I am on my third windshield in less than 2 years. All replaced with Ford OEM Carlite Soundscreen windscreens. I've owned a lot of vehicles in 40 years and the 2014 F150 has had more new windscreens installed in it than all of the vehicles I've owned combined.

The last one cracked out because of a tiny pit in the black section of the windshield. By tiny I mean < .003" of an inch. You could only find it by dragging an ice pick along the crack to find the place where it hung up slightly. The rock chip that did it might have weighed a whopping 10 grams. Colder climates seems have some influence on this problem. It was 18F and I found a 24" crack from this tiny awaiting me due to this pit. A crack that long completely compromises the integrity of the windscreen.

All of my travel is on paved roads, interstates or US highways. It's a new one every 10,000 miles. Ford will never do anything about this because you're the one driving the truck and oh well that tiny piece of gravel just flew itself up you were driving the truck when it happened.

The glass shop the Ford dealer sends you to tells me that some cars are worse than others - apparently 2015 Subaru's are a cash cow for them. I owned a Toyota Tacoma for 13 years and that rig had innumerable windscreen pits after traveling 170,000 miles that never broke the windscreen. At the current rate, I will have installed 17 windscreens if I own it by the time it reaches 170,000 miles.

Insurance is not an option for replacing them at this pace. While I have a great driving record, they will make you pay for it in the end because the number of claims counts.

In my experience, these windscreens do not meet the definition of implied warranty of merchantability. Tiny gravel associated with asphalt roadways are a normal occurrence and it is reasonable to expect that some gravel will encounter the windscreen in the course of operating the vehicle. It is not unreasonable to expect that the windscreen will not be destroyed.

 

Well mine was smacked with a big *** rock. Saw it coming in slow motion. It seemed like it flew across 4 lanes of traffic to hit my new truck. The ptsd effect has not allowed me to pay to change it yet... Plus I dont have the time.

I did wet sand and buff out the scratch the rock left on my hood.

 

I have to agree with the glass in these Fords being garbage. I have been a 20 to 30k mile a year driver for the last 15 years. My new F150 (2015 with 5k miles) had a rock hit the windshield, and now looks like it was shot by a .22. Not once have I ever seen this type of damage from normal driving. Im incredibly disappointed, and its obviously a Ford supplier problem. This hands down should be a warranty issue, after paying 40k for a truck.

 

It's not Ford's fault your trucks winshield gets hit by rocks... Jesus Christ people...

I guess it sucks to live in a state that does not compel insurance companies to replace windshield glass for free like they do here. I enjoy a free box of steaks with every windshield replacement... if I get hungry I might go out and beat my windshield with a hammer to get some free steaks

You also realize that there are standards the glass must hold up to, right?

 

Crazy, while I agree it's not Ford's fault that windshields get hit by rocks, I am convinced that the windshields on today's vehicles are NOT as durable as they used to be back when I started driving. In the 50s, 60s and 70s, rocks would hit my windshield, but they would simply bounce off, often without leaving a mark.

I think the first windshield I ever replaced was in the 90s, but it may have actually been in the beginning of this century. I can only conclude that the standards are not as high as they used to be, or, that glass is not as durable. I know I've replaced a total of three windshields in my driving life and my current truck has two pits in its windshield that have fortunately not developed cracks.

- Jack

 

Look around, NOTHING lasts as long as it used to. I built my house in 1989, the hot water heater lasted me 24 years. I am still on my original A/C units, original fridge and freezer. My parents house, the air conditioner was installed in the early 1970's and still works. Although it's horribly inefficient. My kids home, built in the early 2000's is on their 2nd a/c unit and water heater.

I don't really believe your theory fits into what I am talking about though

 

So you're sayings manufacturers never put defective products into production? The takata air bags were built to a "standard", and now have 19 million recalled... The glass in my 2015 F150 is junk period.

 

I wonder if Ford went to a thinner glass to save weight.

 

I was told by a person from the glass industry that at least part of the reason that glass seems to not be as durable is because of the stress on it in newer vehicles.

Over the years glass has become larger, odd shaped, more curved and even part of the structural integrity of the vehicle in some cases. So now when something hits it can be prone to breaking.

 

I had a ****load of windshields break on my 2005, at least 1 a year, some years I had 3.

 

Your last sentence is exactly the point. The windshields are not meeting any standard of durability. For decades tiny pieces of rock have hit windshields without blowing them to smithereens.

Compelling insurance companies to pay for junk from the manufacturer just gives them a reason to hoist your rate. Insurance companies are as interested in feeding you steak dinners as Las Vegas makes everyone leave a winner.

Do they put anything on the roads of Florida besides orange juice?

 

Yeah I would prefer less insurance rates than a bunch of Bermaster Sanders free stuff and crappy glass.

I still won't blame Ford for a rock flying across 4 lanes of traffic to target my new hood and windshield. It was a small crack and I painfully watched it grow over the course of 10 miles to something blocking my vision; it happened slowly enough to agonize my left *** cheek. It happened when I was driving to an annoying meeting I shouldn't have even had to go to, maybe I shouldn't have let everyone know about how pointless they are and my windshield got cracked but I don't have that control.

 

My insurance agent told me that windshield claims DO NOT raise rates.

 

In Florida there are large numbers of dump trucks throwing all kinds of crap behind them. These idiots don't properly secure their loads.

 

Welcome to Florida, the continuous construction state!