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Windshield crack

J

jasonHTCW

Member
So a customer went through the wash yesterday and came out with a crack on her windshield. Nothing but soft cloth and high pressure water touches the glass. Nothing spinning or hard component. We do have a sign posted that we are not responsible for windshields with existing crack or any other damages and also any damages resulting in temperature change. She insisted on that my wash repairing and really being a nasty Karen. Sorry to all the Karens in the world. I continued to deny responsibility and she called the police. The officer never asked to speak to anyone at the wash for our input. He spoke with her and never wrote anything down and left. She was fuming when he drove off. This morning I wake up to a nice 1-star review with some lovely comments. How do you handle cracked glass? Do you pay? She said another wash 5 years ago down the street paid for her last wash related windshield damage. Reoccurring issue.
 
If it were me and the pre wash inspection cameras did not pick up on a previous crack then I would pay. On the other hand the online review damage has been done. What is the chance of her changing her review if you paid?
 
Not to hi-jack the post,but cameras do help a lot.

What is everyone using for pre wash and exit cameras? (we have some lorex, but need better). TIA
 
Unless something catastrophic happened during the wash we typically deny all windshield claims. Most of the time we find the chip where it started and explain how it likely grew from that. We put a lot of research and explanation into it but have never really had an issue after we explain. Only once or twice could we see anything on camera prior
 
To date, I've paid two windshield claims, they both came this year, up until now I've never paid one.

You can 99.999% of the time find the chip that resulted in the thermo fracture. Follow the crack back to it's source. Sometimes it's right under the windshield seal on the edge.

The two i paid, dumb young girl hit the edge with brush and cracked it. Another, his antenna got caught in my wrap and slapped the windshield. I only paid half of that one and he left happy still a club member, with some good customer service attached.
 
You just need to learn how to properly educate customers when this sort of thing happens. It’s simple science once you locate the origin of the crack. It’s also a good (yet tedious) habit to point out any noticeable chips to ensure the customer is aware in advance.
 
Yep. Including mine. It has happened twice at the carwash to my black trucks in 35 years. I call my insurance man. Likely hsd a chip to start it but didn’t happen because of any car wash fault. Mine was at self serve bays. I never used automatics until I owned them.
 
Never paid for a windshield and never will. It's all about your explanation. Did you explain to her how car windshield glassworks/is made? The amount of force needed to crack a windshield is quite high. Think of when a road pebble hops up and hits your windshield at the speed it does and the little chip it leaves? Nothing in a car wash can cause that.

An existing chip had to be somewhere on that windshield that she didn't notice. Not sure where you're located but with how the heat is now on the east coast it's a huge risk as the heat outside is extreme and then they go through a tunnel with city temperature water which is way colder than the temperature of the glass coming in.

I have a very good camera system but seeing a chip on a windshield is next to impossible so education is your next best friend.
 
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