The risks of a badly installed windshield that you would never imagine

Did you know that one of the fundamental missions of the windshield is the correct operation of the airbag? And what prevents the roof from collapsing in the event of a rollover? They are only two of the functions that the windshield meets in automobiles.

When a windshield falls off the car after an accident, the occupants have up to 40% more risk of dying. This was stated by the technical director of Car glass worldwide during the First Conference on Technology and Road Safety held in Madrid. Words that lead us to insist on the importance of a correct installation of the windshield.

The windshield serves as a shield to prevent the entry of external elements that could cause series injuries, insect talk, sand, rocks, rain, hail … And at the same time prevents the occupants from being thrown out of the vehicle through the gap that would leave a windshield improperly installed. It is clear that it protects us, and a lot.

But beyond this role as a shield, the windshield fulfills key functions in the correct operation of the airbag, in the structural resistance of the body and as a support for the installation of cameras and sensors of the assistance systems for driving.

Without a windshield, the airbag does not work

There are two elements that the airbag needs so that it can protect the occupants and save lives. One of them is the safety belt and the other is the windshield. And this why? Simply because it is the main point of support on which the airbag will affect to save the life of the passenger. If the windshield is not properly installed, the chances of it falling off in the event of an accident are greater and will cause the airbag to exit through that space, leaving the passenger without the protection for which it was designed.

With a good windshield, the roof does not sink

The windshield provides up to 30% of the structural strength of the vehicle. This means that it will avoid the deformation and collapse of the roof on the front of the passenger compartment – where the pressure is usually higher – in the event of a frontal collision or rollover.

New windshield? Do not forget about the calibration

What new vehicle today leaves a dealership without equipping some of the many driving assistance systems that are already commercialized? These systems are also known by the acronym ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and work thanks to cameras and sensors that are usually installed on the windshield.

And here we find another reason why the windshield must be properly installed. Normally these sensors and cameras are usually placed on the top of the windshield for several reasons: it is a safe place away from shock and impact, has better visibility from that position and the action of the brushes keeps them clean.

But what happens if after a maintenance operation, change or replacement of the windshield, these sensors and cameras are not calibrated as delivered by the manufacturer? They will not be able to detect the lines that delimit the lanes of the road or they will not be able to detect the proximity of an obstacle, among other things.

Choose a quality windshield

But not only a good installation depends on our safety, it is also important that the windshield we are going to install in our car is of quality and complies with the homologations. 90% of a driver’s reaction depends on vision. When you get behind the wheel, check that the glass is clean so nothing obscures your visibility. And if you have a blow or break, do not hesitate to repair it beforehand to prevent it from spreading all over the windshield and the consequences are worse.

It is clear that the windshield is an essential element in any vehicle and that, in the case of a repair or replacement, you will always have to leave it in good hands. We must be very rigorous respecting the times of application and drying, to ensure that the vehicle recovers 100% of its structural rigidity and that, whatever happens, the windshield remains in place.

The importance of the windshield for the safety of a car

It is a piece that often must be replaced because a stone breaks it on the road or suffers other damages that make a good vision impossible. Thus, it is common that the decision to change the windshield of a car is accompanied more by statements about the cost that this implies and the search for who does it faster, than by the choice of who does it better.

However, the replacement and consequently the sticking of this “glass” is key to the safety of a car, and its role in an accident is often as important as an Antilock Braking System (ABS), Airbags or Control Stability (ESP).

In addition to allowing visibility and ensuring the protection of the occupants against external objects, the safety glass contributes to the structural safety of the car and is a fundamental element of the body.

According to a CESVI report, it contributes 33% of the structural safety of the vehicle. It can even represent up to 68% of the torsional rigidity and acts as a support base for the correct deployment of the passenger airbag.

Based on the experience of the entity in the reconstruction of traffic accidents, it was found that in most of the crashes in which injuries were produced by the detachment of the safety glass, the windshields had been placed with inadequate procedures or inputs. It is estimated that in our country 300,000 windshields are replaced per year.

A poor placement or the use of inappropriate products for installation can compromise the life of those who travel in that vehicle, as the safety glass can become detached in full circulation or even enter the interior of the passenger compartment causing situations with consequences serious.

In a certain type of collision or rollover, if the windshield falls off, the resistance it gives to the structure is lost and, consequently, the roof can be compressed, compromising the living space for the occupants and causing serious and permanent injuries.

The safety glass, in turn, is a fundamental element for the passenger airbag to provide the necessary protection when activated. The windshield must remain fixed to the structure at all times to provide the airbag with the necessary restraint to be properly deployed and in the exact position when it encounters the body of the person leaning forward due to inertia. If the safety glass is detached, the airbag will be in any other position and cannot guarantee the protection for which it was designed.

A correct installation must contemplate approved safety glass and sealants. In addition, the place where the work is performed must allow proper assembly and disassembly procedures to restore structural strength to the vehicle.

Tips for choosing the best windshield wipers

You may not give much importance to the change and choice of windshield wipers because they always give you the same result, often short and very little suited to your expectations, but that may be just the mistake and you need to attend to some basic and simple tips, but that will help you choose the best windshield wiper for your vehicle.

The best thing to choose the spare parts of your car is to bet on a good quality-price. If you do not have specific or specific needs, in the case of windshield wipers, this basic advice also works, but you can get a little closer to the perfect windshield wiper or brush, if you take into account other details.

Use

It is important to assess not only the specific use made of the windshield wipers, which can be little if you live in an area of ​​low rainfall and warm weather, but also the general use you make of the vehicle where you are going to mount the wipers, since this piece always in the vehicle and outdoors, exposed to the sun, heat, cold … All this affects the durability of the windshield wipers, that although you use them very little can be damaged by the continuous effect of the sun and high temperatures.

A definitive data to assess what brushes you need is if the vehicle you usually park in covered parking or spend a lot of time on the street. Irremediably the vehicles that support a continuous use and are long exposed, although they do not often use the brushes, they need that they are of high quality and resistance to achieve a wider useful life.

Materials

Not all windshield wipers are made of the same materials, there is a great variety of qualities and, in addition, it is important to look for the most suitable materials for our needs. There are plastic, metal and combinations of different materials and alloys. Noise, smoothness and durability depend directly on the type of materials your wipers are made of.

There are windshield wipers designed to respond to extreme conditions of heat or cold, so they incorporate solar protection or high resistance to cold.

Weather conditions

When you go to buy new brushes, keep in mind how many times you have used the latest ones, under what circumstances and what result they gave you in terms of visibility and safety. It is very likely that your new windshield wipers will have to face similar circumstances and, in this case, with the experience you can choose ones more adjusted to your needs.

The weather conditions that you have to deal with continuously with your windshield wipers will give you the final clue to buy specific brushes for snow or water, for example. It is also important to have the wind, since windshield wipers have to also stand their presence and perform their function effectively and safely. If you live in areas of continuous snow or torrential rains, mount your vehicle specific windshield wipers for these cases.

Adaptation to the model

Do not forget that the windshield wipers are not universal, so the first thing to buy the right replacement is to confirm in the instruction manual of your car what type of windshield wipers your vehicle needs to measure-length-to be able to adapt perfectly in the arm of the car and type of frame or installation that allows.

Within the model that your car uses, you can choose between different varieties, materials and special protections to refine more in your choice and find the perfect windshield wiper.

Tricks to repair small cracks in the windshield of your car

Recently we read a series of homemade tricks for the maintenance of a car and one of them caught our attention: use nail polish to prevent the small cracks in the windshield from becoming cracks and the moon breaking.

When the windshield receives the impact of a pebble or any other similar object, a crack may occur which, due to the vibrations of the conduction, begins to crack until it causes the total rupture of the crystal. To avoid this, it is important to fill the crack so that the broken edges of the glass do not get into friction.

Nail polish could be a temporary solution to cover that crack (you will gain time to find a place of economic repair), in the same way that it is used to avoid the advance of careers in the stockings. The nail polish is a homemade solution in case the impact of the moon caught us off guard, it is key to act quickly. However, there are specific products on the market for this purpose, which can surely guarantee better results.

Whether you use one or the other, it is essential that the area be perfectly clean and dry so that the sealing is perfect. As you can see, for everything or for almost everything, there is a homemade solution that can help us out of a hurry.

What to do when the window of your car is broken

The window of your car is shattered, cracked or just broken? Here are some tips to fix it quickly and well.

It is not possible! You enrage. You are approaching your car and you see shards of glass all around. Burglars have smashed the window of your car to steal your stereo.

Second scenario, a very small crack on the windshield – which you have failed to repair – has spread so much that you have no choice: you have to replace it.

In either case, a broken glass surface must be repaired. These few tips will guide you.

Contact your insurance company

Insurance guarantees vary from province to province. That’s why you need to contact the company where you purchase comprehensive insurance. This covers the loss of your vehicle or the damage caused by fire, theft, weather, mischief, natural disasters or vandalism. This warranty does not include losses in the event of a collision or payment. In general, a franchise applies.

How much does a new window cost?

This is where you decide whether to pay the deductible or simply pay for the window in your pocket. Usually, the cost of replacing an entire windshield is significantly higher than the deductible (between $ 100 and $ 500). In this case, go through your insurer. Do not forget to ask if this will increase your premiums.

Let’s say one of the side windows needs to be replaced, your deductible is $ 300 and the window costs about $ 300. It would be wise not to involve your insurance company and deal with this problem yourself.

The first time you replace a window should not have any effect on your insurance premiums. But if you make at least three requests in three years, your money may increase at the time of renewal. Talk to your broker to choose the best coverage.

Find a respectable repair shop

You must visit an expert to make sure your window or windshield is properly repaired. Ask your usual mechanic to recommend a workshop. Ask your friends the same thing. Call your car dealer to find out what he can do for you. Consult the Better Business Bureau if you have been given a quote that is too good to be true; the shop may be using poor quality products. Ask how long will the repair take? Do not trust someone who says you can drive your car less than three hours after installation.

What will get glass water points

Minerals and impurities in the water often leave unsightly stains and film on windows, partitions and cooking utensils that can be difficult to remove with ordinary glass cleaners, especially if the surface has not been cleaned in a long time. An efficient and profitable way to clean any glass surface is vinegar.

Function

Vinegar is a low pH acid, which is safe to use without sacrificing strength. Reacts well to carbonate-based materials (usually calcium and magnesium) in human cells – dissolution without releasing noxious fumes and hard water deposits. Bacteria are also mostly unable to survive a vinegar bath.

Process

Mix two parts of white, vinegar with one part of distilled water. Use a plastic spray bottle to distribute the solution. For heavy accumulation, spray the area and let stand 30 minutes. Use a damp towel to clean the area. If persistent spots remain, repeat the process. Heating the vinegar helps the chemical process. For preventive or minor cleaning, apply the vinegar solution, clean after a few minutes, then rinse and dry the glass.

Benefits

Vinegar is a natural product that does not harm the body or the environment, while chemical attributes make it ideal for combating deposits and stains, fingerprints and oils. Kills a large percentage of germs and bacteria that cause disease and odor and odor of vinegar dissipates quickly.

Potential

Although not vinegar, magically remove stains without effort, can produce clear, clean glass after a little work. If applied regularly, you will avoid building up. In addition to glass, vinegar can clean any surface that regularly comes in contact with water, inside or out.

Substitutes

Some automotive products are also useful for cleaning glass. Due to its industrial use, however, always test a discrete part of glass with a pea-sized filter to ensure that no adverse results are left.

Why splinters on your windshield should be repaired immediately

How to recognize a burst caused by a stone?

If you have seen debris bouncing off your windshield while driving, it is best to have the shards inspected as soon as you stop your vehicle safely.

Looking for a small notch or crack that is five millimeters or less in size, about the size of a 25-cent coin, with cracks radiating less than 50 millimeters. There are four basic forms to identify these rather small cracks. They are:

  • Star with a center of which small fissures radiate, in the manner of a star;
  • Targeted shine: burst of stone with a center;
  • Half-moon: targeted brightness forming an incomplete circle;
  • Combined radiance: targeted radiance of circular shape, radiating the same cracks as in a star.

Why is there a glare on your windshield?

Despite its negligible appearance, a burst caused by a stone is never good news. It allows moisture, air and dust to penetrate between the layers of your windshield. And if it is in the line of vision of the driver’s seat, it distorts your view of the road.

The more shine is exposed to the elements, the more it weakens your windshield, especially in the presence of extreme temperature changes. This shine will eventually become a crack that cannot be easily repaired. In fact, 90% of splinters near the edges of the windshield turn into cracks.

Strive to repair a shine as soon as possible

The quick treatment of a burst has several advantages, not to mention the particularly ugly long crack that will cross your windshield if you wait. See you at your auto repair shop in the week of impact for an easier and less expensive repair of the windshield. Repairing recent chips is faster; your vehicle can be ready between 15 and 30 minutes.

You may be paying less, or you may not pay, as insurance companies prefer to pay for a repair rather than the extra cost that would come if you waited. This little repair work will probably not even affect your franchise. If you let a sparkle become a crack, you may need to replace the windshield instead of doing a simple repair. And your insurance company may not want to reimburse you for the full cost of replacement.

Do I need an auto repair shop to repair a flash?

There are kits to repair the chips themselves. However, if you prefer to make sure you get away with a single burst rather than a long crack, it’s best to bring your car to a car window repair center. In addition, a car glass technician has resins, tools and equipment to perform a reliable repair.

Windshield and cabins care

If the aircraft you fly is a plane, a sailboat, or a closed-cabin ultra-light, one of the fundamental elements of safety is being able to see through the windshield, windows and cabins. These elements have to be clean and not give optical distortions.

The windshields and windows of the sport aircraft are made of a special plastic called Perspex (Plexiglas), not very resistant to aggressions, but which is convenient due to its lightness and transparency. The problem is that this material scratches easily and has a tendency to pick up dirt. Dirt and scratches are usually opaque, especially if they are seen tangentially.

Initially this is little apparent except in very specific conditions: low light, high humidity and low temperatures. When the ground is poorly lit, the light that falls on the cabin is scattered by dirt and scratches. The outside does not reflect enough light to shine more, so you cannot see outside. Likewise, dew hinders visibility by first forming on the dirt in the cabin. It is therefore essential to keep the cabin free of dirt and scratches.

To avoid dirt, never touch the plastic. This also includes that there is no contact with the hair: in the transparent domes of the sailboats it is therefore advisable to wear a hat. Dirt and dust are very damaging: if you clean a cabin with the least trace of them, there will be abundant scratches -minimal- but in the long run they will accumulate and ruin it. In the bright light you will not see them and therefore you will not know what you have done.

Household spray cleaners are harmful, even if it seems on a first impression that they clean well. They tend to add more friction, and the isopropyl alcohol they carry spoils the plastic by pacifying it.

Therefore, to clean a windshield or cabin, all you can do is first remove the dirt and dust first with large amounts of water, both inside and outside. As the dirt accumulates also in the frame, window channels, etc., if they are not cleaned first this will go to the rag later and it will end up scratching.

What solution can be given to a damaged windshield or cabin? Polishing is usually complicated, takes a long time and the result is never like a new cabin, because the surface is distorted optically. A new cabin on the other hand costs a lot of money and is not always available for aircraft that are not in production.

Windshield glass repairs, why it can’t wait

A cracked windshield may not seem like a big deal and they are an unavoidable part of driving a car on our local streets. In fact, many people regard a cracked windshield as similar to a door ding: unsightly but harmless. A crack can happen for all kinds of reasons. That small pebble that just happens to fly up at just the right angle, a branch that falls in a wind storm, or any number of seemingly random reasons. Since getting your windshield repaired or replaced could cost you hundreds of dollars.

A Cracked windshield can be extremely dangerous

While having a cracked windshield when driving around may seem like it is just a minor annoyance, in reality, it could lead to something extremely serious. Here are a few reasons why a cracked windshield is dangerous:

It interferes with your ability to see other vehicles as well as obstacles in the road. A crack causes glare when sunlight or headlights strike it at certain angles. A large enough crack will even act as a blind spot. This interferes with your vision and may cause you to hit a pedestrian or car. The eye also tends to shift focus between the road outside and the crack. This acts as a distraction.

It weakens the structural integrity of your car. An undamaged windshield is structurally strong. It aids in keeping the car intact in a collision and especially in a accident. A cracked windshield weakens the structural integrity of the car’s roof, making it more prone to collapse in a rollover.

It interferes with airbag function. In many cars the passenger side airbag relies on an intact windshield to properly deploy. In a collision, the expanding airbag may shatter a cracked windshield and partially deploy through the opening, thus failing to fully protect the passenger.

If your windshield is chipped or has a small crack, don’t make the mistake of ignoring it. Small cracks can quickly and easily become large. Windshield cracks tend to spread due to moisture and temperature changes, so what starts off as a small chip may turn into a significant crack if left alone. As a result, the chip or crack may grow slowly or you may get in your car one morning to find a huge crack across the whole windshield.

Insurance may cover windshield repair, depending on your policy

Replacing a windshield could set you back up to $300 or more for the average auto glass replacement, but your car insurance may cover it. Many people don’t realize that if they simply have their windshield repaired they could spare themselves the cost of replacing the entire windshield. Your first move should be to contact your car insurance agent to find out what kind of coverage you have for your windshield. Your car insurance company can generally refer you to a facility which they may even guarantee.

If you carry comprehensive coverage and your windshield needs to be replaced, you will only have to pay your comprehensive deductible. If the windshield can be repaired, your insurance company will probably waive your deductible and pay 100% of the cost of repair. Some car insurance policies have an option for $0 deductible glass repairs that you can purchase (before the chip/crack occurs). Just remember, even if your insurance does not cover the windshield repair, you should get a cracked windshield fixed right away – and check in to the cost of having coverage for next time it happens!

Repair or Replace?

So how do you know if your windshield can be repaired? First, evaluate the kind of crack or chip in your auto glass. If you have a chip, is it one inch or less in diameter? If it’s cracked, is the size of the crack smaller than a dollar bill? If so, chances are you are in good shape to have it repaired. These simple repairs can be done fairly quickly, around an hour or less at a professional shop or even in your driveway by that same shop.

There are many types of auto glass damage that unfortunately simply can’t be repaired. Damage that goes too deep into the layers of glass, damage over important sensors or viewing areas, large and complex cracks, or damage that is on the inside of the auto glass would qualify only for a full replacement.

A fairly common practice is for people with windshield cracks to fill the crack with Super Glue as a temporary fix but this can impair a glass shop’s ability to repair the crack. Instead, it is probably better to just cover the crack with clear tape to block moisture and dirt – and then get it repaired as quickly as possible.

Windshield repair how it’s done and cost

The windshield of a car is constantly subjected to forces that try to break it: force of air and wind, blows of foreign objects.

Many of the blows received by the windshields produce small breaks in the outer glass and sometimes compromise the total integrity of the windshield that makes it necessary to completely replace it.

The replacement of a windshield takes between 1 and 2 hours, with a fairly high cost coming to about $ 400 when it comes to an original windshield while a lower quality windshield will cost around $ 200, while a repair of a small sting It costs about 20 dollars and the cost goes up if they are lines or portholes, up to about 40 dollars ($ 20 ~ $ 40).

It is obviously advisable to replace the broken windshield with an original windshield, as it assures us that it will not cause serious damage to passengers in the event of a crash.

The original windshield is made of tempered glass with a PROTECTIVE POLYCARBONATE SHEET, so that in case of breakage by collision, large portions of glass that could injure and even kill passengers are not released.

By tempered glass is meant a type of glass reinforced and hardened by thermal processes during its manufacture, it is also given to the windshield a convex-bow shape with outward protrusion increasing its resistance to the push of the outside wind when driving at high speeds.

In addition, the original windshields have an upper band dyed with protection for the eyes of the front passengers, which does not bring many windscreens of lower cost.

Structure of a laminated windshield the drawing below shows the structure of a laminated windshield, two layers of tempered and arc-shaped glass are separated by a transparent polycarbonate sheet whose function is that of safety.

More elaborate windshields have UVA and UVB radiation protection sheets that cover the entire windshield, radiation that is harmful to the eyes, as well as heat-filtering sheets.

These sheets of heat filter block the entry of excessive solar heat into the interior of the car, providing greater comfort to the passengers of the car and achieving a reduction in fuel consumption due to the use of the air supplied.

When is a windshield repairable?

When the objects hitting the windshield damage only the outer glass cap, as small stones that jump from other vehicles, only break the outer layer then the possibility of repairing a windshield is very high.

Repair of windshield with transparent resin and light curing Objects that hit the windshield can produce different kinds of windshield glass breaks:

Stings. A sting of the windshield affects a well-defined area and is a small hole of 1 to 2 mm in diameter with a depth of less than 1 mm, this type of break does not immediately compromise the integrity of the windshield and is easily recoverable.

Lines of a few millimeters up to several centimeters. The lines do compromise the integrity of the windshield so it is urgent to repair as soon as possible, as the vibration causes the length to increase and ends up breaking the entire windshield.

Ox eyes. They are breaks in the two windshield glass layers, presenting a collapse of the windshield in a circular shape towards the interior, it is repairable when it is about 2 centimeters or less. This repair restores 100% windshield structure and almost 100% visibility.

Stars. They are breaks that leave radially from the center of impact and are also repairable when they have about 2 to 3 centimeters.

Total breakage. When the impact zone is very long, the windshield must be changed without a doubt.

Windshield repair procedure

The affected area is polished with a diamond drill in a mini drill, which can be battery operated.

Perforations should be made at the end of the lines to prevent them from spreading.

The dust of glass dust is cleaned.

Transparent resin is added, this resin is PHOTOCURED, HARDENED OR POLYMERIZED by a halogen light that is applied for about 10 minutes.

In the cases of lines, the resin is infiltrated with a suction cup, so that the resin fills the small spaces, after which the lamp is used to light the resin.

The area impregnated with resin is covered with a plastic strip so that the resin does not come out during the application of the halogen light (wavelength of about 400 nm).

Using a blade, remove the hardened resin excess and finally clean the area, it is necessary to avoid scratching the windshield with the blade.