Replacing or repairing the windshield can be expensive. Sooner than later, however, you will have to do it if your windshield experiences a crack.
Does The Warranty Cover A Cracked Windshield?
Brands like Hyundai, BMW, Subaru, Ford & Volvo cover a cracked windshield whereas Honda, Toyota, Kia, Jeep, Nissan, Chevy, and Volkswagen Won’t. You will have to go by the terms and conditions of the particular car brand.
I have compiled a list of the brands below and a corresponding list with these brands mentioning if they cover cracked windshields or not.
Windshield Crack Warranty List
| Brand | Windshield Coverage In Warranty | Time Period For Windshield Coverage |
| Honda | No | NA |
| Toyota | No | NA |
| Kia | No | NA |
| Hyundai | Yes | 3 Years |
| BMW | Yes | (Only manufacturing defect) 24 months |
| Subaru | Yes | 3 years |
| Ford | Yes | 3 years |
| Jeep | No | NA |
| Nissan | No | NA |
| Chevy | No | NA |
| Volvo | Yes | 2 years |
| Volkswagen | No | NA |
Who Will Pay For The Warranty?
Under normal circumstances, when the part of your car is covered, the manufacturer will pay for the labor and parts.
In most cases, however, the manufacturer himself supplies the parts to the dealer, and therefore there is no markup cost involved. It is the reason when parts are covered under warranty; you will not have to worry about markup costs.
When it comes to the cost of the warranty, for a new car it is included in the price. In case you purchase an extended warranty, you will have to pay for the warranty. Once you buy the warranty or have it through your purchase, you will not have to pay for the parts that are covered.
How To Check If My Car’s Windshield Is Under Warranty?
Step 1: Check The Warranty Terms And Conditions:
The first thing you need to do is find out if the car manufacturer’s warranty covers the windshield or not. In case it doesn’t cover the windshield, there is no point in following the steps, which I will highlight below.
To find out whether your car manufacturer’s warranty covers the windshield or not, you can refer to the table above. That way, you will know it right away.
There are two other alternatives to discover the same. Firstly, you have to go through the warranty document of your car manufacturer.
The second option is to go through the website of the car manufacturer. That will provide you with the warranty document and the warranty scheme details. Accordingly, you can figure out whether the windshield is covered or not.
Step 2: Get the car’s VIN:
Once you are sure that your car manufacturer’s warranty covers the windshield, it is now time to find the vehicle identification number. It is a 17 character number that is alphanumeric in nature. In order to avail of the benefits of the warranty, you will need the same.
The question which arises is, how to find this VIN?
I will detail that procedure below.
• Firstly, you have to look underneath the wipers on the windshield. There should be a small plate which will let you know about this number.
• If this method does not work, you have to open the door and check for a sticker located under the knob or handle. It might have the vehicle identification number.
• Some other manufacturers might print the number under the hood.
• If the vehicle identification number (VIN) is not available in all these places, check the spare tire compartment. Lift the tire to check the sticker beneath it.
• In case you do not find the vehicle identification number anywhere else, check the documents of your vehicle. It might be mentioned in the ownership documents.
By following these steps, it will become effortless for you to locate the vehicle identification number.
In case you still aren’t able to find the vehicle identification number, you can contact your dealer. You have to just give them the model of your car and the year of manufacturing, and after that, they will provide you with the vehicle identification number after verifying your details.
Step 3: Get The Mileage Details:
The next step you have to follow is to get the mileage or the miles your car has covered.
Fortunately, there is an effortless way to get this reading.
You have to look at the odometer on your car. That will let you know right away how many miles the car has covered.
Step 4: Call The Car Dealership:
Once you have got the vehicle identification number and the mileage, you can call the dealership from where you have bought the car.
You can then ask them the procedure to claim the warranty. Most likely, they will ask you to bring the car over.
Certain dealerships can offer you a pickup as well.
What To Know About Windshield Warranties?
1. You Can Get A Separate Windshield Warranty:
If your current warranty does not cover the windshield, you can also opt for a separate windshield warranty policy.
The downside is if the windshield is already damaged, you will not be able to apply for that policy.
It needs to be applied when your vehicle is in perfect shape.
You need to understand that the cost of a separate windshield warranty is much higher. If you can afford that, you can go with that windshield warranty policy.
2. Scratch Size:
Many policies cover the scratch size only up to a certain size. It means that if the crack is just 6 inches or less, it is covered in the warranty.
In case the damage or the scratch is bigger, you might have to pay for the windshield out of your pocket.
In this case, the car dealership can help you out. They will measure the crack and let you know whether it is under coverage or not.
3. Nature Of Damage:
Even when you have a windshield crack warranty, whether the manufacturer covers the damage or not is dependent on the nature of the damage. Only when you’re clear about the nature of the damage can you be confident whether the warranty will cover it or not.
• Manufacturing Defect:
Most manufacturers will replace the windshield in case there is a manufacturing defect. Manufacturing defects will also be noticeable in a short time after purchasing the car. That is why, once you contact the car dealership or the manufacturer directly, they will replace the windshield.
• Accident:
In case the warranty covers any damage to the windshield, it will also cover accidental damage.
This is the most common cause of windshield damage. To find out about the same, it is a good idea to contact your car dealership or go through the car’s warranty documents.
Once you get in touch with a dealership, it will become easier to understand whether the warranty will cover the damage to the car windshield or not.
• Self-Fault:
This is the most tricky situation. If it is pretty clear that the damage to the car’s windshield is because of your fault, hardly any company will cover the damage. Simultaneously, it is tough to judge the same by looking at the damage caused.
Thus, the cause of the damage will also determine whether the windshield is covered under warranty or not.
Under Warranties, Do They Replace The Windshield, Or Do They Repair It?
It depends on the terms and conditions of the warranty. There are essentially three aspects which you have to consider.
1. Extent Of Damage:
If the extent of the damage is limited, in that case, most warranty providers will just cover the repair. They will ask the car dealership to repair the cracked windshield rather than replace it.
2. Warranty Terms:
The car manufacturers detail that only repair will be covered in many cases. In that case, if you require a replacement, you will have to pay for that out of your pocket.
This is where the warranty terms and conditions play a crucial role.
3. Deductible:
A lot also depends on the amount of deductible you have to pay. If the new windshield costs $400 and the deductible is $250, you will be paying a bulk amount. In that case, opt for the replacement rather than the repair.
Does Replacing/Repairing Windshield Void Warranty?
Not all car manufacturers have this clause, but some do. If you replace the windshield with an aftermarket one or from a third-party vendor, you might end up voiding your warranty. That is why you have to go through the warranty document carefully before using an aftermarket windshield or the third-party windshield.
What Should You Do Once The Windshield Cracks?
Now that you know everything about windshield crack warranty, it is time to understand what you should do once the windshield cracks.
1. Check the damage:
Firstly, you have to check the extent of the damage. It can be a chip or crack.
2. Determine whether the car can be driven:
After that, you have to find out whether you can drive the car to the dealership or it needs to be towed.
3. Ensure there is no more damage:
You have to also ensure that the car does not get damaged anymore. For example, if it is at the construction site and has suffered from a drop of an object, you have to move the car away to prevent further damage.
4. Follow the steps above:
You have to get the vehicle identification number, mileage, warranty details, and then contact the car dealership and the insurance company.
After that, the car dealership will help you out by coordinating everything with the insurance company.
Thus, when you have a cracked windshield, you can simply stick to the guide above, and you will know what to do and whether the warranty will cover the cracked windshield or not.