I've driven many vehicles with severely cracked windshields. Main issue is if the crack is in the field of view. Then it's a safety issue. Never had one catastrophically fail. If you've ever tried to remove one, it's pretty obvious they are tough. They're laminated with layers of plastic.

 

Huh.
I just noticed my windshield is cracked, lower R corner.
Car has 1009 miles, is a month old.
There's no mark or chip from a stone. It seems like a stress fracture, maybe from torqueing via launching from zero to eat-my-dust.
Is windshield covered under warranty? I'm guessing not...

 

If there's no sign of a cause then it should be covered under warranty. Windshields aren't supposed to just crack on their own.

 

In my case the chip was so tiny that it was only visible via a fingernail feeling it. However, that is all Chevy needs to disavow any warranty claim. I have one a lot of cars that have gotten small chips from flying stones and never had them crack like this. I think it is a flaw in the glass manufacturer/supplier. Strangely, Chevy can't get windshields from the supplier and none are available anywhere in the country. I guess they can't make any more cars since they can't buy windshields. Maybe they are seeking a different supplier because this should not be happening. It is unfair to stick us with the insurance co-pay and to claim no responsibility for a faulty product that cannot withstand a small stone hit, something that is to be expected in today's driving world. I may have to make a test case out of this by taking them to small claims court (good for up to $10K in CA) to see if that motivates them to resolve this issue.

 

It could very well be that the Bolt windshield is thinner than "normal", and thus more susceptible to cracking. Small claims case? Unlikely to win that one. Care to try and sue a manufacturer that uses thinner metal on the panels and is therefor more susceptible to parking lot dents and dings (that you could get billed for on a lease return)? EV's are routinely designed to reduce weight - sometimes those decisions come with trade offs in other areas.

The Fit EV had a similar problem with windscreens. It was the the same shape and size as the ICE version, but was thinner and therefor lighter. People that took stones that chipped/cracked the windscreen waited many weeks to get replacements shipped from Japan. The good news was the Fit EV lease includes comp and collision - both with a $0 deductible.

 

The windshield on the 2019 Bolt I bought 3 weeks ago got clobbered by what was apparently meteor and needs to be replaced. None of the glass shops around town even have it in their system, so my only choice is to order it from Chevy for $515+tax, and then also pay for labor to have it installed. Probably shouldn't have purchased a low-volume car if I wanted sanely-priced parts, I guess.

 

"Sanely-priced parts?" Yeahhhhhh, about that. I got some touch-up paint from the dealer the other day. 1/2 ounce (1/4 ounce of paint, and 1/4 ounce of clearcoat, for my red Bolt) cost me 22 bucks. That's well over $5,000 a gallon. Sure, the little container has a nifty little "pen" and a brush and a little abrasive on the cap, but sheesh....

 

Looks like both OEM and aftermarket windshields are now readily available for the Bolt (Fuyao makes both).


Both GM on-line parts stores and Safelite list four variants, of which only two are relevant for Bolts sold in the US (with and without the crash sensing stuff). The other two variants are for rain sensing wipers (with and without the crash sensing stuff).

 

Soon after acquiring my 2017 Bolt, I noticed a "star" ding on my upper windshield. Being a former windshield repair man, I immediately got out my old repair kit and went through the short repair procedure. The ding almost disappeared, and was stabilized. It won't get any worse in the future, and I probably saved the windshield. I suggest if you notice the beginnings of damage to your windshield, that you have it repaired immediately. It costs very little and sometimes can be covered by your insurance. Sure beats putting up with an expanding crack across the whole windshield and the inevitable hassles of replacement.

 

After my BRP trip, the car was covered in dirt, tar spots, and bugs. I washed it yesterday. Found a small stone chip, with a 3/8" long horizontal crack, two thirds of the way down, on the passenger side. I had a devil of a time finding anybody who would answer the phone, and those that did said they were buried replacing windshields, and couldn't help any time soon. I finally found a great guy who bought into a Superglass Windshield Repair franchise. He drives all over several counties, in his van, fixing windshields. He was 75 miles away in Harrisonburg, but he thought he could drop by on his way home if he finished up there early enough. Sure enough, he called several hours later, and said he could be here in 15 minutes. Nice guy, really into cars. Took him maybe 20 minutes to fix that chip, and three other tiny dull spots caused by stone hits. We talked about the Bolt for another 20 minutes. The windshield looks perfect.