NHTSA Complaint #11386802 — 2020 SUBARU FORESTER

PURCHASED NEW 2020 FORRESTER WITH 25 MILES ON IT MAY 19, 2020. ON JULY 14 I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH NO VEHICLES CLOSE BY, WHEN WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY POPPED AND CRACKED APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES ACROSS DRIVER VIEW. NO VISUAL CHIP OR OTHER DAMAGE, BUT CRACK MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR DRIVER TO SEE ESPECIALLY IN SUNLIGHT. CALLED SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THIS IS OFTEN A PROBLEM WITH THE "SMART" WINDSHIELD, AND WAS NOT FAULTY OR COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDSHIELD CONTINUED TO CRACK. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED WINDSHIELD AND CALIBRATED EYE SIGHT ON JULY 23 AT THE COST OF $1416.27. WE HAD GLASS COVERAGE WITH SAFECO INSURANCE, DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FILE INSURANCE CLAIM SO WE PAID FOR COST AND SUBMITTED CLAIM TO SAFECO. SAFECO EVENTUALLY PAID US IN SEPTEMBER AFTER MULTIPLE PHONE CONVERSATIONS AND QUESTIONS, INCLUDING WHETHER THE WINDSHIELD COULD HAVE BEEN FAULTY WHEN PURCHASED.