jetman1956

I've only had my 2024 Q5 Prestige for a month and when I got out of work I noticed a large crack in the front windshield stretching from the top center down about a foot and then making an "L" shape towards the passenger side about another 6 inches. The crack wasn't there in the morning, unless it had started much earlier and I hadn't noticed it because it was obscured by the electronics above the rear-view mirror. A few questions:

1. Could this possibly be a manufacturing defect? There is no indication of any stone chip or anything else hitting the windshield to cause the damage. Any chance that the replacement would be covered by the factory warranty?

2. GEICO wants me to have it replace by Safelite and they'll cover the replacement cost in full. I would prefer an OEM windshield be installed by the dealer due to calibrating the electronics properly (I also have the heads up display) and the quality of the glass itself. Thoughts on getting an OEM replacement versus Safelite aftermarket glass?

3. GEICO told me that the maximum they will pay if I have the replacement done at the dealer is $1086.66 which I am reasonably sure will not come near covering the cost, even though I supposedly have "full glass" coverage. And I have to pay the full cost of the replacement myself first and submit the invoice for partial reimbursement. Is there any recourse trying to get the insurance company to cover more of the replacement cost, and without me having to pay beforehand?

4. If the cost of replacement at the dealer is too high and I'm forced to use Safelite can I insist on them using OEM glass? And does Safelite do a good job calibrating the electronics?

Thanks for any thoughts and recommendations.

brian_tii

Can’t hurt to ask about warranty. The windshields are different depending on which options you have. Call around to different dealers and see you maybe able to get somewhat close to what you’re looking at. State Farm covered mine 100% at the dealer at a cost of about $1800. State Farm doesn’t guarantee OEM glass either, but I guess they cut me some slack and just paid it to keep me happy since it was my first claim in over 20 years. I later found out the dealer across town may have been a lot cheaper based on their parts markup being SIGNIFICANTLY less.

I’ve heard Safelite uses Saint Gobain for our application which as I recall is the OEM for the glass to Audi anyway… just missing the rings logo so your worst case probably isn’t too bad… assuming you trust Safelite.

I will say my dealer ensured the glass installation job was completed to perfection.

rdA4WtQ5

Safelite does all local dealers windshields in my area in Mass. Request OEM glass because dealers won’t service any systems that interface the windshield unless OEM glass. (Have to replace with OEM glass first). The Safelite calibration in my car works better (way less pre sense false alarms related issues) than the factory calibration worked with the original windshield. An intersection with a grade change on my way to work would cause pre sense to activate the ABS pump in preparation to activate the brakes occasionally and never did it again after the new windshield.
Also, the OEM glass has a different and better sealing interface and better support than non-OEM glass according to the Safelite tech.
The only issue is Safelite is supposed to reuse the gel pack that the sensor for the auto wipers and auto hi beams (same sensor in front of the rear view mirror). On mine a bubble formed and my auto wipers and auto high beams stopped working correctly. Make sure they test with spraying water on the sensor location before leaving. Safelite has a non OEM gel pack that will fix but won’t install until trying to reuse the original one first. At least that’s how it was when mine was done last fall. Audi does not sell the OEM gel pack without the sensor. With my Progressive coverage, same $100 deductible with OEM glass. Good luck!

atlanta A6

I guess it varies by state but Geico in SC fully covered an OEM windshield install by a local installer and fully covered the $700 recoding of the electronics by the dealer. If I recall it was all in $2400

GeriatricSQ5Guy

You have a prestige, which has a lot of goodies including head-up display and a double insulated windshield. Getting it installed by Safe-Lite might be fine, but they need to use OEM parts. And if there's no indication that the windshield was hit by anything (you're not the guy who wen through the bikini coffee place and the barista broke you windshield with a hammer, are you?), warranty should cover in in my opinion. I believe you'll need to have at least some of your safety devices recalibrated as well.

Sounds like Geico or maybe even Audi is trying to screw you. You bought an Audi Prestige, insured an Audi Prestige, so therefore the insurance should cover repairing an Audi Prestige.

I suppose it's possible that rapid temperature changes could also cause the glass to crack, such as a really hot day, then a sudden thunderstorm. That very thing happened to a mobile air traffic control tower when I was in the Air National Guard - hot day around 105 in south Mississippi, then a thunderstorm that dropped the temp to the 60s and broke every window in the facility. Also, some years ago I had a rock hit my windshield south of Orlando, and by the time i got back to north Alabama a cold front had come through, what was a small crack had grown to cover half the windshield because of the temperature change.

ribeye

Safelite replaced mine with an OEM. They told me Safelite did not make one for my car. Maybe because I had the prestige which had the layered glass and I also had the head up display? Or maybe they just don't make Audi windshields. They did a great job and everything was adjusted the way it should be when I got the car back. Since I live in Florida, there is no glass deductible so it did not cost me a dime. If I remember correctly it was around $2500.
I would not be afraid of Safelite but read the reviews for you local one. It might be worth a drive to the next town to get a higher rated one. They can not do this mobile as they need to make adjustments in the shop to all the sensor and stuff. They also did my Acura.

ironman88

This situation with your windshield is exactly what I am dealing with now.

2024 Prestige. Had it about one month. The crack just appeared out of nowhere. The crack looks to have started in the center directly above the electronics / camera and extended to the top edge of the glass. Then it spread lower and then across. I looked carefully (very carefully) at the glass up close in order to identify an impact point - but there is none. My sense is that the windshield is just defective.

Fortunately I have a zero deductible on glass and stipulated OEM glass with my insurance company.

Hopefully the replacement glass will not do the same thing...

Weebl

Didn't have a problem with mine and since it is a Prestige, they end up using Audi glass since there are so few of them it isn't worth it for the secondary market to mfg them. My mistake was waiting for it, the calibrating was backed up and it took a few hours extra..

ironman88

Following up:

I'm pursuing this as a claim through my insurance company.

BUT, I'm also pursuing this with Audi for warranty consideration as I do believe that the windshield was defective. I honestly believe that Audi will reject it as there are no service bulletins or notifications related to glass on the 2024 SQ5. The main reason that I'm going through this additional (exercise in futility) is that if in the event that the replacement OEM glass does the exact same thing (failure without any evidence of stone impact or other impact), I will have at least established a record of the first glass failure with Audi.

Additionally - my Audi dealer quoted me a total cost for the windshield replacement at $3,061. (!!) That includes the glass, associated trim pieces needed, labor to do the work, and recalibration of related electronic systems. Very expensive. (Again, this is for a Prestige trim level model. The cost for a Premium Plus would be less.)

Gilbertorodz

Glad I read this. My auto wipers didn’t work due to the sensor. Funny thing is when I first left my wipers didn’t work at all! They forgot to add the nuts to the wipers to hold them in place. I was an hour away from my house and it starts to pour. Was thinking of getting a tow truck to Safelite and having them cover it. The guys said they found the nuts two days later and were wondering what they were for.

Taking my car in tomorrow to get the new gel or whatever gel they have to get my auto wipers to work. If not, I’ll take to dealer and have insurance or Safelite cover it.