Replacement heated windscreen issues.

[bainbridge]

Well, here we are again & another failed screen. First time using it tins winter and there was a 3" band down the passenger side not working so they replaced it last week with another "Shatterprufe" screen and now it looks like a barcode, it's worse than the one they just took out!

You could demand that an OEM one is fitted, I think the glass provider will try and pass the extra cost onto the insurer. I used to work for an insurance broker and we occasionally had a customer demanding OEM glass rather than the windscreen company's "like for like" replacement. The majority of the time the insurer did agree for OEM glass to be used.

The insurer is regulated by FOS so you could threaten to go down this route if they don't facilitate a resolution to your windscreen woes by agreeing to an OEM replacement.

 

[Iamzod]

St220 here also (not to far down the road from you if i am correct (Warsop)), i ended up paying extra to get a ford one fitted independently (auto windscreens) cost about £400 from memory been fine although now has chip in it. Went through 3 aftermarket ones first mind.

Was this Autoglass fitting the screens and was yours repeated heating element failure?

If so how long ago was it and can you remember what glass they fitted?

They deny there are any issues with their glass but you are now the 3rd person i've spoken to who has been through the same thing.

 

[Iamzod]

The insurer is regulated by FOS so you could threaten to go down this route if they don't facilitate a resolution to your windscreen woes by agreeing to an OEM replacement.

This is the eventual plan but i'd rather not go there due to the hassle, i have a complaint raised currently with them.

One of their engineers called me yesterday & is trying to blame it on a faulty alternator, it's been checked, it's fine. He told me that the replacement glass costs them over £500 each time so they want my car to check over it themselves, thought he was talking tosh so rung my insurer & got a copy of how much they were billed for the glass and it was only £158.94 so with my £75 excess £233.94 and they will be making a chunk on that so i bet it's less than £200 all in.

 

[wandgrudd]

Was this Autoglass fitting the screens and was yours repeated heating element failure? Yes was autoglass (but had similar in my old Mk2 mondeo and that was from National Windscreens none of them seem up to the job.)

If so how long ago was it and can you remember what glass they fitted? Cant remember what was fitted it was about 2 years ago happened early November and by late March i was on my 3rd one, first one lost about a 3inch strip on the drivers side, second one cracked on a very cold morning after being turned on and the 3rd one lost a strip on the passenger side, just got fed up of messing a round in the end.

They deny there are any issues with their glass but you are now the 3rd person i've spoken to who has been through the same thing.

 

[Iamzod]

If it was indeed Autoglass would you mind me quoting your vehicle reg as an example? Do you still have the car?

Yes i'm not far from you, i'm in Worksop.

They insist there is no issue and there clearly is, it's not something i'm willing to back down on. The only acceptable resolution now is a dealer screen fitted to proper Ford spec, if there is no Ford logo on it it's not acceptable.​

 

[jaybee]

Does your screen have to be "damaged" for you to make a claim on insurance or can you ask for replacement even if just an element breaks? My ford has a failed section. I'm fully comp and replacement screens are about £75 or £100 excess for me I think.

 

[Iamzod]

Does your screen have to be "damaged" for you to make a claim on insurance or can you ask for replacement even if just an element breaks? My ford has a failed section. I'm fully comp and replacement screens are about £75 or £100 excess for me I think.

Normally they need to be damaged however all the replacements are failing and are under warranty.