Though the car windshield is an important aspect of a car’s structural integrity, yet it is the most neglected car part. Often car owners take good care of the car engines for their mileage, interiors for looks and hygiene, and car tyres. But cracked car windshield is a normal sight on road. People don’t bother to get a car windshield replacement on time. Rather they prefer to drive with an old windshield with a decolored laminated sheet.
You may have observed drivers with a hairline crack windshield on-road or in your car parking. One of the main reasons behind such behavior is car owners’ ignorance of why the windshield is important in a car?
Check out the top 7 signs that you need a car windshield replacement.
A Cracked Windshield
Of course, the most common reason to go for replacing a car windshield is a crack. Any type of impact on the windscreen can cause a crack. It may be due to an accident, a stone, debris, or even a flower bud. The car windscreen is too fragile to bear an impact at a cruising speed. Often it gets cracked while driving in the countryside or a poorly maintained road. Crack reduces the car windscreen integrity and hence directly impacts car safety standards.
You should avoid driving your car with any kind of windshield crack. Take out some time to get your car windshield replacement. It may cost few bucks but it will maintain your car safety standard and save the car roof from collapsing during an accident.
Know why you should never drive with a cracked car windshield?
Windshield Lamination Decoloring
Exploring the signs that you need a car windshield replacement brings the next issue i.e. lamination decoloring. Generally, a windscreen tends to decolor due to wear and tear. Old windshield interrupts driver’s view and hence is too dangerous to drive on a highway. Driving needs split-second decision-making on road. Any interruption in your road view can turn into a mishap. A second early proper road view can save life on a highway. If your car windscreen lamination decolors, you must visit a trusted car glass company for replacing the car windshield.
Haze At Windshield Ends
PVB lamination that binds car windscreen layers together is most important for windshield functionality. Lamination keeps both surfaces together and doesn’t let them shatter on impact. Even if a car met with a high-speed accident on a highway, PVB layers hold the windscreen and support airbags. But as time goes by PVB layer may lose adhesion to the glass. It causes white haze at windscreen ends.
If there is any sign of haze at your car windshield ends, you must visit your nearest car windshield replacement store. Losing PVB adhesion can be dangerous and you must not gamble with your car safety.
Small Pits On Windshield Surface
Like other car parts, car windscreen also shows attrition with time. Weather and temperature affect the outer surface the most. As the car windshield becomes old small pits got developed on the outer glass surface. It decreases windscreen thickness in many spots and hence compromises car safety. Windshield pit also causes low visibility, uneven light distribution, and sometimes a mirage effect.
Car front glass pits not only affect drivability but also affect your car windshield wipers. If you chose to ignore these small pits, you require to spend more on maintaining your car wipers. Replacing a car windshield on time can save additional car wipers cost.
Deep Scratches Due To Wipers
If you are one of those drivers who don’t change car wipers often, then your car front glass tends to develop deep scratches. Deep front glass scratches are one of the signs that you need a car windshield replacement. As per safety standards, you must change your car wipers every six months. A harsh environment causes wiper rubber depreciation sooner. This causes the wiper blade to come out of rubber and any accidental wiper use can damage the front windscreen surface.
If you avoid small scratches they will grow deeper with time. Anyone driving a car with a scratched windshield has to face high-intensity glare due to headlights from other cars. It can be dangerous while you are on the highway. To reduce glare in car front glass, you must use glass scratch remover or go for a new car windshield.
Long or Deep Stone Chip
At Windshield Store, we follow a repair first policy. Still all cracks in laminated car glass are not reparable. If your car front windshield has a crack or chip more than 4 inches, it is not advisable to try a repair. Long windshield cracks compromise glass integrity and hence it can collapse even if it is repaired.
Secondly, deep cracks also affect the PVB layer and hence affect glass transparency. A windshield replacement in case of deep cracks is always advisable.
Water Seeping Through Windshield Edges
Sometimes car owners choose uncertified car glass technicians. These roadside car garages may not use proper automotive glass tools during windshield repair or replacement. It may cause poor installation and hence may cause water or air to seep through edges. To avoid such a situation you must select a trusted windshield replacement company.
Why Maintaining a Car Windshield is necessary?
We have discussed the signs that tell you when to replace your car’s windshield. But what makes your car windshield so important? Windscreen performs many tasks that signifies why you need to keep caring about it, some of those reasons are:
Protect From Dust and Stone
A car windshield is the first line of defense against the dust, stone, debris, and pebbles for the occupants. PVB layer helps to keep the car windscreen together and keeps small stones or debris even small buds outside the car cabin. At high driving speeds, anything even static can cause fatal injuries. If you timely replace a broken car windshield, it acts as a barrier and stops or at least reduces the impact in case something passes through.
Protect from outside Temperature
The windshield is important to keep the car safe from harsh environments that includes heat, temperature, and humidity while keeping the transparent outside view for the driver. PVB layer is treated with specific chemicals to absorb harmful solar radiation including UV rays and keep the inner environment safe for occupants.
Car windshield protects from sudden heat waves and sudden temperature differences on a long drive. Special PVB layers help to maintain inner cabin temperature and reduce pressure on the car air-conditioning system. These are categories as Solar Windshield by various automotive glass manufacturers.
A cracked windshield can’t offer proper protection from heat and noise, a car windshield replacement is necessary to let the windshield perform these functions effectively.
Protect From Ambient Noise
Another important function that a car windshield performs is the protection of passengers from ambient noise. Car windshield acts as a barrier between the ambient or outside world and occupants. Car designers and engineers use many techniques to keep the outer annoying sounds out of a car cabin.
Specially treated windscreen PVB is used to manufacture a specialized Acoustic Windshield, that keeps the sound decibel level to the minimum inside the car. It makes your car traveling very pleasant by keeping unwanted interference outside.
Good Visibility
Another most important function of a car windshield is its clear visibility or transparency. Even though engineers have added many features to car windscreens that make your ride peaceful and pleasant. Your safety is still the highest concern for car manufacturers. And hence even though windscreen gets newer and newer technology, visibility for drivers is of paramount importance. Noting that can hamper the driver’s view is acceptable.
Visibility is enhanced using different technologies, that increase drivers’ situational awareness on road. It is done through Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. These include a front-looking camera, IR camera, Blind Spot Camera, etc. All are situated on the car windshield.
Provides Structural Integrity
Windscreens are designed keeping the complete car structure in mind. It is an important ingredient in the overall car safety apparatus. Cars’ structural integrity depends on windshield maintenance. If the windscreen collapse during an accident, it can’t support the roof and pillar and could cause complete frontal collapse.
Your windscreen replacement company and the quality of car windscreen both play an important role in maintaining the car’s structural integrity. A genuine windshield is of no use if it is not properly installed, so your choice of automotive technician affects windscreen performance. Losing windscreen integrity is one of the signs that you need a car windshield replacement.
Support Airbag Function
In case of an accident, the car windshield not only supports the car roof but also supports the airbag function. As your car hits something above a specific speed, your car airbag gets deployed. Front airbags are supported by car steering and dashboard at the lower end, but the upper end is supported by a car windshield. The car windshield keeps the airbag in a position directly in front of the occupants.
Final Thoughts: The only solution for a damaged windscreen is to get it replaced, sooner or later. If you find that your car windshield has any of the damage signs, call or visit your nearest Windshield Replacement Store. We use only genuine car glass for replacement, directly procured from automotive glass manufacturers. We ensure that all our replacements meet OE safety standards and hence offer a 1-year warranty for all types of windscreen jobs.