A customer thought they were getting a simple windshield replacement. Instead, they say they got a botched job that left their car damaged and dangerous. It took another mechanic to discover just how bad things really were. In a viral video with more than 171,000 views, auto glass technician @mr.autoglass.llc shared what he encountered when a customer called him to fix a windshield that Safelite had supposedly replaced just one day earlier. The car was getting wind noise so severe it "sounded like a hurricane.” "On today's episode of what not to do, I got called out to replace a windshield that was actually replaced yesterday by Safelite," he explains. When he pulled out the freshly installed windshield, he noticed the job was sloppy. "Obviously, what a mess. They got urethane all over the headliner, all over the body,” he said. But the real kicker came when he examined the defroster connection. The replacement windshield clearly had a built-in defroster, a standard safety feature that keeps the glass clear in cold weather. But instead of installing it, they did this. "The great and powerful Safelite decided, ‘Yeah, we're gonna reengineer the car and just cut it off,’" he says, showing where the defroster wires had been severed. "And not only did they cut the car off, [they] also cut the windshield connector off as well." "So great job, Safelite. You guys keep up the great work,” he said sarcastically. What Should a Windshield Replacement Cost? Windshield replacement isn't the simple swap-out it used to be. According to AAA, the average windshield replacement now runs between $350 and $550 for standard vehicles, but that number climbs significantly when advanced technology is involved. Modern vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems require special treatment. Kelley Blue Book reports that cars with features like automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and rain-sensing wipers can see replacement costs exceed $1,000. That's because the cameras and sensors mounted near the windshield need proper recalibration after installation, a process that can take up to three hours. The defroster issue shown in the video raises serious safety concerns. These heating elements aren't just for comfort; they're critical for maintaining visibility in cold weather. When technicians cut corners by severing defroster connections, they're essentially disabling a key safety feature that drivers rely on during winter conditions. Safelite itself acknowledges that proper windshield replacement depends on factors including damage location, vehicle type, and whether advanced safety systems need recalibration. Commenters React to Safelite Story People were appalled by the allegedly botched windshield replacement. “Safelite destroy, safelite disgrace,” a top comment read. “We gotta stop supporting big corporations and go back to supporting small businesses,” a person said. “I’ve never heard good things about SafeLite,” another wrote. “I worked for an independent shop and we had at least 3-5 Safelite reworks every month, its pretty bad,” a commenter added. Motor1 reached out to Mr. Autoglass LLC via email and TikTok direct message and to Safelite via website contact form for comment. We'll update this if either responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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