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Small crack on windshield

2K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  wranglerguy23 
#1 ·
I purchased my '16 Wrangler back in February from a private party seller. He informed me that there was a small crack at the top of the windshield (less than half an inch). The vehicle had a little over 2k miles on it when I bought it. He claimed the crack was there when he purchased it (older gentleman, no off-roaring, only owned it for 2 months) and even had Chrysler inspect it prior to realizing he couldn't afford the monthly payments. I didn't think it would be a big deal - either it would be covered on the warranty that would be transferred to me upon sale or my insurance should replace it for free (isn't that the law in Florida?). I've had it in storage since I purchased it and am taking it out this week to drive back out here to Texas. I figured I would get it fixed and my windows tinted before the trip. I called the local dealership in FL and they said that all glass goes through insurance, I called my insurance and they said since the crack was there before I purchased it I am not covered, and then I called Chrysler's warranty department and they said that it's not covered but I can dispute it with the original dealership it was sold from (in Georgia) but I don't see that avenue panning out as I wasn't even the original buyer and either way I'm not driving to S. Georgia just to get a windshield replaced.
Any advice? Is this tiny crack even something I should be worrying about?
 
#2 ·
Sounds like crappy insurance. I have USAA....they don't question windshield repairs. And YES....your tiny crack will grow..and grow..and grow. That's something you should get used to if you drive a jeep. BTW....a new windshield is about $140 bucks....not exactly the end of the world....
 
#10 ·
$140?? From a junkyard?

Safelite quoted me somewhere around $470 for OEM and $260 for non-OEM. I know Safelite is more pricey than others but I had a cracked window on a Jeep Patriot before and called around and cheapest was $205
 
#3 ·
don't worry, your tiny crack will grow up to be a big crack some day...
I wouldn't worry about it at all, sooner or later a rock will get tossed up from the road and your current baby crack will have a sibling... and another, and another...
once you get too many, replace windshield...
 
#4 ·
I am going to be driving 1300+ miles over the course of 2.5 days doing all highway speeds. Is that small little crack still nothing to worry about now?

And only $140? Is that OEM? The local place I called here said I should expect somewhere between $300-400!
 
#7 · (Edited)
I have driven 1000's of miles with 2 horizontal cracks all the way across the windshield. Remember, your windshield is 2 layers of glass with a protective sheet in-between so the crack does not go all the way through.
 
#8 ·
...I called my insurance and they said since the crack was there before I purchased it I am not covered...
Hit the windshield with a hammer and then show the new damage to your insurance company.

If you're not into fraud find a nearby construction site and follow the dump trucks around for a while. You'll get some new "legitimate" damage soon enough.
 
#9 ·
If your going to follow the dump trucks you might as well just tell insurance that the original crack happened when you were driving it.

Either way it won't be long before you actually do get a new one, I have 4 chips and a crack in mine currently.
 
#12 ·
People who scam insurance companies for prior damage are part of the reason that they stopped issuing zero deductible glass breakage policies in the state where I live now.

You bought a used vehicle with a broken windshield. It's not an insurance thing and it's not a warranty thing.
 
#13 ·
I understand I bought it used with a tiny crack. I'm not trying to scam anybody, that's why I told them the truth about having bought it like that. And I've gotten nothing but stellar customer service in return from USAA. The seller was willing to get the windshield replaced (through his insurance), but since I was time restricted coupled with the fact that I live in Florida where there is "free windshield replacements," I figured I could just get it done myself. At the time, I thought it was law that your insurance company replace the windshield if it was cracked, regardless of when/where/how/why. Obviously I was wrong, but I've never had to get a windshield replaced before. Didn't know it was going to be a problem with USAA. I guess I'll just let it go and wait for more damage to happen (which I'm becoming aware is practically inevitable) while its insured under me and just have USAA replace it then. Seems to be my only option.
 
#15 ·
The good news is it's nothing to worry over. Your windshield is still OK.

There are many places where we get 1 or more windshields every year due to gravel being put down on the icy roads. Until it is all cleared we have to drive around with very large cracks.

If it forms a crack that impedes your vision that could be a problem. Also if you get pulled over or inspected you may be forced to fix it.

This winter, one of my cracks kept getting hit so many times that it opened up and wind and water came in on the highway. There was nothing I could do for a few days/few thousand more KM's. As soon as that road trip was over I got a new Mopar windshield.
 
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