Stranded and Out of Business: Help Needed with Toyota Yaris

[RobMac2020]

Approximately two months ago, I purchased a brand new Toyota Yaris. Unfortunately, shortly after taking delivery of the vehicle, the windscreen sustained damage that rendered the car undrivable. As a driving instructor, my vehicle is essential for my livelihood, and this unforeseen issue has had a significant impact on my business as I cannot teach.

To my dismay, I have discovered that there are no replacement windscreens for my Toyota Yaris available in the UK. I have contacted both Toyota and the dealer from whom I purchased the car, but despite my repeated attempts to obtain an update, there has been no progress or estimated timeframe provided for the replacement. It has been about a month since the damage happened

The glass replacement company has also been unable to give any definitive information on when a new windscreen will be available. This lack of communication and resolution has left me in a precarious position, unable to work and facing financial difficulties as a result.
Given the urgency of my situation and the lack of assistance from Toyota, I am reaching out to the community here in the hope that you can help resolve this matter. 

I would greatly appreciate any assistance or advice you can provide. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look forward to any ideas to resolve this issue.

Cheers Rob

[jthspace]

UK Car Glass but be prepared for a shock on price, however if you are losing business it may be worth it.  Also discuss with your insurance company.

https://ukcarglass.co.uk/book/?window_id=8871&make=toyota&model=yaris&year=2023

I chose 2023 in error, but maybe the same.

[Rhymes with Paris]

A member on here Cyker had to replace a screen on his 2021 , and had some difficulty sorting it out, but did in the end.

So I don't know if yours is the same screen, but he is a very helpful chap, and might be able to give you useful pointers if it's possible.

I can't speak for him of course, but he hopefully will see your post, and help if he can.

[RobMac2020]

Great, I'll give them a call. 

Update: Could not help.

[Parts-King]

PM me the registration number and I will see what I can find out for you 

[TonyHSD]

The latest Toyota models are so slightly different from previous production dates due to the new safety system built in so there might be some differences and perhaps this is the reason why they have no stock for you. 
The windscreen from 2020-2022 MY may fit physically but maybe missing some parts or design futures that are different for the latest 2024 models. 
The amount of tech in latest cars simply kills driving and owning experience of what should have been simple, reliable and dependable car ownership, the core values of Toyota brand. 
That’s the reality.

[RobMac2020]

6 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

The latest Toyota models are so slightly different from previous production dates due to the new safety system built in so there might be some differences and perhaps this is the reason why they have no stock for you. 
The windscreen from 2020-2022 MY may fit physically but maybe missing some parts or design futures that are different for the latest 2024 models. 
The amount of tech in latest cars simply kills driving and owning experience of what should have been simple, reliable and dependable car ownership, the core values of Toyota brand. 
That’s the reality.

Yes, that is my understanding as well. It is the bracket/element that  the camera housing connects to the windscreen that is the issue.

The safety features are a real problem from a driver experience. They cannot be permanently disabled and are reset when the car is restarted. The steering gets grabbed from you randomly if you go near a white line. I mentioned this to the dealer I bought the car from and they said they too were struggling with the new features.

Feel incredibly let down by Toyota on this customer experience. They allocate screens to new car sales but nothing to existing customers.

[RobMac2020]

Update from my Toyota Dealer:

Hi Mr MacDougall.

I have gone back to Toyota and gotten an update for why they don't have windscreens in stock. The batches that have been made have been checked and there is a quality issue so they are checking all current stock of windshields to make sure all are up to correct quality. Until that check is done they wont release any from the port. 

The latest update from them is if Autoglass have secured a window glass then its the fastest route to getting your vehicle back onto the road.

[FROSTYBALLS]

If you're claiming via car insurance, usually the insurer will require that you use their approved repairer. Some will charge an additional excess if their approved repairer isn't used. Check your policy.

[RobMac2020]

Yes we are beyond that, my insurer will not allow me to use Autoglass but they seem to be the most connected people. I am just going to bite the bullet and pay without insurance (currently £1100) as I just need it done.

[Yaris_Cross]

 

Quote

The batches that have been made have been checked and there is a quality issue so they are checking all current stock of windshields to make sure all are up to correct quality.

Is the problem you are having down to the bad batch of screens you mentioned earlier or is it common for dealers not to have replacement screens?  

£1100 

[RobMac2020]

It would be nice if the screen failing was down to a manufacturer fault, can't see Toyota owning up to that one! Nonetheless a pine cone took mine out...

[flash22]

parts supply on cars in current production has been a problem for many years it's not just Toyota

LTA and PCS can be set with Techstream to "Stored" so it remembers its last setting

you need to speak to the actual tech, as most service advisers are clueless

[forkingabout]

55 minutes ago, RobMac2020 said:

my insurer will not allow me to use Autoglass 

That's a blessing - dealt with them in the past & never again.

[Cyker]

8 hours ago, RobMac2020 said:

Yes we are beyond that, my insurer will not allow me to use Autoglass but they seem to be the most connected people. I am just going to bite the bullet and pay without insurance (currently £1100) as I just need it done.

That's crazy - If their preferred windscreen company can't get one to you in good time they should allow you to go elsewhere! Who are they so I can add them to my list of insurers not to use?!

I had the opposite of what happened to you with Churchill - Their windscreen provider is Autoglass, but they strung me along for months, no glass, then a glass would appear and they'd book me in and I turn up and there's no glass. This dragged on so long my insurance provider changed, but I got so fed up I called Churchill to explain what was going on, and after checking with Autoglass to confirm my story and that there was an open case, they gave me authorization to go elsewhere - Went to my dealer, got a quote, gave it to Churchill, they gave me the goahead, and the dealer had the glass in 2 days. Unfortunately it was cracked so they had to get another one, but then we couldn't book it in because it was Christmas... but if it had run out of patience earlier it would have been a 3-day turnaround!

Small comfort but you've been very unlucky - Toyota's logistics are stellar and they'd usually be able to get hold of the glass much faster than this - It's super unfortunate your need has coincided with this defect that's made them pull all the glass from inventory while they're checked  

I just hope you have better luck with Autoglass than I did!

 

[RobMac2020]

Yes, let's hope so. My only experience of Auto Glass was when travelling through France and needing a screen. If I recall it went pretty smoothly but as they say your mileage may vary. Hopefully I will hear in the not too distant future if those screens are going to be released and I will report back. Thanks to all for the info, greta forum here )

[Chas G]

21 hours ago, RobMac2020 said:

It would be nice if the screen failing was down to a manufacturer fault, can't see Toyota owning up to that one! Nonetheless a pine cone took mine out...

Toyota Yaris_Windscreen_001.mov

Amazed that a falling pine cone could break a car windscreen. Makes me wonder if the normal little hailstones we get in the UK would do the same thing.

[FROSTYBALLS]

18 minutes ago, Chas G said:

Amazed that a falling pine cone could break a car windscreen.

Probably due to the concentrated impact in one small area. 

Similar to theives using an AA Battery to break car windows and gain access to the interior.

[Cyker]

2 hours ago, Chas G said:

Amazed that a falling pine cone could break a car windscreen. Makes me wonder if the normal little hailstones we get in the UK would do the same thing.

Just more bad luck! Windscreens are incredibly strong and can generally take surprisingly hard blunt impacts without any effect, but it just takes a sharp concentrated impact at a stress area and it'll crack like an egg.

 

[Chas G]

@Cyker and @FROSTYBALLS

Oracle Centre Reading, i watched a kid use a compression centre punch to a big glass entrance door. One minute the door was there, small click and the door and handles fell to the floor.

[Cyker]

TBH it still amazes me they use glass as the main windscreen material - It's heavy and fragile; I thought they'd be using some sort of UV-stabilized optical-grade polycarbonate or hardened lexan or something as standard by now.

[ColinB]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

TBH it still amazes me they use glass as the main windscreen material - It's heavy and fragile; I thought they'd be using some sort of UV-stabilized optical-grade polycarbonate or hardened lexan or something as standard by now.

You would have to change it at regular intervals as even "scratch proof" plastic still marks, e.g. Spectacles and they don't have wipers moving over them back and forth. You'd also have to make sure that no solvent goes onto the screen, at one place I worked we used to demonstrate polycarbonate before and after the application of solvent with the aid of a hammer.... 

[forkingabout]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

TBH it still amazes me they use glass as the main windscreen material - It's heavy and fragile; I thought they'd be using some sort of UV-stabilized optical-grade polycarbonate or hardened lexan or something as standard by now.

Glass is just the best material for the job - its extremely tough but will break safely without injuring anyone if required. 

Toyota counter balance forklifts use glass for front / rear & side door windows ( if truck has half or full cab option fitted ) front screen is laminated - rest is toughened. 

You can even get an optional clear view overhead guard on the BT Reflex reach truck - its made with a thick laminated glass. 

 

[MikeSh]

3 hours ago, Chas G said:

Oracle Centre Reading, i watched a kid use a compression centre punch to a big glass entrance door. One minute the door was there, small click and the door and handles fell to the floor.

I've experienced that. I was putting toughened glass panels into a conservatory type structure, from inside. There was a nail sticking out of a rafter above (as I found later) and I must have just caught the edge of the pane on it. One second I was holding a 2 ft wide piece of glass, the next I was standing with my hands 2 ft apart wondering where the glass had gone. It was in a small pile at my feet.

When I went to get a replacement the assistant told me that toughened glass is very fragile on the edges. I wish I'd known that before 😒

[Rhymes with Paris]

I seem to remember temporary windscreens in car accessory shops back in the 70s 80s, iirc they looked a bit like a polycarbonite roof on a conservatory, but rolled up.

The idea being you carried one in the car, along with all the other spares in case anything went wrong on a journey,doubt they'd be legal to use now.

I had a side window go on a hired VW golf while visiting relatives in Middlesbrough, I was asleep in my uncle's flat in a err slightly rough area, and a police officer knocked on the door to inform me, apparently it was fairly commonplace when the local thieves emerged from the sewer to feed.

All I could do at 3am was shift the car around so that the broken window was tight up to a building wall.

I suppose it's all relative really, I was thinking recently it has got rough round here, but in comparison it's like Beverly hills.