Road debris on a freeway caused a 2 ft crack in the windshield. But replacing it was a financial shock. Because the car has the lane departure/rain sensor/navigation system located on the windshield (under rear view mirror), I was told by multiple windshield repair places & dealer that the OEM version was strongly recommended. Otherwise Mazda wouldn't guarantee that calibrating the system on non-OEM glass would work. Which meant I'd have to buy another windshield (OEM version). That was an additional $200-$300 dollars!

This is the 2nd windshield to fully crack on me within 4 months. The first time I attributed it to bad luck on highway with road debris. But now I'm convinced it's flimsy engineering. This crack occurred in moderate rain traveling about 35 MPH on a side street with cars at least 200 feet away. Debris should have been slowed in the rain but the impact damage is significant. Again, you are strongly urged to buy the OEM version because of the electronics under the rear view mirror...another $900 out of pocket! Mazda refused to deal with it claiming road impact is not covered under warranty. But I read online that it is covered if the car is leased! Mine is not. Either the frame design is putting too much stress on the glass, or the OEM glass is substandard.

The windshield had a rock chip on the lower portion, spread about 20 inches to the right and two going up about 10 ins. I put super glue over the end tips, outside, not inside. (I read there is a plastic film between the inside and outside glass). They don't grow. I lived with it since I expect more rock chips this year. For sure the hail storm last week hit the whole windshield, didn't create more stars, but the existing star blossomed like fire works! lines coming out of it going everywhere!

I have insurance, so finally I decided to call insurance and get it done. And pay the deductible $250. I heard there are film you can add, I did some research last year, it's a kit you buy and you have the skills of how to install it without bubble so I didn't follow thru. I hope someone post here to let people know the new film technology and help everyone out. the technician will come next week, they probably will up sale me something like film, they already sold me a new pair of wipers ($34). Where can you buy wipes that is less expensive?

My windshield cracked this morning as I was driving to work, I literally could see it spreading across the windshield as I was driving. The crack started almost immediately after I turned on my defroster, the temperature was 34. I could have understood this better had it been 34 below, but it wasn't even freezing. in just a matter of 10 minutes the crack spread from the edge on the passenger side all the past the center of the windshield. This is not repairable at all, will require a complete replacement.