My RX windshield got hit by a rock yesterday, immediately it cracked up to 18 inches. I wrote down the license plate to the car the rock came from, and I live in Texas, so is there anything I can do to get it fixed through the car the rock came from?

I have a rain sensor; therefore, I may have to get it fixed at the dealership.

Does insurance cover windshield replacement? I have $500 detectable, so how does it work?

Thanks for your time and help.

 

usually the windsheild is listed separately....becuase i have a 250 deductible ..and no deductible for glass....check it out on your policy...or call your insurer....

 

My guess, is that the repair would be covered under your insurance "non-collision" [deductible depends on you premium/plan].

If a mirror or a piece of the other vehicle had fallen off, or the other vehicle was carrying rocks and they did not secure their load would constitute grounds to file a claim. Kicking up debry is bit far fetched as it would be unintentional.

If city or a contractor was building the road and they failed to sweep and that caused the accident, then you can potentially go after them.

But start by asking your agent.


Salim

 

call your agent. Hope everything goes well!

 

Yes, talk to your insurance agent before filing a claim. You should be covered - as much as 100% on this kind of damage. Your company will probably not pursue the owner of the car that threw up the rock - it is difficult enough to prove negligence even on a truck hauling rocks in an uncovered bed.

Sorry about the damage, but it is easily repairable and should not set you back a whole lot of cash.

 

Be sure to have a dealer or very reputable shop install the replacement windshield. These are integral parts of the structure of cars these days and messing around trying to save a few $ could have dire conesquences should something more serious happen down the road. My dealer mentioned they have a 3rd party that specilizes in this do it for them. They keep the car off the road overnight to allow the adhesives to properly cure. This is a step most of the major aftermarket brands don't take. Getting it replaced in your parking lot for example.

 

Thanks.
It's going to need a new windshield, because I don't think anyone can fix 18" long crack.

Should I have stopped the other car that the rock hit from and get all their insurance?

This highway is under construction and lots of road work going on.

 

I had an interesting experience around a damaged windshield.

Years ago I was driving my Ford E150 van home from work when a rock flew up from a motorcycle in front of me. It caused an immediate 12" crack in my windshield. I happened to be about 2 miles from my insurance agent who I drove past everyday. I stopped in and he took a look at the windshield and immediately called the local autobody glass shop to get me in. I went from the insurance company directly to the glass shop where they installed the new windshield. It was 100% covered. The funny thing is that my windshield was damaged, assessed and replaced all on the way home from work one summer day. That will probably never happen again in my lifetime.

 

I called several places including Lexus to get my windshiled replace. Lexus don't do windshield replacement, they have a company come out and replace for them. The quote Lexus gave is: $1150.

So I called the company Lexus use to replace the windshields, he said it'll cost around $400 to get it replaced (for rain sensor). He said he would prefer aftermarket windshield over OEM, he said basically they both r same.

 

It is possible that the actual windshield is made in the same facility as the factory unit, but there may be differences in the quality level. Many stories aboud about distortions in automotive "glass" cause by improper manufacturing. My preference would be the factory Lexus branded unit.

However, the critical item here is installation. As mentioned about, the method of installation, the materials used and the skill of the installer is very critical. Windshields are now designed as part of the unibody structure. Messing with that is the equivalnt of messing with any other structural element in the car. The fact that the crack grew to 18" almost instantly tells you something about the stresses evident in that part. Be safe and use the Lexus brand. If your dealer doesn't want to support you on this (which is what your response sounds like), find another.

 

I've had 3 windshields replaced in our RX 330, one was replace due to severe optical distortion (and yes, it was OEM). The rain sensor requires a new 'gasket' installed on the sensing unit. Suggest you look at several past threads on windshield replacement issues. In this case the "Search" function is your friend!

 

Thanks. I will search. For your 2nd and 3rd replacement, did u use OEM or aftermarket? thanks again.

 

Hi Dinomon, all three have been OEM. The second replacement was so badly distorted as to cause some serious nausea (motion sickness) while trying to drive, and I’m not normally susceptible to motion sickness (I used to jump out of perfectly good airplanes swinging down on a parachute – was also a lot younger and dumber then ). It was replaced with PPG glass used in the RX made in Canada. Not sure what’s different about this glass, but it sure seems to be resisting rock dings better then the original and the 1st replacement, and we’ve been hit a few times since the most recent change. Remember that a real key to having new glass put in, especially with the rain sensing wipers, is to make sure that the installer has the correct parts, and cleans the sensor area properly.

Good Luck!

 

Maybe your 3rd replacement was a later design of windshield? I understand that one of the things Lexus upgraded in either 07 ot 08 was the thickness of the windshield glass to enhance sound deadening. That would natually make the windshield stronger, although the surface would still be susceptable to minor chipping due to impact with harder object. The outer coating now has the water repellant feature. Not sure when that was introduced; maybe at the same time??

 

I just had a windshield crack too. the dealer quoted me almost 1400 before other parts and taxes. it would have been at least 1500. i called safelite autoglass. they came to my office and did the whole job for 349 AND it was a lexus part. because of all of the options the technician told me that they have to order a lexus part. no aftermarket glass would work. they only scratch out the lexus name from the glass. its the same thing at a HUGE savings. call safelite (no i do not work for safelite).