companies will bill the insurance directly and some will waive the deductible if its reasonable.The difference in temperature from inside to outside of the windshield combined with impact wipes
out windshields.Subaru is worse than most.The problem isn't in
the quality of the windshield,subaru uses the best it's with the angle and design.Live with it I've bought my share in the last 10years.

Chris

The test consists of running a pen down the crack until you find a hole or dimple.The only time a windshield is warrantable is for a stress crack.If the windshield has a stress crack you will have no dimple and the crack will be smooth.To answer your question the windshield is not under warranty try insurance.Most windshield
companies will bill the insurance directly and some will waive the deductible if its reasonable.The difference in temperature from inside to outside of the windshield combined with impact wipes
out windshields.Subaru is worse than most.The problem isn't in
the quality of the windshield,subaru uses the best it's with the angle and design.Live with it I've bought my share in the last 10years.

Chris

so Subaru should definitely cover it if you don't mention the pebble

You can definitely see the difference by examining the crack.

I had a very tiny chip that turned into a huge crack, but you could definitely see where the original chip was.

I also seem to recall they specifically disclaim any warranty coverage for any damage caused by road hazards. Even if we think they should crack less easily, Subaru appears to be pretty well covered.

Glenn

Thanks to all.

I left out one possible factor in my last post:
- bad luck - probably the defect I'm experiencing. :(

The 12in crack has a tiny place where you can tell something impacted it. It's tiny - about the size of a pinhead (no comment).

I'll probably just pursue it with my insurance company.

Thanks again.