nycxchunk

damn that sucks i hope it doesnt cost u too much

lightonthehill

Through normal insurance channels, the cost is around $555, but several here have gone through small shops and replaced their windshield for between $250 and $400.

realmac

Had to get this done on my Altima the day after Mother's Day. Someone decided it would be good to hit my window with a bb gun. Safelite replaced it with Carlex glass that looks identical to OEM. 9 months later, no problems. Full glass coverage with Geico resulted in 0.00 out of pocket expense for me.

LtLeary

I'm getting ready to replace my windshield for a 3rd time. I don't know if it is the angle of the windscreen or the Carlex but I feel it is time for a change. (definition of insanity and all that!) Anyone have any experience with other brands of windshield?

lightonthehill

Carlex is suposed to be the best, with other replacement windshields being nothing more than imitators. But having used nothing but Carlex, I'm no expert on this. I assume your windshield is being dinged by rocks flipped up by other traffic during your very long commutes? I try to never be within 300 feet of the back of large trucks or any work or construction equipment, but that can be difficult to do if you have to get to work on time.

LtLeary

Exactly Light, although I must say that most of the rocks are thrown by other Nissans passing me (I tend to be a primarily right lane driver staying within the posted limits unless "ALL" traffic is moving quicker at which point I will NOT impede traffic (e.g. Fl Turnpike) There are quite a few Altimas on the road down here with a Z thrown in for good measure, but suprisingly few Max(i)?)

I've driven this route for years in my 300m and only replaced the windshield once. As I can't change the angle of windshield, I thought I might try changing the manufacturer just ignorant of potential choices.

MaxLoverAz

iTrader: (1)

Once you get the new windshield.... wrap it! It works!

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/793138...oning_service/

LtLeary

Interesting concept but the reconexpress website the video directs you to is one worthless website. Unless of course you are in Dallas, SanDiego or Las Vegas. Search on protection film returns 0 hits. But thanks for the link to the video.

Phil93MaxSE

iTrader: (1)

Not even 10,000 miles in and I've had to replace the windshield...and I don't even know what hit it since there was no big rock chip or anything. Although it cost me the $100 deductible through insurance to replace it, I'm hoping I don't have to deal with it again so soon.

lightonthehill

There is often no 'big chip'. I had one break on each of my last two Maximas, and both times, the 'star' (point of impact of the rock) was tiny - less than a quarter of an inch across - but then each time a resultant crack quickly formed, then gradually ran across the entire windshield.

Of course the mileage involved is meaningless; its just a factor of when the rock comes. I had only 2K on my '09 when the rock hit the windshield the second day of a ten day vacation 400 miles from home.

MaxLoverAz

iTrader: (1)

Made by Madico, product called ClearPlex. Click on the dealer locator for your area: http://www.clearplex.com/index.php

Watch the video here: http://www.clearplex.com/index.php?video

Very similar idea to the new bullet proof life vests.

LtLeary

Thanks MaxLoverAz,
I watched the video and looked at the data on the "care and feeding."

Unfortunately, I live in Florida, and not being able to use Rain-X is a "deal breaker" for me, but I appreciate the thought.

I'll continue to research non-Carlex manufacturers and give them a try this time.
Lt

LtLeary

..of course in my case there was also the additional steps of 1. hearing the loud blood curdling 'smack' on the windshield, 2.) getting industrial spatula to release my cheeks from the seat (lots of pucker power involved) and 3.) learning to keep an extra pair of shorts in the first aid kit!

lightonthehill

I know EXACTLY what you mean. Our last one happened as we were cruising the mountaintops of the Blue Ridge Parkway last June, and my wife and I both knew someone had just shot at us. I immediately doubled our speed (fortunately, I grew up driving the hairpin curves of the Blue Ridge Mountains), while my wife frantically tried to dial 911, but there was no cell service on that mountaintop.

Then we both saw a crack climbing up our windshield, and realized the 'rifle shot' was the windshield cracking. The rock-hit had probably happened the day before while we were jockeying with semis along the interstate, and the climb from the hot piedmont weather to temps in the fifties at the crest of Humpback Mountain caused the tiny star (which was hidden below the wiper blade) to crack the entire windshield.

We both always carry a few extra sets of underpants on trips, because there are some scary things out there on the highway; fortunately, few things are scarier than the current Accura TL grilles.

LtLeary

I agree...nothing like seeing a Frankensteinian collection of an old Pontiac Sunfire's frontend slapped on to an otherwise nice looking ride. Maybe that's how my latest windshield broke...it got all broken up seeing one!

LtLeary

Went with PPG this time. Superficially at least, it looks just like the OEM Carlex. Hopefully will have better "Luck" with this one.

LVleo78

Mine just cracked the other day as well... starting to warm up a bit here in Vegas, and just rolling down the road, noone in front of me, and CRRRAAAAACCCCKKKK... lower right hand corner crack from glass edge about 6 inches long... no POI (Point of Impact) so will be heading to the dealer with the service bulletin in hand to see what they can do for me... Pisses me off... not even 8K miles :-(

glw135@aol.com

yeah i have the 09 maxima- i ran into a pothole that felt like it broke the axles on the whole right side - a double hit that was a rim rocker. lo and behold a 6 inch crack appearedon that side.it was also the day of a fierce storm where trees were down all over the place. i called insurance told the of the crack the quote a list of auto glass places in my area and set me up on the spot with a appointment for the next morning. 123 very simple -a hour to replace -45 min to dry no washes for a few days - it was a snap! and i didnt have to come out of pocket.

glw135@aol.com

gotta check for the carlex -though either way it's too late now. the glass appears to be oem- has the same dots and markings in the same places .

nissan_wannabe

Just had the windshield replaced on my 2009 Maxima with less than 9K miles. For those of you who have had your windshield replaced, how flush is the cowl(?) (the big plastic trim piece under the wiper arms) to the new windshield? On mine, there is small gap in some places (about 1/16th of an inch). I did not notice it until I inspected it much more closely when I got home.

Will water just flow through the gaps and out the drains? If it's just cosmetic, I can live with it. Thanks!

SiathLinux

Nah, it's cause insurance in Florida is different than other states, they own this state when it comes to houses and property - but we drivers 'forced' this windshield law in regards to road hazard damage about 14 or 15 years back... This was actually caused by the enforcement of another law about not driving with cracked or broken front glass - ie they require we get it fixed by law, so WE THE PEOPLE required that insurance cover this.

LtLeary

Agreed, however the point I was attempting to make (unsuccessully it seems) was not the correlation of Rocks to Deductible but rather Rocks to number of broken windshields (as opposed to some whose windshield seems to crack sans extranious causes.) My apologies for any mis-understanding my inelegant prose caused.

lightonthehill

Not to worry! This is not a waterseal situation. In fact, if you look at that plastic cowl about two feet from the passenger side of the car, there is a hole built in so that water CAN get below the plastic and drain away. Also, this cowl is designed in a way that allows water to get through it where each wiper arm base sticks through it. You are fine. In fact, I had to use a flashlight and a magnifying glass to even see the sixteenth inch gap between the glass and my cowl.

09Maxima_Sam

I just looked at the cowl from my replacement and it's installation in the service manual. I have occasional gaps on mine. You should be fine. The glass actually sets on the frame of the body opening. The seal of adhesive is actually under the glass. The cowl is not a "water proofing" device, just a "debris and water shedding" device designed to keep obstuctions off of the wiper linkage underneath.

nissan_wannabe

Thanks to both of you guys for your assistance/reassurance!

ManojK

Hey guys,

For whats it worth, I had to replace my windshield last year due to rock pellet hitting it. I went to the dealer where I get my car serviced, they recommended a local place who does their windshield. The crack happened few months after I got my car. The repair shop had to order directly from Nissan. I haven't had any problems with it so far. As far paying for it...Since I live in florida, I didn't have to pay a dime. By Law Insurance company picks up the tab as long as you have comprehensive. In PA, it cost me 250 replace the windshield on my 02 maxima.

Manoj

AllStar215

So i went to the carwash yesterday to wash my car and as I was driving home I noticed a little spider looking crack on the upper middle part of my windshield. Needless to say I was furious. I am never ever again going to a carwash.

So not only do we need to watch out for trucks, beware also of stupid carwash places!!

jdhume

This is ridiculous. My first windshield cracked last July at the base in front of the steering wheel, and now my replacement (factory glass) has cracked in the exact same spot. On both of them I could see what looks like an extremely tiny impact point behind the wiper although I never heard any impact in either case.

I know that if there's any evidence of impact, then I have to go through insurance, but it seems to me that these windshields have an inherent weak spot or high stress point on the lower, driver side that will crack with even the smallest impact.

I have arranged another factory glass installation and another $250 deductible out of my pocket... but is there anything I can do about this (other than lowering my deductible and replacing glass every 8 months)?

-John

EDIT: State Farm will no longer cover the factory glass - the same glass they approved 8 months ago from the same shop! So I either pay $407 out of pocket (the glass price itself has gone up to $598) or else go with PPG/Pilkington for the $250 deductible. This blows.

rlos09

Wow thats crazy! Im actually waiting to get my windshield replaced. The OEM glass should have been here by yesterday or today but no call yet. Anyways I noticed that my windshield cracked in the same exact spot! The lower part of the driver side. You can only see it from outside the car and if I remember correctly its the black part of the glass. I hope that there is no defect and I end up getting another faulty windshield. Now this is something I believe that should def be checked out. Anyone else in similar situation as us??
I also didnt hear any impact at all or get hit by a bouncing rock...

rlos09

EDIT: State Farm will no longer cover the factory glass - the same glass they approved 8 months ago from the same shop! So I either pay $407 out of pocket (the glass price itself has gone up to $598) or else go with PPG/Pilkington for the $250 deductible. This blows.[/QUOTE]

My glass guy said that his supplier didnt have any replacement glass for the 09 max so he would have to get the OEM. But now he needed to get special clearance from the insurance company because the price of the OEM glass went up from $180 to $580!! CRAZY!!!!

corismom

I went out this morning only to find my windshield had a deep crack almost halfway across..Reading some of these posts about how expensive it was to get the windshield replace, I had to call and check out the prices.. Safelite, quoted $275.00 plus $9.00 disposal and tax.. So this maybe a place you may want to call in the future for windshields

jeffrey swartz

I have a new 2010 maxima, 1700 miles oem windshield cracks in front of driver seat, replaced, 7 days later second windshield cracks more toward center of car. Both start under molding at the base of the windshield. Both are considered warrenty issues. Waiting for nissan to look at putting the third windshield in the car in a month. This has got to be a design flaw....

specht11

I woke up this morning to a crack in the lower driverside corner of my windshield. It has been really cold and I park in a heated underground garage. I cannot see/feel any sort of nick from a rock and the crack seems to originate from the seal/edge. I called the dealer and he said he had never seen a stress crack on a Maxima, I think he is lying and am worried that they will tell me it was my fault. The car is a lease and under warranty. I will take it somewhere else to be looked at before I go to the dealer for inspection. Thoughts?

2young2retire

There is a tsb (NTB09-081) that deals with cracking windshields that may be covered under warranty. Also check to see if only the inside glass of the windshield is cracked. It it is then it is a no-brainer, it is covered by the warranty. I had that happen to a non-Nissan vehicle years ago and the dealer changed it without question.

lightonthehill

Even if the crack is in the outside layer of the glass, unless there is an impact 'star' (could be tiny, so look closely), then the crack almost surely resulted from stress, and should be covered by warranty.

atlanta10

Walked out of work and there it was. I 8-10" crack coming from the plastic cowl all the way up and across my windshield. No rock hit or anything-this sucks

lightonthehill

Welcome to the club. At least this only happened to my '09 once, and that was almost two years ago. Someone here had it happen twice.

atlanta10

This is the first time I ever had this in 27 years of owning cars. I am going aftermarket with the replacement and will take my chances. Its $200 installed by a very good local shop. I just cant stomach the $600++ the Nissan OEM will cost me since its all out of pocket. Plus I figure when I hit 60k or so in mileage I probably will drop in a replacement again just because of the normal wear that happens with all the road debris, sand, etc that etches it over time.

atlanta10

New windshield in place-took the guy 40 mins start to finish. Did a terrific job, no marks, scratches dirt or anything.
The replacement is an exact match including the black paint at the bottom and side edges along with the black dots around the rearview mirror. Learned there are only two windshield manufacturers in the USA. This guy only uses US goods

I was told only a 1 hour dry time with the adhesive he used. For $200 total I think it was a good deal. I will see what happens a few months from now. Lifetime warranty on the install

lightonthehill

Bumping this to page 1 so Maxima2009 can peruse it. He has a broken windshield.