FJ Windshield Class Action Lawsuit Has Begun

[1911]

RonDeF previously said:

It can't hurt

Surely you jest. I would hate to see the real numbers of what the gazillion lawsuits per year in this country cost us all. But I guarantee that everyone from McDonalds selling hot coffee to insurance companies and everyone in between is raising their prices to cover the costs of being sued. The best example I think of off the top of my head is the medical industry - how much of what we pay for health care and health insurance in this country is due to the ridiculous number of lawsuits?

[RonDeF]

I think this is worth pursuing as I need another windshield replaced after only 8 days of replacing the last one. I only have 4,500 miles on my FJ now, this is insane. My insurance company has given me scenarios of what could happen to my policy based on filing windshield multiple windshield claims. You may want to enquire with your insurance company to see what will happen after filing multiple claims with a windshield as expensive as this one is.

Scenario #1: They raise the comprehensive insurance premiums significantly.
Scenario #2: They raise the deductible to the ceiling $1,000.
Scenario #3: They no longer cover glass on the FJ.
Scenario #4: The cancel the comprehensive all together.

I don't know about you but I don't like any of these scenarios since I have great coverage and great rates now.

[jnava121]

Definitely worth pursuing, I mean we all hate lawyers but....

For one person to take this issue to court it would cost an insane amount of legal fees , so the law firm taking the class action suit would obviousily want a lot money out of this. After all it will probably take a lot of time and money to go through the legal system? correct?

1. Toyota might settle out of court and give us all warranties on new windshield upgrades?

2. Toyota might redesign the windshield, making it easier to install or cheaper?

3. Maybe they will get a better glass to protect from foreign object debris? It might be more expensive but it's absolutely possible."the whole flat windshield theory" of that it is more prone to cracks , is an excuse!

4. I hate lawyers, but some insurance companies are just as bad. Once they start getting claims for a few hundred windshields from the FJ you can bet they will do what Ron said above.

[Mtbcoach]

I've been wanting to stay out of this because I know as soon as I post something, my windshield will get cracked, but...

I'm trying to understand the basis for such a lawsuit.

-defective glass, I'm 100% positive that the windshield glass meets or exceeds USTA standards and/or international governing bodies.

-bad design, as so many have stated, they believe the windshield is too "upright". Who is going to pay for the testing to prove this is the cause of allegedly higher incident of broken/cracked windshields. And, is this a safety issue? Does this angle create a safety hazard.

-high cost for replacement, oh well.

I know there is a population of FJ owners that have unfortunately suffered a broken windshield. I don't want to minimize this fact nor the hassle and costs which they have had to overcome due to the broken/cracked windshield. But...is it that one feels the windshield should not have brokend/cracked from this impact? Or, any impact? Is there none of these "victims" that the windshield performed exactly as designed and it "should" have cracked as any other windshield would have in the same condtions?

I went through 2 windshields in my Dodge Cummins in 6 years of driving it. Maybe I should have thought about seeing of others had a similar problem and started a class-action lawsuit. My guess is that this "problem" is one which covers the spectrum of drivers/vehicles on today's roads and highways. My evidence is the large number of auto glass replacment services one can use and the large volume of advertisements for such services on day time local TV.

I speak up only because I live in an area of NC where the growth is out of control and I'm either following, passing or trying to miss head-on collisions with "dump trucks" moving dirt/concrete/waste of all types. I have had what I would call 3 "big hits" of some object against the windshield. I consider myself lucky because I expected a crack/chip from the impact, regardless of it being an FJ or any other vehicle windshield.

I think engaging in a class-action lawsuit will accomplish nothing. Can any truly prove there is a higher incidence of broken windshields with FJ's than any other vehicle? Can this higher incidence be due to driver behavior/tactics? If this law firm is willing to do this research, pay for the data collection, pay for the research/testing of the windshield, pay for design engineers to analize the windshield angle and devise a test proceedure which will demonstrate how the angle creates a higher incident of damage...at a billing rate of $$$$, the owners of broken windshields will get squank.

Good luck, this will be interesting to watch...

[wesayso]

RonDeF previously said:

I think this is worth pursuing as I need another windshield replaced after only 8 days of replacing the last one. I only have 4,500 miles on my FJ now, this is insane. My insurance company has given me scenarios of what could happen to my policy based on filing windshield multiple windshield claims. You may want to enquire with your insurance company to see what will happen after filing multiple claims with a windshield as expensive as this one is.

Scenario #1: They raise the comprehensive insurance premiums significantly.
Scenario #2: They raise the deductible to the ceiling $1,000.
Scenario #3: They no longer cover glass on the FJ.
Scenario #4: The cancel the comprehensive all together.

I don't know about you but I don't like any of these scenarios since I have great coverage and great rates now.

Something weird is going on with your situation. Are you driving around behind trucks full of rocks or something. What are the circumstances? This is what you need to inquire about. I have 8000 miles with no breakage and have been hit with rocks and 1 bird. I have small pitting going on but that is expected with such a vertical windshield. My old FJ40 was the same way. What really needs to be addressed is the huge cost of this windshield. Why is it so expensive? I've replaced larger windshields that were 25% the cost of the FJs'. Well, what about it Toyota?

[1911]

RonDeF previously said:

You may want to enquire with your insurance company to see what will happen after filing multiple claims with a windshield as expensive as this one is.

No complaints or rate increases from State Farm so far, but I give them a lot of business.

Scenario #1: They raise the comprehensive insurance premiums significantly.
Scenario #2: They raise the deductible to the ceiling $1,000.
Scenario #3: They no longer cover glass on the FJ.
Scenario #4: The cancel the comprehensive all together.

I don't know about you but I don't like any of these scenarios since I have great coverage and great rates now.

Scenario #5: You get some piddling settlement after the lawyers collect their fees, your insurance still goes up anyway, and Toyota increases the price of FJC's to offset the cost of lawsuits. But what the hey, we've already got ours.

I understand your frustration, I'm just not convinced that another lawsuit is the answer.

[RonDeF]

The problem may be due to the fact that the windshields are under a large amount of stress and as a result a tiny object can break it easier. I say this because some owners are seeing stress related cracks and Toyota is starting to step up to the plate on those windshield issues. You have to remeber that windshields are now part of the support structure of the vehicle unlike windshields in older vehicles.

[wesayso]

1911 previously said:

I understand your frustration, I'm just not convinced that another lawsuit is the answer.

If things keep going the way they are, in the near future, the lawyers will have ALL the money.

[RonDeF]

wesayso,

In both cases where my windshield cracked I was at least 100 feet away from the nearest vehicle and I was only driving at the posted speed limit of 25MPH (residential neighborhood). I was not behind any trucks when they the windshields cracked. IT IS NOT MY DRIVING THAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM! Toyota definately has a problem and they need to address it. I hope you are lucky enough not to have to deal with this problem but my guess is it will happen to you one day. The odds of getting a broken windshield are pretty good if you count all of the members on this forum that have experienced this problem. Talk to me after it happens.

[RonDeF]

I just recieved an email from Ross McLaughlin, please look at the contents below.

Ron,

These are the same people who handled the Honda Element suit. I talked to this firm last week about it. They said your stories sound very similiar to the Element saga.

Ross MCLaughlin
7 On Your Side
rmclaughlin@wjla.com