Heads up. 2021 TRD Pro. Cracked front windshield. Many local dealers (CA Bay Area) want unreasonable prices to replace. Glass is $700 and they want more than $1,200 to "recalibrate the camera" that's on the front glass. Complete nonsense. Had a local glass repair shop do it for $300. I told the dealership and they made excuses about how it requires an expensive machine and long process. Local shop did it in about 30 minutes. Dealer wanted more than $2,200 and a full day. Never heard of such a thing and I've replaced glass on a bunch of other cars, including ones that cost way more than a Toyota.

Never go to a dealer, especially one that tells you there is a camera to calibrate in the windshield.

Well there is a camera. And it does need to be calibrated after replacing the windshield. It's for the TSS or lane-assist or some other BS. I don't use any of that stuff and have it all turned off anyway.

Except on his model year there is - 2020+ has the Safety sense stuff. You can see it here:



That's an insane price - other threads had dealers wanting $250 for calibration - but any good glass shop should be able to do it for less than that.

Also in south BA CA, I just had a cracked windshield replaced. 2018 ORP with merely the heated wiper area. OEM glass. My insurance guided me toward a major “Safe” brand but when I read their terrible goog and yelp reviews I chose a highly rated independent local shop that actually takes pride in their work. Very happy with the results.

I have a 2021 4runner, it has the safety sense camera attached to the windshield, I had the windshield replaced at 5,200 miles because of a stone chip, I have progressive ins & they tried to talk me into a after market windshield, told them “no” I want a factory windshield put back in… my factory windshield has heated wiper pockets for wipers and a heated strip up the drivers side of windshield as well,guessing to melt build up from wipers on drivers side of the windshield, it actually works very well.
I had it done by local safelite glass company, they ordered the factory windshield from a local Toyota dealer( waited almost a month for it to come in from dealer)
Safelite also did the recalibration of the safety sense camera …. No issues, no leaks, no wind noise( I’ve read that happens if not installed correctly)
Total was $1299.99 for factory Toyota 4 runner windshield & recalibration of safety sense camera
My out of pocket was $250 deductible on glass ins…. Yes the 2020 & 2021 do have the safety sense camera attached to windshield.

FOLLOW UP:

Yeah, I had it replaced by a third-party/independent shop for much less. I think the total was $1200 or so. My glass deductible is $50 so in the end it worked out. Shop got the glass from local Toyota dealership (the one who wanted $2,200+ haha!). They calibrated the camera and all that. Total install was about an hour or so. Just don't bother even calling a dealership about this.

So, I'm curious if you all have glass deductibles of $50 or $250 (or whatever) why does it matter what the shop charges....?

In the end, you just pay the deductible anyway.
The dealership probably sends the job out to the local safelite anyway. I know mine does.....

where did you go? i also have a cracked windshield on the passenger side wiper blade 1 month after i purchased the vehicle new. been driving it partially sealed from cracking more. its been holding up for 4 years but ive been meaning to get it replaced. lol

Too many claims against your insurance company, the company will raise your rates. You end up paying more than the deductible eventually.

On an individual driver level, glass should be either a comp claim or a separate type of claim on your policy, so it shouldn't raise your premium. However... as a whole, in the entire market of all drivers, yes... more claims will mean an insurance company needs to raise their premiums across all markets/drivers to keep making profit.

It matters for a couple of reasons. First, when you file a claim the insurance company gives you an estimate for the repairs. If the actual cost is significantly higher than what the insurance company is estimating or willing to reimburse you for, you might find yourself on the hook for the difference in cost. For example, my insurance company (Geico) gave me an estimate of $1200 for my windshield replacement. But the dealer wanted more than $2,200. I would have been forced to pay the difference or enter into a lengthy and drawn-out negotiation with my insurance company to get them to pony up the entire cost.

Second, saying who cares the insurance company will pay it, causes problems for the entire insurance market as a whole. Just like heath care. Go to the hospital and if you have insurance, the bill is like 75% more than if you were to pay out of pocket. Why? Because "who cares, insurance will pay it" and the hospital can charge more. But that leads to a lot of problems and drives up the cost of health care and insurance as a whole.

At the end of the day, I'm not personally ok with a dealership charging thousands of dollars MORE for a simple glass repair just because insurance will pay for it. Even if my deductible is only $50. Why should the car dealership be able to scam money out of my insurance company? I have principles.

Dealers and insurance companies both.

Dealers and even independent body shops sub out the glass work and insurance companies (Nationwide is an example) won’t even TALK to you about a glass claim and transfers you to Safelite.


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I agree that the rates won't be affected by glass claims as they are a whole different category, but comparing auto insurance, specifically glass coverage to health insurance is absurd. (The healthcare industry is screwed on so many levels from every direction, they can't possibly win)

I hope you've taught the dealership a lesson so they don't scam anyone else. (lol) I agree the system is flawed, but neither of us is going to fix that. There is always another fish on the line........

Keep in mind the insurance company is also out to make a buck off you as well. When was the last time an insurance company lowered your rate because you saved them $1000 on a claim?

Principles are great, you kept the dealership from making $1000, which is great. However you put that $1000 directly back into the insurance companies pocket and you did all the work for them.

If you're worried about rates and insurance cost as a whole don't buy glass coverage in the first place. (Or any of the other dumb stuff they try to sell) Just put the $5-$10 a month (or whatever the glass coverage fee is) into a savings account and don't touch it until the next windshield needs replaced. Then take it directly to the shop you choose after gathering multiple quotes (how much is your time worth?) and pay cash for the repair.

Last time I had a windshield replaced by an insurance company was....never.

I just pointed out that when insurance pays for a claim (any insurance), the billing party can sometimes charge more because the customer isn't going to care and insurance "will pay for it". But feels like you're just looking to argue.

Maybe we live by different principles and values. And that's fine.

I don't have separate glass coverage. Some policies do. Mine does not.

Thanks for the economics lesson. If you know how to turn $5/mo over 2 years into $2,200 (1,733% gain), please tell me and I'll invest a few hundred thou.

What exactly are you arguing about here? What's your desired outcome for this conversation?

I’m hearing what everyone is saying and I see the arguments being made. Here’s my take, all my “should be” statements.

Glass claims (when not associated with other body damage) should be treated separately from points-based insurance claims because glass-only incidents are rarely, if ever, associated with a moving violation on part of the driver of the same car.

Aside from someone ELSE, with lumber in the bed of their truck, backing straight into your window, I don’t see how a glass-only incident could be a collision claim in and of itself.

Yes, the coverage needs to be there if the driver has comprehensive coverage. No, it doesn’t need to count points because there is always a separate root cause that needs to be addressed (driver in front failure to secure load, road hazard, or thieves targeted a car parked perfectly safely and legally, when no other parking was available.

There’s a point at which we need to stop looking at the owner of the car with glass damage, thinking “what ELSE could have been done?” because we’ll always think of something if given enough time. Hindsight is 20/20. But is it reasonable and prudent for said owner to sit in the grocery parking lot for 4 hours running scenarios through his head to test the theory that he did in fact pick the safest spot? Is a 10 minute milk and bread run really subject to such extensive analysis?

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