ouch. Good thing your not paying anything to get it replaced though

 

hey paul, glad that they are fixing it under warranty. so the advisor couldn't give you a good reason for how it happens as well? did he say anything about whether he has seen it before?

 

Glad everything worked out well

 

I'm told they have seen it before, though it's rare. The more I ponder this, the more I think the design (i.e., placing too much stress on the windshield frame and header as part of the car's structural integrity) is to blame.

 

one thing concern me most is when you put the top up. Since everything is automatic therefore, there is always a "small impact" before the top is fully closed. I think that impact is not a heavy force to contribute the crack but could well be a factor. I don't think SC has an overall structure concern (well, at least I hope not), but if it happens to more than a few I think it is an issue to Lexus for a further investigation into this matter.. somone who has this issue would like to volunteer themselve to write to Lexus?

 

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i agree, if this is more than just a rare problems then lexus should know about it (or they know already). i think the most important thing is to know what cause the stress to crack the windshield

 

When closing the top, release the switch when the top is about 6-12 inches from the header. The top will close gently, then press the switch again to complete the closing sequence,ie locks,windows,etc.
I have an 03 (red/saddle) which I have owned since Jan 03 and have had no issues with windshield or anything else.
Ron

 

sounds as if this might not be a rarity...perhaps a recall is in order/

 

yeah that might make it gentle on the roof, but imho we shouldn't do that coz' that's supposed to be ok.

but then of course, we don't know if that's a problem yet

 

Since I repaired the problem, no other cracks have appeared (yet). Maybe a defect in the glass from the factory on a few cars.

 

how long has it been since you repaired it?

 

Yes, I' ve always hold it until it's closed completely, but then my car was lightly used & I drove it top up more than top down. Maybe I should try Ron's method too. But my guess is if it's a real problem, we would have heard more about it already . . .

 

Maybe......but anytime you have a car with either a folding metal roof like the SC or a soft-top convertible, there is the potential for cowl shake around the windshield frame as the frame flexes with the body going over bumps. This flexing puts added stress on the glass that is not usually found with a conventional roof...and over time this stress can lead to cracking. The SC's stiff-riding run-flat tires (if your car has them) don't help things either. While, of course, you would not normally expect it on an almost-new car.....especially with Lexus quality....maybe one car out of 1000 had glass that just wasn't quite perfect or a frame that wasn't quite perfect either, and you got the luck of the draw.

 

About 3 weeks. The damage caused by the glass installer took a lot of time to repair!

 

hahhaa i got an easy solution for you. open up the top, and just use your fist to hit the top of the windshield hard that should simulate the force when closing the top

ok, i was just kidding!