Originally Posted by ag4ever (Post 131378)

How does the noise reduction rating have any impact on the safety of the glass?

The windshield is rated for the car body, and there is no difference in the body structure of a hybrid camry or a gas camry.

Besides, how many times have you seen a custom car with different bumper covers? Is that also a serious safety problem?

Originally Posted by rscott (Post 131130)

If you have had your Camry Hybrid windshield replaced, please read this.

There have been a couple of threads about the Camry Hybrid windshields; the two main topics were that [1] the windshields often get replaced with the gas Camry windshield, and [2] there is concern that the Camry Hybrid windshield is more prone to cracking than it should be.

What I've discovered is that there could be a safety issue (actually, there *is* a safety issue unless it can be proven otherwise). I'm asking that you post (or E-mail me directly, if you prefer):

[1] Who replaced your windshield,
[2] Information on which windshield it was replaced with.
[3] Whether or not you informed someone that you thought it might be the wrong glass (and if so, what company and when).

For #2, you can look at the bottom of the driver's side of the windshield, and look for the M# and DOT#. As an example, the replacement I received was M334 and DOT376. If you have M334/DOT376 or M555/DOT404, it's a gas Camry windshield; if you have M3K4/DOT20, it's a Camry Hybrid windshield.

Specifically, I'm trying to find out whether this is a problem just with Safelite, whether it affects other auto glass companies (it could be a problem with a bad database entry somewhere), and whether or not these companies knew ahead of time that they were installing the wrong glass.

If all goes well, it is really the same glass, and Toyota just shouldn't have marketed the glass as if it were unique to the Hybrid. Next best would be if the glass is structurally the same, but acoustically different (in which case insurance companies would likely be required to replace with the correct glass). Worst case scenario is that the glass is structurally different to the point of a safety issue.

Thanks in advance to everyone who responds. :)
-Scott

P.S. If you are interested in more details about windshields and repairs/replacements, I'm compiling as much information as I can at www.carwindshields.info .

Originally Posted by rscott (Post 131644)

Geez, I never thought that this post would have gotten me about 10 replies, but none answering the question or addressing the issue!

First, windshields are NOT "rated" for the car body, so you are just plain wrong (sorry, but if you're going to belittle an issue that could cause people to die, you get what you ask for).

The noise reduction rating is irrelevant. What is relevant is that Toyota chose to use a different windshield in the hybrid than the gas Camry. The hybrid weighs 10% more than the gas Camry. Windshields are designed to support about 30%-50% of the weight of the car in a rollover. Don't you think that there *might* be a chance that Toyota didn't just use a different windshield as a marketing feature, but instead did so because they were required to?

Of course, it may just be that I'm the only one that would prefer not to be crushed to death in an accident, and that people are more concerned with ugly windshields.
-Scott

Originally Posted by ag4ever (Post 131734)

Do you know what the GVWR is for each vehicle? Is the gas version's GVWR actually less than the Hybrid's?

Originally Posted by ag4ever (Post 131734)

I don't see any real requests for information in your original post.

Originally Posted by ag4ever (Post 131734)

Do you know what the GVWR is for each vehicle? Is the gas version's GVWR actually less than the Hybrid's?

Originally Posted by ag4ever (Post 131877)

How much structure can a windshield give the car in a roll over?

I am not trying to argue with you, but just from a different perspective, I can't see how there would be enough difference to make it a huge safety issue.

Originally Posted by ag4ever (Post 131877)

On a seperate note, I did see my first chip in my windshield. It is about the size of a ball point pen tip. Can a chip this small be filled?

Originally Posted by rscott (Post 131886)

Well, since I stated the difference, either I know or I am lying. :) Just go to http://www.toyota.com/camry/specs.html and click 'capacities.'

Originally Posted by Sooty (Post 131895)

If you want to compare them you must be fair and use the heaviest Camry that uses the non sound proofed windshield that would be the V6 XLE the difference is only 4.5% not the 10% that you state.

Originally Posted by rscott (Post 131933)

Sorry, I'm from the U.S., and we sometimes forget that there are other countries out there. :) I was comparing the Hybrid with the heaviest gas Camry reported by www.toyota.com.