Cracking a smile (into a windshield)

[MEP001]

My sister took her car in to have a small rock chip repaired in her windshield, and the guy came back to her and said basically "Sorry, your windshield cracked during the repair. It's just something that happens" They're refusing to pay for a new one, even told her that it's common knowledge that repairing a windshield may crack it. I've been in and around the auto industry for decades and never heard such a thing.

Is this really "common knowledge," or should I tell her to go after them for the full replacement cost? She doesn't want to claim it on her insurance for the risk of her rates increasing, especially since it's not her fault.

 

[mac]

Most all insurance companies repair small chips and cracks at no cost or penalty to the owner. However if this shop chiped it, I would make them pay for it. Imagine if one of your wash customers got her car chipped due to your automatic. How long after telling her it was common knowledge that automatics chipped cars would you have to start ducking flying objects? I would also go on Angie's list and tell others what jerks these people are.

 

[Greg Pack]

Yes, windshields do occasionally crack or get worse during a repair attempt . Probably 2% if I had to guess. It should have been disclosed in a pre-repair disclaimer. We always verbally informed the customer of that, too. Tell her to call her agent about the premium ,but my agent told me my rates are not affected by comprehensive claims.

 

[MEP001]

Most all insurance companies repair small chips and cracks at no cost or penalty to the owner.

Actually she was getting it repaired under her insurance, at no cost and penalty to her, to avoid an expensive claim if it cracked. I'll advise her to report it to her insurance company who may not like the fact that a careless shop could cost them a bundle for a replacement windshield.

She said that after it happened to her the shop immediately started requiring customers to sign a waiver in case they happen to crack another windshield.

I just realized I posted this in the wrong sub-forum - hopefully Bill will move it to General Discussion.

 

[Washmee]

Actually she was getting it repaired under her insurance, at no cost and penalty to her, to avoid an expensive claim if it cracked. I'll advise her to report it to her insurance company who may not like the fact that a careless shop could cost them a bundle for a replacement windshield.

She said that after it happened to her the shop immediately started requiring customers to sign a waiver in case they happen to crack another windshield.

I just realized I posted this in the wrong sub-forum - hopefully Bill will move it to General Discussion.

http://forum.autocareforum.net/showthread.php?t=1813

I don't see how this is the shops fault. The windshield had a chip in it already and that was what caused the crack, not a "careless act" by the shop employee. I'm sure that this does happen on occaision and her insurance company will have no problem with replacing the glass.

 

[Greg Pack]

Although I could see a careless employee contributing to it, they just crack sometimes no matter how careful the repair person is. Flat windshields are especially bad about this. Cracks are just funny. Sometimes you could just about beat on a crack with a ball peen hammer and it won't spread, occasionally you can just about blow on it and it will spread 6"

 

[MEP001]

I see I missed a post while I was typing. I didn't know that it was "something that could happen," but it does make a difference knowing that. Unfortunately the crack spread all the way across in a big "smile" and is no longer repairable. The shop offered to pay for half, but I think she'd be happy if they covered the insurance deductable which is about half the cost of a new windshield.

The one thing that upset her the most is the guy came to her afterward and told her she should have known that it could happen.

 

[Danny]

I can see how it could crack under the repair service but they should have informed her that was a possibility before they did the service. I would think it would be policy to avoid problems like this. It sounds like she was dealing a tactless employee at the shop.

 

[pitzerwm]

Here is something that I would recommend. She should go to small claims court. No matter if she wins or loses, she will be smarter all across the board. She will probably hear other cases and come out of that experience smarter in many aspects, that will be worth hundreds down the road. She should watch the Judge Judy type shows before she goes. That is a comp damage, isn't "held against her record" and usually has a $100 or so deductible. If they admit that they didn't tell her the risk, I'd say that they eat it. With a small chip, it shouldn't crack out during repair. I had one, and they fixed it, but you could see that it wasn't "perfect". He told me I did the best I could, it might crack out later, which it did, and I replaced it.

 

[Axxlrod]

Whenever I have had a star crack repaired, the person doing the work has always informed me that the crack could get worse during the repair, and made sure I acknowledged that.