Nicole47

I am wondering if anyone else has had an issue with a stress crack on their front windshield. My RX is less than a month old. The crack was not there on my way to work, but when I got back in my car in the evening, I noticed the 6" crack - started at the base of the windshield and then moved up and curved to the left. I, along with two employees at my dealership, can not locate any point of impact. If you look directly over top of the crack, it is a smooth line. I have a rental now while they try to "assess" what is going on, but wanted to see if anyone else has had similar issues. I do not want to get my insurance company involved just yet as this may be a defective matter. Thanks in advance...I am new to this!

BertL

Welcome to CL and congratulations on your new RX.

I've not had glass problems or a crack as you describe on my 2013 RX450h which is now almost a year old, or my previous two RX since 1999. I don't remember this being something that has come up before as a pervasive issue, but I'm sure it must happen from time-to-time, like lots of odd problems unfortunately do. I'm sure someone will chime in if they have had a different experience -- just give it a little time. Glad you have it in for the dealer to take a look at. Keep us posted!

Cruiter

Nikole, Welcome and I wish it could be for a more 'fun' issue. As Bert said, it's not a normal thing but more of an oddity. Saying that, it did happen on my 2010 (h) a few months after I got it. I had just washed it in my Driveway and was drying it. There seemed to be a stream of water coming down from the top center I couldn't dry and it turned out to be a stress crack. I took it in right then and they loaned me a car until the next day when the Regional rep could take a look too. There were no impact signs (what they're going to look for) so warranty took care of it a few days later when they got a w/s in stock. It's OEM and they did a great job. All the techy stuff still works, it's not leaked, and doesn't have any wind noise so it can be done.

Good luck and keep us apprised.

Nicole47

Two days after dropping my car off to the dealership, it was determined that the windshield is defective and Lexus is replacing it free of charge under the warranty...BUT...unfortunately, the valet person that was moving my car into service hit another car and damaged my bumper. Needless to say I was not very happy and extremely sad that this happened, but the dealership is taking care of everything and replacing the bumper when they could have just "sucked" out the dent. Not the ideal situation at all, but hopefully I will have my car back in a couple of days.

Cruiter

Just ask them to give you a little time after picking it up to make sure all the electronic gadgets works as they should, it doesn't leak and doesn't have wind noise. That shouldn't be a problem. Mine was fine right out of the gate.

BertL

Glad to hear Lexus is handling your windshield and the dealer is doing the right thing to correct their unfortunate mistake. You'll have your new ride back soon and put all this behind you -- THEN, it will be time to enjoy your new toy once again.

JW55

I have a new 2013 RX 350 and yesterday found a 6-8 inch stress crack on the passenger side of the front windshield. The car is always parked alone in my garage, had not been driven for weeks and has less than 1000 miles on it. So when I went to use the car yesterday and found the crack I was extremely upset...especially since I had no idea what caused it. The line is very straight and clean with no star burst. I have an appointment with the dealer to look at it on Monday morning.

Dolphin

JW55, I am curious, before the crack, did you hear crackling noises in the top area of the car when driving? I notice this all the time...there is some serious stress on something in the frame above at the window tops.... certain types of car movements, create popping noises, I know the sound of metal stress very well... it makes sense the windshield is the weakest link in the chain. Replacing the windshield will not relieve the stress though.... I think something like this is beyond what a dealer could possibly diagnose or fix. No cracks in my windshield yet, but the cracking noises have not stopped.

JW55

Never heard any unusual noises before seeing the crack in the windshield. The hairline crack starts in from accross the middle of the passenger side of the windshield and extends straight inward and not from roof top to base. Hopefully dealer will be able to tell more by looking at it on Monday.Will keep you posted.

azinn

Just curious as to how many of these windshields with the cracks have the rain sensors in them?

Cruiter

My guess would be most of them. It's one of the 'almost standard' options. It was in mine. Works fine after the replacement.

Sunny0827

So odd same exact thing happend to me yesterday...drove to work parked my car and when I got back in my car there was a crack in the middle of the windshield coming from the top and then also hooks to the left...do you know what the costs are of repairing this issue?

BertL

Hummm. Interesting trend on relatively new off-the-line RX350s. Sorry for poster's problems, but I am happy to see reports warranty is taking care of the situations.

Sunny0827 -- Welcome to the forum. Can't tell from your profile what model and MY you have, but assuming it's new like other posters and the crack also "just happened", I suggest you take it to the dealer and try to get it resolved under warranty. It's gonna be pricey to replace on your own (well over $1K I bet) -- do ensure you get OEM replacement glass (not a cheaper "just like OEM") and you verify all electronics after the installation is done (rear mirror auto dimming, rain sensing wipers, HUD, etc depending on what you have).

Dolphin

Today, drivers side window making stress crack noises... I fear I might fall victim to a crack. When the car was brand new, it sounded like rocks were being kicked up in the wheel wells at fast speeds, except that sound was near the upper corners of the windshield, it has lessened, but never stopped...its definitely stress...

JW55

The dealer believed the crack was caused by a rock chip and therefore not covered under warranty. The cost to replace was $1900.00 and insurance refused to cover a new Lexus windshield (which i insisted on since the car is new with only a little over 1200 miles) . Ended up costing me out of pocket $1400.00.

Previously I had been driving a Mercedes ML(over 100,000 miles) and had experienced several rock chios in the front windshield. Each time i knew it happened and none of them ever caused a stress crack like the one in this new RX.

Lexus needs to monitor problems and/complaints about windshields closer.