Buying a new car is supposed to come with a little peace of mind. Warranties exist for those “just-in-case” moments, protecting buyers from hefty repair bills should something go wrong. But as one Tesla owner learned just before Christmas, warranties can be as fragile as a cracked windshield—literally. What followed was a near-miss with a $1,700 repair bill, a lot of confusion, and a lesson in persistence that every car owner should hear.

Imagine walking out to your six-day-old car to find a giant crack in the windshield that wasn’t there when you left it. That’s exactly what happened to Reddit user Heartvu on December 23. They say they’d only driven their new 2025 Tesla Model 3 some 200 miles (322 km) and didn’t think anything had hit the windshield during that time.

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Just to be sure, they checked the on-board cameras to look for potential vandalism too. They also submitted a ticket to Tesla for service and because they live near a service center, they scheduled an appointment for the next day. When they arrived, the center made it clear that windshields aren’t covered under warranty, which is sort of a half-truth.

A Cautionary Tale for Tesla Owners

In reality, they are if the windshield cracked due to a stress fracture. Heartvu didn’t know that initially and was preparing to drop $1,700 on a new windshield before one very important act. They specifically asked the Tesla service center if the crack was due to impact or stress. “After checking the car again, they said it was stress, and only at this point did the person on the phone say that the windshield can be repaired under the warranty,” they say.

On top of that, the owner had the service center repeat that confirmation in the Tesla service center app chat room. We’re only learning about this because Heartvu wanted to make sure other owners know about the propensity for stress fractures to crack windshields.

“I’m making this post because this sub has been really helpful to me in understanding Tesla and their shitty customer service”, they wrote. “If I hadn’t read from another redditor that there was a difference between impact and stress fractures, I would have been stuck paying the deductible or full fee to replace the windshield on my brand new 2025 Model 3. Also, Tesla insurance in my state does not specifically cover glass or windshields.”

Other Owners, Similar Issues

Notably, another owner reported a nearly opposite situation where they had a broken windshield. They thought the crack was the product of an impact and planned to pay for the replacement. When the Tesla technician removed the broken pane they spotted a problem in the bodywork. They explained to the customer that the bracket the windshield rests on was missing a weld and thus was not flat, putting stress on the glass and eventually causing the crack. So they received a free fix for the bodywork and the windshield.

The takeaway here is simple: if you find yourself staring at a cracked windshield, don’t assume the damage is your fault or blindly accept the first repair bill thrown your way, whether it’s from Tesla or any other automaker. Always dig deeper. Ask questions, demand clarity, and insist on determining whether the crack is due to impact or a stress fracture. And whatever you do, get that confirmation in writing. Tesla’s customer service isn’t exactly known for being user-friendly, so you might need to channel your inner detective to get what you’re owed.

Screenshot Credit: Heartvu/Reddit