This is the third time I've posted this today. The system ate the first one. The second is cross-linked to someone else's empty message. Sigh...<p>The archives don't suggest more than " -- MAYBE -- PPG " as a solution to Audi's continuing problems with windshield distortion, and I'm hoping for some more definite help.<p>How do I know the problem is continuing? Well, my '98 A4 is in the shop right now waiting for its SIXTH windshield. I asked to have the first one replaced because it had that bubble distortion below and to the right of the mirror. The second one had an APPALLING degree of vertical ripple distortion. The third one might have been barely acceptable, but it was chipped. The fourth and fifth ones were rejected by the dealer's service manager on sight because of that same horrible vertical rippling in the driver's field of vision.<p>I told the service manager to remind Audi that I *am* a lawyer and my state *does* have a lemon law... But if this sixth one is still a bust, what's the deal with aftermarket windshields? Has anyone got a decent one? WHERE???<p>Thanks. <p>-- jgr (hoping this gets posted, stays posted, and doesn't get crosslinked this time)

I had a PPG windshield on order. When it came in, I and the shop manager looked at it and we both agreed that it was no better than the stock glass. It may be worth it to order one and take a look, but I wouldn't expect much. I would also suggest not letting anyone put any windshield in a car before it passes your inspection first. (That's my new policy too). It's a real waste of everyone's time and money to replace defective ones with new defective ones. I actually e-mailed a couple of glass companies requesting info on what this problem was, if they made replacement A4 glass, and if their glass would have similar problems. PPG and LOF responded. LOF doesn't have A4 glass (or didn't a few months back). PPG said their glass should have no problem (although the one sample I saw did). A disadvantage of PPG, and probably other aftermarket, glass is that the rear-view mirror bracket doesn't come pre-glued to the glass. It does in factory glass. So there is the possiblity of a shop installing it badly with aftermarket. If you want copies of the glass company's responses, e-mail me and I will send them to you.<p>You're the lawyer, per your post, but I don't see how a visually distorted windshield would qualify for any State's lemon law. Lemon laws tend to require that the problem be unrepairable and safety related, or that the car be out of service for a certain number of days over a certain time period. I can't see that the distortion is severe enough in any I have seen to be a safety problem, although you could make a weak case for it, maybe. And it would take a lot of windshield replacements to get to a total of several weeks out of service over a year (or whatever).<p>It's interesting to me that I have seen this ripple distortion in 100% of the Audi A4 windshields I have looked at (at least 60 total), but most owners say their glass is perfect, except for the small distorted area at the bottom (between the wipers mostly).<p>Good luck in your quest! I've decided to just do "watchful waiting" for now, hoping to eventually see better quality.

Hard to reply without an address!<p>Also, the glass shop that ordered the PPG glass (Safelite) said that Subaru Legacys had a similar glass distortion problem for quite a few year. It was eventually fixed.<p>My original A4 windshield had the big distortion bubble, like yours, below and to the right of the rear view mirror, plus the ripples. The first and only replacement only had the ripples, visible in front of the passenger area over a less than one square foot area.

Hey that comment about the rear view mirror on PPG is well taken. I had<br>PPG glass put into my car and got the wrong molding in it, so that glass had to<br>be taken out. When they did the replacement, the rear view mirror mount was<br>glued in wrong, and now my rear view mirror is falling off all the time. I guess<br>I'll have to epoxy the damn thing to the window now unless I can figure out<br>how to re-do the mount. Is that possible using home tools?<p>Brian<br>

The "replacement glass may not fix it" response is what I was afraid of. Sigh...<p>As for how this gets to Lemon Law status, I assure you that the bubble on the passenger side would NOT. It's annoying but not dangerous to have to compensate occasionally for visual "misplacement" of objects while turning right (which is the big problem with the bubble). The major vertical rippling in the DRIVER'S field of vision (which is what's affecting all the replacement windshields being offered by Audi to my dealer now) definitely WOULD. It is in fact medically dangerous to have your eyes working all the time in that fashion to try to compensate for severe rippling. (I'm not talking about something minor here; I'm talking about something so bad that the service manager INSTANTLY rejected it without even bothering to ask me if it might be acceptable.) I'm hoping that somewhere in Audi's warehouse they can come up with one windshield where the vertical rippling is absent,<p>At this point, I'd happily take a windshield with the passenger side bubble if we could GET one.<p>Thanks for your reply.

I have not seen rippling in my new OEM replacement that was done last month. I didn't have any in either of my 2 previous windsheilds.<br>I do see it on the side glass windows. On my Hondas I had it on every window, including the front windsheild and rear.<br>I see it on all makes and models from time to time and I think it's just something that happens in Glass Companies' processing. <br>Interesting lawsuit case info....I had to have my first one replaced because the rock chip which could have been repaired was in my "line of sight". As such, none of the glass chip repair companies would fix it because of some lawsuit that happened. Apparently, some woman caused a severe accident and killed someone. She sued the glass repair company because they fixed the rock chip but it was in her line of sight and she said it distracted her and caused her to crash in to this other car. I'm sorry but this country is going in the toilet with all these ridiculous lawsuits. This person is a bad driver and she wins a BS lawsuit putting blame on the repair company when its her own stupidity that caused the accident. Hello! So next time I can sue God for making a bug smash into my windsheild, distract me enough to crash into someone, killing them?<br>Sorry about the venting but I'm just fed up with these kind of lawsuits.<br>Anyway....I had 2 OEM and One aftermarket. IMO, the aftermarket was not as good as the OEM. It broke when a VERY small rock hit it......14" immediately. Weak glass IMO.<br>-Cathleen

The "small rock" was not 14"! :) My sentence was disjointed. Actually, a small rock hit and then the windsheild crack stretched appx. 14" long, immediately, upon impact. <br>I don't think aftermarket glass is any better. I've had better luck with OEM, personally.<br>-C.<br>

I just got a call from the service manager who said there is a windshield in the car right now that he's not happy with but at least does not have HORRIBLE rippling in the driver's field of vision.<p>As for what should and shouldn't get into court, believe me: I think about 90% of what folks sue for ought to be settled quickly and easily by two people acting towards each other in good faith. If Audi can get a windshield into this car that does not cause physical headaches while driving, I'll be perfectly happy. I have already let them try six times without rushing off to litigate. I don't want to sue; I want a car with a windshield I can see through safely.<p>-- jgr

I hope you didn't think I was telling you that story because you might have a lawsuit. I wasn't relating it to that at all. <br>You have a right to a good product and for them to satisfy your problem. I almost had to sue some dorks who screwed up refinishing my hardwood floors. <br>Anyway, I was more or less bringing it up as a tangent, not related to your problem. I was just frustrated at having to replace a almost-perfect windsheild where a small chip could be repaired and never noticed just because of that ridiculous lawsuit.(I had had this done on my Honda many, many times in 7 years) It seems like we keep losing more freedoms due to people's fear of litigation.<br>I guess I am lucky I've gotten good windsheilds. It sounds like you have a really bad one. Take my advice, stay away from gravel roads and semi trucks with that new/decent windsheild!<br>-C.