Subaru windshield replacement is not quite the same job as it is on most cars. On a Subaru with EyeSight, Subaru’s driver assist system, the top of the windshield carries a pair of cameras that watch the road, and the glass in front of them is part of how that system sees. Replace the glass and the cameras have to be calibrated again. Raleigh Autoglass is Impex Auto Glass in North Raleigh, and this page explains what that means for a Subaru owner: the camera, the calibration, the glass and the claim.
What EyeSight is looking through
Most driver assistance systems use one forward camera behind the mirror, often helped by a radar in the bumper. EyeSight is built around a stereo camera: two lenses side by side at the top of the windshield, set a fixed distance apart. Comparing the two pictures lets the system judge how far away things are, much as two eyes do. That is what lets it warn you about the car ahead, brake when you do not, keep you in the lane and hold a gap on cruise control.
Because both lenses look out through the windshield, the glass is part of the optical path. Its position, its angle and the patch of glass in front of each lens all affect what the cameras see. I-CAR, the collision repair training body, says forward facing cameras control lane departure warning, collision braking and adaptive cruise control, and that removing the windshield is one of the events that may require aiming the camera.
Request a Subaru windshield quote
Three short steps: the damage, your Subaru and how to reach you. The VIN tells Impex the exact glass and the EyeSight calibration your car needs.
Why a new windshield means EyeSight calibration
I-CAR keeps a search tool of the vehicle makers’ calibration requirements, and Subaru’s EyeSight is one of its worked examples. For the 2019 Subaru Forester’s EyeSight stereo camera, the calibration events listed include ‘If windshield is removed or replaced’ and ‘If wheel alignment is performed’. In plain terms: on that model, a new windshield means the cameras are calibrated, every time.
I-CAR also stresses that requirements vary by year, make and model, which is why the search tool exists. Your Subaru’s VIN is how Impex finds the procedure for your exact car before the visit.
The wheel alignment point
The same I-CAR example lists a wheel alignment as an EyeSight calibration event. If your Subaru has had an alignment since the cameras were last calibrated, mention it when you ask for a quote. Our article on wheel alignment and ADAS explains why.
Choosing the glass for a Subaru
The first thing to get right is the part. A windshield for an EyeSight car has to be the version made for that car, with the camera bracket in the right place. Impex checks the part by VIN before anyone comes out, so the glass that arrives is the one your Subaru was built for.
The second is the type of glass. There is OEM glass, made for the vehicle maker, and aftermarket glass made by other manufacturers. Impex explains both on its site and its technicians can recommend the option that suits your vehicle. If you have a preference, or your policy says something about glass type, say so when you ask for the quote and it will be priced that way.
| Ask | Why |
|---|---|
| Is this glass matched to my VIN? | The camera bracket and the glass must suit your exact model and year |
| OEM or aftermarket? | Know which you are being quoted, and ask the technician which they recommend for your car |
| Is EyeSight calibration in the quote? | The calibration is part of the job on an EyeSight car, so it should be a line on the quote |
| Static, dynamic or both? | The procedure for your model decides, and it affects how long the visit runs |
Cracked windshield on a Subaru with EyeSight? Ask Impex to quote the glass and the EyeSight calibration together.
How the visit runs
- Quote from the VIN. Glass, calibration, and any insurance details worked out before the day.
- The cameras come off. The EyeSight unit is unclipped from the old glass and the windshield is cut out.
- New glass set. The windshield goes into fresh urethane. Impex puts the glass work at about one hour, plus a short cure.
- Cameras back on. The EyeSight unit is fitted to the bracket on the new glass.
- Calibration. Impex performs ADAS calibration on site immediately after the replacement, static, dynamic or both as your model needs. Impex says most calibrations take between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
- Drive-away. You are told when the car is safe to drive. Impex says most drivers are back on the road within two hours. Skip the car wash and avoid slamming the doors for 24 hours.
The drive-away time is not a formality. The Auto Glass Safety Council, which publishes the installation standard, says the windshield and side glass are part of the vehicle’s passenger restraint system and must be installed properly for airbags to deploy safely. The minimum drive-away time is how long the car should stand while the adhesive bonds, and it varies with the adhesive and the weather.
Chip or crack: does a Subaru need a new windshield?
Not always. A small chip can often be repaired with resin, which leaves the glass and the EyeSight cameras where they are, so nothing needs calibrating. ROLAGS, the windshield repair standard, treats stone breaks up to two inches across and single line cracks up to 14 inches as repairable, and Impex says a repair may work when the damage is small, shallow and away from the edges.
On an EyeSight car there is one more test: where the damage is. A chip or a repair scar right in front of either lens is in the cameras’ view. Damage there is a reason for new glass even when it is small. If you are not sure, a photo of the damage from inside and outside helps Impex tell you which way it goes.
Subarus on North Raleigh roads
Subarus share I-540, Six Forks Road and Capital Boulevard with everyone else, and highway driving is where windshields take stones. North Carolina requires covered loads: G.S. 20-116(g) says trucks over 7,500 pounds carrying rock, gravel or stone must keep the load six inches below the walls and securely covered, because loose stone is a road hazard. Even so, chips happen. In North Raleigh, North Hills, Wakefield and up US 1 to Youngsville and Franklinton, Impex comes to the vehicle; see the North Raleigh service areas.
What to have ready for the quote
- The model and year, and the VIN from the base of the windshield or the driver’s door frame.
- Where the damage is, especially whether it sits in front of the EyeSight cameras.
- Whether the car has had a wheel alignment or front end repair recently.
- Your insurer and policy number, if you plan to claim.
- Where the car will be on the day: home, work or another address in North Raleigh.
Insurance for a Subaru windshield in NC
A broken windshield is normally a comprehensive claim in North Carolina. The NC Department of Insurance lists breakage of glass among the losses comprehensive pays, less any deductible, and North Carolina has no zero-deductible glass law, so your deductible applies unless your policy includes full glass coverage. Ask your insurer whether the EyeSight calibration is included in the glass claim. Under G.S. 58-3-180 you choose who replaces the glass, and the insurer pays the same whichever you choose. Impex works with all major insurance providers. The ADAS calibration cost page covers the rest.
For more on how the camera is aimed, see ADAS camera calibration in Raleigh. Raleigh Autoglass is a website of Impex Auto Glass, the North Carolina auto glass company with shops in Greensboro and Charlotte. It is not connected with any other business that uses a similar name, and it is not a Subaru dealer.
Keep EyeSight seeing straight. Call Impex Auto Glass or send the form for a Subaru windshield and calibration quote.
Questions people ask
Does a Subaru with EyeSight need calibration after windshield replacement?
Yes, on the models I-CAR’s example covers: for the 2019 Forester, ‘If windshield is removed or replaced’ is listed as a calibration event for the EyeSight stereo camera. Requirements vary by model, so Impex checks yours by VIN.
Can EyeSight be calibrated without going to a Subaru dealer?
Yes. Impex performs ADAS calibration on site immediately after the windshield replacement, without a separate dealer appointment.
Do I have to use OEM glass on a Subaru?
Ask the technician. Impex explains OEM and aftermarket glass and its technicians can recommend the option for your vehicle. Tell Impex if you or your policy want a particular type.
Why does EyeSight need calibrating after a wheel alignment?
I-CAR’s EyeSight example lists ‘If wheel alignment is performed’ as a calibration event. The alignment changes the direction the car travels relative to where the cameras point.
How long does a Subaru windshield replacement take?
Impex puts the glass at about one hour plus a short cure, and most calibrations at 30 minutes to 2 hours. Most drivers are back on the road within two hours of the windshield job.