Windshield repair and replacement experience’s

[JW Jeep]

I’ve managed to get a cracked windshield and yes it’s Gorilla glass. Jeep has only 6000 miles on it. Made an appointment with safelite and demanded original oem Gorilla glass. i have an appointment July5 th coming to my house so I can watch.
In the mean time my son in law told me about ultra bond here in GRAND junction , Colorado that actually invented glass repair and do cracks larger then 12 inches ? So I went to them this morning and they said , you were going to replace for this ? Said no problem easy fix. My cracks and bulls eye were about 1 inch diameter on upper left sort of corner but plenty of room to repair. The tech who has been doing this for years and many a day kept trying but didn’t come out that well. Said He’s never had this problem. They said they have done some gorilla glass with no problem. The owner has contacts with owens corning and gonna contact them to see if they changed something ? I was wondering if anybody on here has had a gorilla glass just repaired ? I am also wondering if I should go with regular glass in case of future repairing ? I also see Gorilla glass is not available when ordering Gladiators now just Wranglers ? All the 23 Gladiators on dealer lot here don’t have the gorilla glass. My dealer told me they have a gorilla glass in stock. I checked today on that. I have a feeling Safelite is going to show up with their glass anyway ? What should I do ? Jeep came with this glass ? I have insurance with 0 deductible on glass.

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[ShadowsPapa]

I’ve managed to get a cracked windshield and yes it’s Gorilla glass. Jeep has only 6000 miles on it. Made an appointment with safelite and demanded original oem Gorilla glass. i have an appointment July5 th coming to my house so I can watch.
In the mean time my son in law told me about ultra bond here in GRAND junction , Colorado that actually invented glass repair and do cracks larger then 12 inches ? So I went to them this morning and they said , you were going to replace for this ? Said no problem easy fix. My cracks and bulls eye were about 1 inch diameter on upper left sort of corner but plenty of room to repair. The tech who has been doing this for years and many a day kept trying but didn’t come out that well. Said He’s never had this problem. They said they have done some gorilla glass with no problem. The owner has contacts with owens corning and gonna contact them to see if they changed something ? I was wondering if anybody on here has had a gorilla glass just repaired ? I am also wondering if I should go with regular glass in case of future repairing ? I also see Gorilla glass is not available when ordering Gladiators now just Wranglers ? All the 23 Gladiators on dealer lot here don’t have the gorilla glass. My dealer told me they have a gorilla glass in stock. I checked today on that. I have a feeling Safelite is going to show up with their glass anyway ? What should I do ? Jeep came with this glass ? I have insurance with 0 deductible on glass.

The layer they repair is NOT Gorilla glass. In fact, the outer later of all windshields, GG or not, is soda-lime glass. They don't even touch the GG layer as that's on the inside with the middle layer of polyvinyl butyral in between it and the outer soda-lime glass.
So if they were having issues, it shouldn't be the GG as you never ever touch that. They never get into the polyvinyl butyral (the middle "plastic" layer). If they get into that, clarity is gone and it would be a distorted look. It's normally, or "almost always" only the outer layer that cracks or chips anyway.

If replaced, they need to use the original glass - in your case, GG. They can't substitute a lesser glass without your permission.
You can refuse "their glass". All I have to do is request the OEM glass and they comply. In fact one shop told me they use whatever my Jeep comes with unless I am paying out of pocket then can request a cheaper glass to save myself money. But insurance coverage deals - it always goes back to whatever it came with no questions asked.

All windshields have a soda-lime outer glass layer, then a thin sheet of polyvinyl butyral, then either another layer of soda-lime glass or - Gorilla glass.
What companies fix is the outer layer that the bugs run into.
The GG is the inner layer your face runs into if not wearing a seat belt.

This is worth repeating, i guess -

 

[JW Jeep]

The layer they repair is NOT Gorilla glass. In fact, the outer later of all windshields, GG or not, is soda-lime glass. They don't even touch the GG layer as that's on the inside with the middle layer of polyvinyl butyral in between it and the outer soda-lime glass.
So if they were having issues, it shouldn't be the GG as you never ever touch that. They never get into the polyvinyl butyral (the middle "plastic" layer). If they get into that, clarity is gone and it would be a distorted look. It's normally, or "almost always" only the outer layer that cracks or chips anyway.

If replaced, they need to use the original glass - in your case, GG. They can't substitute a lesser glass without your permission.
You can refuse "their glass". All I have to do is request the OEM glass and they comply. In fact one shop told me they use whatever my Jeep comes with unless I am paying out of pocket then can request a cheaper glass to save myself money. But insurance coverage deals - it always goes back to whatever it came with no questions asked.

All windshields have a soda-lime outer glass layer, then a thin sheet of polyvinyl butyral, then either another layer of soda-lime glass or - Gorilla glass.
What companies fix is the outer layer that the bugs run into.
The GG is the inner layer your face runs into if not wearing a seat belt.

This is worth repeating, i guess -

Yes the Tech said exactly what you have said and just couldn’t get it The way he wanted. Who did you use for glass replacement on your gladiator and was it an easy replacement ? I use to do windshields years ago in the body business but not my cup of tea anymore.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes the Tech said exactly what you have said and just couldn’t get it The way he wanted. Who did you use for glass replacement on your gladiator and was it an easy replacement ? I use to do windshields years ago in the body business but not my cup of tea anymore.

My windshield replacement goes back decades - butyl........... pain in the butt, but it's what was used up into the 80s.

I went through my insurance company - my agent gave me an 800 number which is for - Safelite.
Apparently there's a partnership as the lady knew my insurance well, and had access to the local Safelite shops and schedules. Last summer I was trading my 2020 for my 2022 and needed the windshield replaced within 2 weeks for the trade. She said they were booked up and contacted a partner independent that did glass work. I called them and the guy found a glass, got it in 2 days and came out and took care of it without issue. Complete replacement.
I've typically had Safelite do the repairs on our other vehicles as well due to the insurance company partnership. They've always gone back with whatever the vehicle came with if it needed replaced, or did decent repairs where it could be repaired.

They always seem to warn that results can vary. On a WJ I had you couldn't tell it had ever been repaired. On my 82 SX4, you could always see the repair. Not bad, but there's still an indication of a crack. It's not really a problem as it's lower, near the wiper blades anyway.

I wonder if there are different mixes or technologies involved in that outer layer. There's windshields out there (after-market) that seem to be a higher quality than many OEMs.

I don't know who makes the windshields for Jeep - but if your guy has contact in Corning - I'd have him run with it. I have a FB contact who works with the Corning employee who was on the team that helped develop the GG windshields for Jeep. Can't say who makes them, but maybe he knows what's up as well.

This is going to be interesting.

 

[Stlrfan152]

Make sure they install it flush, mine was replaced before i bought it. The windshield sticks out in one corner and is very loud on the highway.

 

[JW Jeep]

My windshield replacement goes back decades - butyl........... pain in the butt, but it's what was used up into the 80s.

I went through my insurance company - my agent gave me an 800 number which is for - Safelite.
Apparently there's a partnership as the lady knew my insurance well, and had access to the local Safelite shops and schedules. Last summer I was trading my 2020 for my 2022 and needed the windshield replaced within 2 weeks for the trade. She said they were booked up and contacted a partner independent that did glass work. I called them and the guy found a glass, got it in 2 days and came out and took care of it without issue. Complete replacement.
I've typically had Safelite do the repairs on our other vehicles as well due to the insurance company partnership. They've always gone back with whatever the vehicle came with if it needed replaced, or did decent repairs where it could be repaired.

They always seem to warn that results can vary. On a WJ I had you couldn't tell it had ever been repaired. On my 82 SX4, you could always see the repair. Not bad, but there's still an indication of a crack. It's not really a problem as it's lower, near the wiper blades anyway.

I wonder if there are different mixes or technologies involved in that outer layer. There's windshields out there (after-market) that seem to be a higher quality than many OEMs.

I don't know who makes the windshields for Jeep - but if your guy has contact in Corning - I'd have him run with it. I have a FB contact who works with the Corning employee who was on the team that helped develop the GG windshields for Jeep. Can't say who makes them, but maybe he knows what's up as well.

This is going to be interesting.

Yes I have worked with the butyl ones also and even the pickups with the rubber gasket setup. Those were the days, lol …

 

[SpeedNeed]

I’ve managed to get a cracked windshield and yes it’s Gorilla glass. Jeep has only 6000 miles on it. Made an appointment with safelite and demanded original oem Gorilla glass...

Same. Few days ago, about 6k miles, rock from oncoming dump truck hit the windshield hard and loud. First trip to Safelite wasted because insurance Co. didn’t specify Gorilla, but they located some the next day. I will say Safelite was fast and efficient.

The Gorilla Glass 2-year warranty turned out to be useless. My dealer pled ignorance over all things glass. After several calls I ended up with Jeep Cares, very friendly but said that it would require a Jeep dealer that does their own glass work. I called three dealers to be thorough, but as expected none does their own glass. Does ANY Jeep dealer do their own glass in this day and age, or is this Gorilla glass warranty some BS that deserves a class-action lawsuit?

Like OP I was a little freaked out by the current absence of the Gorilla option on the Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator New Build sites. And, after learning that the Gorilla layer is the inside surface, I would not buy it again.

 

[Curt Oz]

I’ve managed to get a cracked windshield and yes it’s Gorilla glass. Jeep has only 6000 miles on it. Made an appointment with safelite and demanded original oem Gorilla glass. i have an appointment July5 th coming to my house so I can watch.
In the mean time my son in law told me about ultra bond here in GRAND junction , Colorado that actually invented glass repair and do cracks larger then 12 inches ? So I went to them this morning and they said , you were going to replace for this ? Said no problem easy fix. My cracks and bulls eye were about 1 inch diameter on upper left sort of corner but plenty of room to repair. The tech who has been doing this for years and many a day kept trying but didn’t come out that well. Said He’s never had this problem. They said they have done some gorilla glass with no problem. The owner has contacts with owens corning and gonna contact them to see if they changed something ? I was wondering if anybody on here has had a gorilla glass just repaired ? I am also wondering if I should go with regular glass in case of future repairing ? I also see Gorilla glass is not available when ordering Gladiators now just Wranglers ? All the 23 Gladiators on dealer lot here don’t have the gorilla glass. My dealer told me they have a gorilla glass in stock. I checked today on that. I have a feeling Safelite is going to show up with their glass anyway ? What should I do ? Jeep came with this glass ? I have insurance with 0 deductible on glass.

I was under the impression that the Gorilla Glass comes with a warranty.
So the website says:

Our Mopar® windshield made with Corning Gorilla Glass for your Jeep® Wrangler or Jeep Gladiator has been validated in testing and is backed by a 2—year limited warranty2. Utilizing the same strengthening technology used on cell phone screens, this heavy-duty glass can take just about any punishment Mother Nature can dish out.

https://www.mopar.com/en-us/shop/parts/gorilla-glass.html

 

[Curt Oz]

I was under the impression that the Gorilla Glass comes with a warranty.
So the website says:

Our Mopar® windshield made with Corning Gorilla Glass for your Jeep® Wrangler or Jeep Gladiator has been validated in testing and is backed by a 2—year limited warranty2. Utilizing the same strengthening technology used on cell phone screens, this heavy-duty glass can take just about any punishment Mother Nature can dish out.

https://www.mopar.com/en-us/shop/parts/gorilla-glass.html

 

[Hootbro]

Same. Few days ago, about 6k miles, rock from oncoming dump truck hit the windshield hard and loud. First trip to Safelite wasted because insurance Co. didn’t specify Gorilla, but they located some the next day. I will say Safelite was fast and efficient.

The Gorilla Glass 2-year warranty turned out to be useless. My dealer pled ignorance over all things glass. After several calls I ended up with Jeep Cares, very friendly but said that it would require a Jeep dealer that does their own glass work. I called three dealers to be thorough, but as expected none does their own glass. Does ANY Jeep dealer do their own glass in this day and age, or is this Gorilla glass warranty some BS that deserves a class-action lawsuit?

Like OP I was a little freaked out by the current absence of the Gorilla option on the Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator New Build sites. And, after learning that the Gorilla layer is the inside surface, I would not buy it again.

That is a crock of shit for Stellantis (Jeep) to hide behind not having a dealer that does glass work to not honor the warranty. Stellantis is the warranter regardless of the dealership situation. At a minimum if warranty replacement could not be had, they should have refunded the cost of the Gorilla Glass.

 

[JW Jeep]

Ended up with Safelite and they came to my house. They actually did it in my garage. Guy did a great job. Fast job both removing and installing. He said if the traveling between jobs was fairly close he could do 12 a day. Wow !! Replaced with gorilla glass as that’s what the Jeep came with and only 6000 miles. Jeffery also said he does a lot of Jeeps, Bronco’s etc….but not many Hummers. I guess there isn’t that many running around anymore ( vertical windshields) ??

 

[DailyMoparGuy]

Ended up with Safelite and they came to my house. They actually did it in my garage. Guy did a great job. Fast job both removing and installing. He said if the traveling between jobs was fairly close he could do 12 a day. Wow !! Replaced with gorilla glass as that’s what the Jeep came with and only 6000 miles. Jeffery also said he does a lot of Jeeps, Bronco’s etc….but not many Hummers. I guess there isn’t that many running around anymore ( vertical windshields) ??

How’s that Safelite windshield holding up? I just replaced my OEM with one.

 

[toddarama]

My windshield only lasted 7 days and less than 500 miles before taking a rock hit when I first got my JTR. I had the windshield replaced by Safelite, and they put in OEM GG glass that was the same as my original right down to the Jeep silhouette easter egg in the corner. Not to jinx myself by I'm at just over 13,500 miles now on that same replacement windsheild. (I probably just guaranteed another rock shot tomorrow!)

 

[Maximus Gladius]

My windshield only lasted 7 days and less than 500 miles before taking a rock hit when I first got my JTR. I had the windshield replaced by Safelite, and they put in OEM GG glass that was the same as my original right down to the Jeep silhouette easter egg in the corner. Not to jinx myself by I'm at just over 13,500 miles now on that same replacement windsheild. (I probably just guaranteed another rock shot tomorrow!)

Yup you did. Stay home tomorrow and the jinx will pass over.

 

[cranbiz]

I have never has an issue with Safelite. My JK always gets OEM windshields from them and my insurance. The WK2 got aftermarket glass and it's just fine. Same with the WJ.

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