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Subaru Forester Windshield Cracks

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Comments

  • keg_o_rastakeg_o_rasta Member Posts: 1
    I replaced the windshield on my 2004 Forester 2x in 177K for pitting.
    I just noticed that the windshield in my 2013 Forester is showing pitting at just 7500 miles.

    It seems these windshields are prone to pitting. Are they soft of just cheap?
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I guess the only way I can describe it is... brittle glass. Your pitting will likely be cracking before you finish your next 7500. :(

    I put 220,000 on my 1996 Outback, and it had nary a crack in it, even with 23 (if I recall correctly) noticeable chips.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The upright angle doesn't help.

    Our Subies have been OK. The 626 we owned broke twice.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    edited February 2013
    Probably not, but that still doesn't forgive the poor quality. My '69 C20 has a far more upright windshield than my Forester, its glass is 44 years old, and it still doesn't have a crack. It has two, yes only TWO chips in it, and those were from some big stones. Heck, if a rock that big hit the Forester, it'd probably come straight on through. :P

    With nearly twice as many miles, I just don't see how what's happening to the Forester windshield can be pinpointed to anything other than poor quality.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • jjjolicoeurjjjolicoeur Member Posts: 1
    We have two new outbacks that had the same problem with our windshields The windshield cracked in a cresent shape across the lower length of the whole windshield. We bought three Subarus in Jan of 2012 and two of them cracked exactly the same way. We were just sitting in the car not even moving when there was a loud pop and there was the crack. There was no rock damage, they just cracked. We have seen this same crack on other outbacks on the road and the sales manager who sold us the cars admitted to me that this is a problem that they are aware of but yet we cant get them to cover the replacement under warranty.
  • jimmiethemumjimmiethemum Member Posts: 3
    I just purchased a 2014 Forester. After 3 weeks, guess what, a 7 inch crack wit no indication of a nick. Driving to the dealer today to see what they are going to do about it.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Don't get your hopes up! :sick:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • garotabrasilgarotabrasil Member Posts: 2
    I just got my subaru forester on December. I didn t notice any rock hitting my winshield but this morning i was heating up my car and i heard this pop on my winshield and when i look at it was actually a crack getting further and further. To get a new genuine one is 780.00 and after a complain about many people about that after market is better than the factory i was really desappointed with Subaru. Too bad because Subaru used have a really good name in the market but with so many complains it is not good thing. :mad:
  • garotabrasilgarotabrasil Member Posts: 2
    xwesx is right. I did go to the dealer and they told me that warranty doesn t cover that. It s our lost. :cry:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Check your insurance policy. Ours covers windshields.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I know; it's terribly frustrating, especially given the number of creaks and pops I hear (not just on the Forester) during bouts of extreme temperature changes. Given how easily these Forester windshields crack, it wouldn't surprise me if it spontaneously cracked due to stress, especially if the car was very new.

    But, even in the cases of exploding windows that I've read about, manufacturers will not cover them under warranty. The whole plausible deniability thing. Insurance will likely cover, but then you have to decide whether you want to put yourself on their watch list over something like that. :sick:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ywwyww Member Posts: 1
    my windshield cracked just a month after i bought it. (forester 2014). it started from the passenger side. Subaru service said it might be due to the heat..

    besides windshield, the forester runs very well.
  • jimmiethemumjimmiethemum Member Posts: 3
    That happen to me after 3 weeks with my 2014 Forester. I have a 100 deductible with the insurance company but the crazy part was; the glass guy couldn't get a replacement because it was a brand new car and no one had the glass. He had to get special permission from the insurance company to order a windshield from Subaru. Over 3 weeks later and it was fixed..
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    edited September 2013
    It seems this subject is all over the internet and is not limited to just one model.

    I'm retiring my old high-mileage OB and am ready to buy another Subie, maybe a Crosstrek which has very efficient use of space and fits nicely into my space-compromised 2/c garage. Not sure I can do this with all these stories of owners replacing windshields, some multiple times, with no satisfaction from Subaru. It's not a new subject either.

    I like these cars but the company seems to put people through the mill with issues they are slow to correct. I just might get the new Mazda 3 hatchback with 2.5 engine and dedicated winter tires. They added some ground clearance, nothing like the Crosstrek, but higher nonetheless.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    edited September 2013
    Well, I cannot defend the maker's windshields in their current offerings after having the stock screen on my 2010 Forester practically fall apart by significantly cracking with even the slightest provocation. But, after replacing it this past June with a unit purchased from Safelite, this new unit is proving to be much more durable so far.

    I think we've put about 17,000 miles on the car since then, and after countless rocks and hail stones (we were driving at the time and some of them actually dented the car's sheet metal) hit the screen, we finally picked up our first chip less than a week ago. But, it was just that: a small chip. My wife plans to have it "fixed," but, with the old screen, that chip would have turned into a crack all the way across the glass by now.

    I think someone mentioned that the glass was "soft." It's actually the opposite: The the stock glass hard and thin, which means it is brittle.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • stsaistsai Member Posts: 2
    hi - sorry to hear about your experience, I have a 2013 Outback and the same thing happened, a large 7-8 inch (and growing) crack after I heard a loud pop, but no evidence of rock chip or exterior damage. I even had two different windshield repair shops confirm. I was lucky though as my local dealership replaced the windshield for me under warranty.
  • eastbayjeastbayj Member Posts: 4
    Did they give you an explanation as 2 why the old one cracked?
  • stsaistsai Member Posts: 2
    No they did not. I was expecting a fight or some gimmick of finding the tiniest crack or chip but they looked it over and agreed with me that the crack came from the inside. It started from the bottom of the windshield, and was working its way up. The service person did have to get a manager's approval for the replacement under warranty. I couldn't find any information from other 2013 Outback owners so maybe I just got lucky this time around.
  • pka2pka2 Member Posts: 2
    Hi, I'm new here. We took our new Forester on our first road trip of about 1500 miles round trip (all highway driving) and a chip from something resulted in a crack from the bottom of the windshield on the passenger side that rapidly spread across toward the middle for about 2 feet. We have owned the car less than 2 months. I'm just adding my experience to this forum because there seems to be a concern that Forester windshields do not withstand what they should. I have never had a chipped or cracked windshield on any other vehicle in 40 years of car ownership. Of course this could be utter bad luck, but from what I'm reading on this forum I am worried that this may be the first of multiple windshield replacements on this car. There is no separate windshield coverage in my state and the repair will be subject to our $500 deductible, so I hope not!
  • eastbayjeastbayj Member Posts: 4
    @pka2 mine was about $230 from Safelight. I did not shop around tho. Goodluck.
  • pka2pka2 Member Posts: 2
    $230 for a 2014 Subaru Forester windshield? We're getting quotes of $800 to $1000!
  • jimmiethemumjimmiethemum Member Posts: 3
    I have a $100 deductible with my car insurance (other than collision) but if I had to pay for it myself I was told it would cost between $800 and $1,000.

    You are better off having a higher collision deductible and a lower (other than collisions) deductible for things like a cracked windshield.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I think it depends on whether you have the AWP or not. Year might make a difference - not sure about that one. The $230 noted by the prior poster was about the same (mine was a little more, probably due to location) as what was quoted last summer for a windshield w/o AWP. When I corrected the clerk and said that mine has the heated wiper pads, she re-ran it and that quote was $415, which is what I paid OTD.

    It took them about two hours from the time I dropped it off until it was ready for pick up. That was June. Today, I have a nice chip along the bottom and, yes, it is cracked from side to side. Still haven't picked up a crack in my Fiesta windshield, despite being the smallest car on the road and constantly getting peppered by pea gravel by all the pickups.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • eastbayjeastbayj Member Posts: 4
    Safelight will make up a price based on how pricey your windshield is. They will make it in there warehouse so you have to haggle with em. I got em down by asking for a discount also you might want to check with other auto glass shops sometimes they will undercut safelight my wife got a local shop to replace her windshield for cheaper.
  • madpixlmadpixl Member Posts: 1

    I've had a 13 Legacy for 2 weeks, I noticed a chip on delivery, and they replaced the windshield last Friday. This morning a rock hits and instantly another chip all the way through. My Saab had been making the same commute for 139k and not one chip.... Is it the windshield? Is it the angle of the windshield?

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747

    Sometimes it is just luck of the draw, but I strongly suspect that Subaru's glass is just uncommonly brittle.

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • rjswaneerjswanee Member Posts: 1
    I bought a '12 Forester almost two years ago. Yesterday I was driving down my street when I heard a loud pop. My windshield instantly cracked from the center of the driver's side at the top down to the middle of the windshield and veered to below the rearview mirror. Everything was closed Sunday, so this morning I went into my local Subaru dealer and explained what happened. They did the pen trick and found a chip about a fingernail's thickness deep and the size of a sharpened pencil nub. Whoops, not our problem - you gotta replace it yourself oop (out of pocket). And since the crack impeded my vision, I had to replace it today.
    Got it replaced for $285.25, including installation and the rubber gasket that seals the windshield. I think Subaru needs to own up to their crappy windshield glass. I expected a lot better quality from them, and a lot better customer service when the quality is sub par.
    I now have a PGW brand windshield. We'll see how well this holds up. I am really pissed at how Subaru dropped the ball on this. Why did I get the warranty if it doesn't cover replacing poor quality parts?
    On a side note, I found a great auto glass place. They will be getting my business again to replace a cracked '82 Chevy C10 windshield (cracked more than a decade ago, but doesn't impede vision). So I got that going for me, which is nice.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    edited June 2014

    Silver linings!


    Our replaced windshield on the '10 Forester, which was done last June (almost exactly a year ago), has a plethora of cracks in it already. Thankfully, they are all doing an elaborate dance along the bottom of the screen, so it does not impede vision. But, there are so many of them that the distance between several of the cracks are actually delaminated. I can see the resulting translucence from outside the car.

    I hate to say this, but this screen is actually holding up better than the last one. We have several pits in it that are decently sized and yet no cracks stemming from them. The OEM cracked with the slightest provocation. The problem is that my wife simply had a string of bad luck as far as taking rocks. we only have 20K miles on it since the last replacement, yet we really should do it again. I don't have it on the maintenance schedule until June 2017.... ! :'(

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • cats37931cats37931 Member Posts: 1
    We've had two Subaru Foresters a 2009 and one a few years older, both cracked horizontally, completely across, after having them for a just short time and neither of them had been hit by anything. I was sitting in the car before turning the engine on, waiting on someone else to get in, when I saw the crack just appear right in front of my eyes. Then, we both watched as the crack extended to about a foot in length before it stopped. Within a couple of days, it was across the entire windshield. It seemed unbelievable.
  • kellysweet1kellysweet1 Member Posts: 1
    dstew1 - I've had the same situation with my Forester ever since I purchased it. The profile of the vehicle obviously streams rocks onto the windshields. My latest crack is growing so large and rapidly that I'm going to have to get it replaced very soon. This makes three large cracks in it. Currently, I'm searching for a bug guard or windshield deflector that will change the wind flow direction, before I get the windshield replaced.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Let us know if that helps! I've never been convinced it does. For bugs that flow with the air, sure, but not rocks.

    We just received our first full-on crack in windshield #3 on our 2010 Forester. I feel like we did pretty well this time, having gone a full seven months and about 9,000 miles since installing it. /sad
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yeah but you're in the busted windshield capital of America.

    Sometimes I wonder if all these cracks have anything to do with car tires getting wider and wider, and more trucks and SUVs on the road with no mudflaps.

  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I'm not sure about the tires, though that would makes sense since that's just more surface area to toss rocks.

    But, for mudflaps?! Yes! Not just those vehicle types, but, I think, any vehicle that exposes over a third of the tire's height directly to the vehicles behind them. The days of long rear overhangs are behind us (no pun intended!).

    Also, the propensity of ADOT to use gravel on the roads. They use something like E-chip, which can include some pretty big stones, and tires pick them up very effectively.

    We have had our Forester for 7.5 years now, and have replaced the windshield twice. Both times, it was heavily cracked by the time we finally put new glass in there. It is usually a split that threatens to obscure driver vision that gets me to take the plunge. We went four years and then three years, so I'm hoping we can make three years the norm now (and not keep shortening the interval!).
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • philoniusphilonius Member Posts: 2
    I remember when windshields were thicker than Coke bottles and tougher to break. However, if you were to fly through the windshield, that old school glass would slice you to pieces. So, it's a tradeoff between annoyance/cost and life and limb
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Sadly, it seems that "life and limb" was the chosen priority. :(

    ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • wendy55wendy55 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my 2017 Subaru Forester in October 2016 and have had eleven (11) windshields replaced and the safety features calibrated. I believe there is a engineering defect in the design of the windshield. Can someone explain why my windshield gets broken all of the time? For info: I rarely drive on the highways.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Wow; that's certainly excessive! I honestly couldn't say; are you catching rocks that are initiating the cracks, or do they seem to crack spontaneously? Do you take it to the same place for replacements, or have you shopped around?

    I usually replace the windshield on ours every three years or so, but we don't make it more than a few months (perhaps a year if lucky) without a crack. Ours are all initiated by rock strikes. Quite annoying to need to replace it so often, but just the cost of driving.

    Surprisingly, my Q7 has made it three years with no cracks. I have some rock strikes, but they tend to take more to cause a crack, and none so far have run from their localized point of impact. I did take that one in to seal a few of the larger strikes a couple years ago just because replacing that one is about 4x the cost of replacing the glass on the Subaru.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
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