Early Tellurides had issues with their front glass cracking without any impact. The dealership would replace it for free. Maybe the service department messed something up and thinks you’re trying to get a free replacement?
@petrabrinkman
You really helped me out with this, thanks a lot. This advice is very useful.
Sophia said:
@petrabrinkman
You really helped me out with this, thanks a lot. This advice is very useful.
Make sure to insist on using Kia-branded glass .
@petrabrinkman
Everything Bob said is spot on. One thing to think about, if it’s within your budget, is to have a low deductible for your comprehensive coverage. Whether it’s vandalism, weather-related damage, or even animal strikes (I had an expensive one), it’ll only cost you your deductible.
I’ve had Safelite replace my windows many times, and they’ve done great work. The first time I replaced the windshield on my Telluride, Safelite put in the wrong type of glass (which messed up the heads-up display). They replaced it for free with the right glass. Dealers charge way too much for this.
@ForteFanatic
How can we make sure it’s the right glass?
Rafaela said:
@ForteFanatic
How can we make sure it’s the right glass?
I have a 2020 Telluride, and when I cracked my windshield, the model was still new. The windshield needs to be polarized for the heads-up display to work properly, plus it has a special film to prevent the display from looking weird. The first glass they ordered didn’t have that film, which made the display look distorted. I’d assume it’s the same for any car with a heads-up display.
The dealer is probably refusing because your insurance won’t cover OEM glass. They usually prefer to pay Safelite for the windshield.
I have a 2024 model, bought it new in October. Within a week, a dump truck dropped a rock, so I had to replace the windshield. Then, within two months, another piece of gravel hit the top and cracked it. Last week, another gravel hit and caused a chip.
Safelite did mine, but now every time I use the wipers, I can smell the fluid. Not sure what happened, but I wouldn’t use the dealer.
Go with Safelite! I had mine replaced last month with Kia OEM glass. It took less than two hours, and I’m not sure why the dealer said you’d need a rental car for the day. Safelite also has a guarantee, I’d trust them over the Kia dealer any day!
@esleystanley
Thanks so much for the advice. I’ll keep this in mind.
Did lettuce cause this?
Dealers don’t actually replace windshields. They hire glass shops to do it. Most insurance companies cover OE windshields because of the car’s year and ADAS camera. You don’t always need to use OE glass, but most insurance will pay for it. Safelite isn’t the only option, though. It’s just the most well-known, with all their ads. If you can, go with a local shop where you can talk to the person face to face. Safelite’s customer service is just a call center in Ohio. How do I know? I’ve been in the industry for 34 years and own my own auto glass company.
I had a terrible experience with Safelite when they replaced the windshield on my Honda. I booked and paid online in full, but when the technician came, he said I owed an extra $150. I asked him why, but he couldn’t explain. We called corporate, and they confirmed the extra charge but couldn’t say why it was higher than what I paid. They eventually removed the extra charge, but it was a very strange experience. Less than a year later, the windshield started leaking, so I sold the car and bought a Telluride.
I had two replaced by Safelite through insurance with no issues. All the sensors were calibrated properly. Both times, it was caused by semi trucks on long trips. The $500 deductibles were worth it.
Safelite quoted me $800 for a replacement and calibration. It wasn’t worth going through insurance because they’ll just raise your premiums.
Cruise said:
Safelite quoted me $800 for a replacement and calibration. It wasn’t worth going through insurance because they’ll just raise your premiums.
Safelite quoted me $1200, so I think $500 is not bad.