Tiguan with Cracked Windscreen

[Bayman]

Oh blow, had a few minor stones hit my screen lately thanks to that blessed useless Vicroads and the Monash carpark (freeway) and suffered a couple of light pings this morning, just Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr and parked at work and thought nothing more of it. Came back to my car at 4:30 after sitting in mid 20 deg sun facing sth mind you, and a crack has appeared from lower edge up to just above the wiper passengers side and curves along with the wiper horizontally and has a bizzare 100mm vertical crack as well.
Called GIO who use O'briens and he said around $650 but fortunately I took out windscreen cover. Then I called my VW dealer who will do it using a Geniune screen with VW on it unlike O'Briens who will use a non geniune but to Aust Standards. Think I'll pay the extra and get VW dealer to do it, then no argument re warranty especially if they stuff anything up. They may need to use new trims and double sided tap on the wiper rain sensor rear vision mirror.

Anyone been through this with their Tig? The dealer has done one already and O'Briens had them in stock (Melbourne). I am wondering now if the body twist that Tiguans seem to exhibit may have caused this crack to appear from a minor chip. The only chip I can see is under the wiper blade itself so if a stone hit the screen it was nowhere near the crack as the wiper would have been hit first. The 18in wheels do make for a hard ride which could exacerbate the vibration in the screen. I will go to another VW dealer to check stocks and price of a VW windscreen tomorrow and compare with O'Briens. Might also check with VW Roadside Assist.

[Cam]

I copped a few large pieces of gravel driving down the Kings Highway to Canberra earlier this year which cracked my screen. Fortunately I had windscreen cover and it was all sorted through my closest NRMA recommended repairer.

Spoke to them and asked that I get a genuine VW screen be used and they had no problems with it. Took an extra week to get delivered but worked out well in the end.

Cracked windscreens are really annoying, I can feel your pain. The crack in mine started about an inch wide and by the time I got back home into NSW that night after going to Canberra it had grown to maybe 5 inches up the screen. At this stage I had my stock 16" VW wheels on. The 18's might be a bit harder ride, but it doesn't seem to matter how soft or small the profile on your tyres are, if there is a deep crack in the screen its bound to grow regardless I think with all the vibration. Didn't help my cause after the chip occurred as the roads I was travelling on weren't very good at all (offroad gravel, corrugated dirt etc).

[Bayman]

I copped a few large pieces of gravel driving down the Kings Highway to Canberra earlier this year which cracked my screen. Fortunately I had windscreen cover and it was all sorted through my closest NRMA recommended repairer.

Spoke to them and asked that I get a genuine VW screen be used and they had no problems with it. Took an extra week to get delivered but worked out well in the end.

Cracked windscreens are really annoying, I can feel your pain.

Thanks for the empathy. Too date any damage to my car has been on parts that can be replaced except a door dent that I will get out by a dent removing guy. Just seems there is so much crap on our roads these days that cause flat tyres, cut tyres and chips and glass breakages.

Not sure about your options on the Golf but did they replace the rear vision OK? and do you know what the cost would have been out of pocket if insurance didn't cover it? So I guess the screen has the VW symbol as per the original screen. O'Briens reckon to the GIO guy, the screens they use are from the same factory but don't have the VW symbol on them. Well I wonder why? Same factory , yeah sure in China possibly?

[Arctra]

If you have the option I'd go with the dealer if I were you, for the same reasons you've mentioned. As far as OBriens having a non-genuine screen for your Tig, I'm surprised. When my side window went they said it was too new a model and they'd have to get the spare from VW anyway. Either things have changed in the pas couple of months, or they were just feeding you/GIO standard lines assuming they have a generic in stock?

It will be interesting to see whether it was body flex related stress on the screen that caused the crack, but I suspect we would have heard more about this problem by now if it was as in the UK 18" are standard aren't they?

Let us know which path you end up choosing and what sort of quality job you think they do.

[Cam]

Just seems there is so much crap on our roads these days that cause flat tyres, cut tyres and chips and glass breakages.

Not sure about your options on the Golf but did they replace the rear vision OK? and do you know what the cost would have been out of pocket if insurance didn't cover it? So I guess the screen has the VW symbol as per the original screen. O'Briens reckon to the GIO guy, the screens they use are from the same factory but don't have the VW symbol on them. Well I wonder why? Same factory , yeah sure in China possibly?

The rear vision and rain sensing side of things, they replaced fine. I have a feeling they may have already had a MKV Golf in there previously which made it easier for them.

Yes the screen they used had the genuine VW symbol on it. One of the first things I checked. What is funny though, is that the rain sensing wipers started to work better after the screen had been replaced.

As far as cost they didn't tell me exactly.
I think a genuine VW screen for a MKV Golf is anywhere between 600-800. Don't know if it would be the same for a Tig. I'd imagine it would have to be around that figure though for a genuine.

I didn't really realise until the guy showed me the old windscreen, but they are huge! He compared it to a standard crumbledore screen and it was atleast the same size if not a bit bigger. I was quite surprised.

[Bayman]

Thanks for update Cam and Arctra, I'll post the cost and how I go after it is all fixed.

Noticed this post on very same issue :-

http://www.mytiguan.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=5085

My Tiguan is 5 mths old so I guess it could be a combination of small stones and temperature changes and body twisting. Just hope it doesn't happen again - and I haven't been out of town yet!

Price of VW Geniune screen for this Tiguan (comfort pack MY09) is $312 (glass only) dealer quote, so fitting must be easy money, also can't understand why Gen VW glass is not used at this price in the first instance.

[NZTiguan]

I had mine replaced in NZ after a stone strike right where it would have hit me between the eyes if the screen hadn't been there. Because that's deemed to be an area that can't have any imperfections for safety reasons it was a replacement rather than a repair. It didn't crack at all though just a relatively small "star". In NZ all the screens have the lights and wipers sensors and according to the glass guy (I never saw any bills as it was an insurance job) it was something like NZ$1400 worth !!!

Interestingly I think the headlights turn on a little earlier with the new sensors !!

Cheers

[Bayman]

Got a quote for Windscreen replacement from O'Briens was around $670 and VW Dealer was $20 less, needless to say I am getting the VW Dealer to do it with Geniune VW glass unlike the Pilkington product (minus the VW symbol on it) that O'Briens use. Insurance would pay either anyway.

[Bayman]

New screen all fitted OK. Dealer and glazier did a good job. Also car sat in shade (workshop) whilst the glass/bond cured. Best of all the Glass has the original VW brand located lower drivers side as per the original glass.