Signs Your Windshield Wasn’t Installed Properly

Unless you lease or purchase a new vehicle every couple years, the chances are high that your car will need a new windshield while you have it. This can be due to normal weathering or because of damage, but eventually, you’ll need to have a new windshield put on your vehicle. When you need a new windshield, you’ll know, and you should get one installed as quickly as possible. If you got your windshield replaced by someone you suspect to be less than reliable, you may start to notice a few new, not so fun features with your car. In this blog, A Advanced Auto Glass, the top-rated auto glass repair and replacement company in Highlands Ranch, will go over a few warning signs associated with improper windshield replacement.

1 – No Gloves

Though it may not seem like it, windshields have a special coating applied to them to help them stay sealed to your car. Urethane covers the windshield, which helps adhesives bind the glass to the vehicle. Not only does this process help keep the windshield on the car, but it helps keep things that shouldn’t be in your car outside. If you see things like water, leaves, twigs, or other forms of natural debris, then the seal on your windshield may have been compromised. This can happen when an auto glass installer doesn’t wear gloves because the natural oils on our skin transfer to the glass when we touch it. This interferes with the bonding chemicals taking hold and results in various leaks or cracks in the adhesives, allowing things like water and debris to enter your car via your windshield.

2 – Unsure Of The Glass Manufacturer

Unlike hats or as-seen-on-TV products, there is no one-size-fits-all windshield. Windshields can come from one of two places: the original manufacturer or a reputable auto glass maker. These auto glass providers know exactly what must be done for each individual piece of auto glass and how it fits on your certain model. If you ask your auto glass replacement person, “Where did this windshield come from?” and they don’t know, take your car and get out of there ASAP. A reputable auto glass replacement company will know exactly where your replacement windshield came from. If they don’t, chances are your windshield was made with aftermarket parts or, even worse, taken from a junkyard. The moral of the story is to ask your windshield replacement company where they got your windshield from before they put it on.

3 – Water Sneaks In

As we said before, if your windshield replacement person isn’t using gloves, then the bond between your windshield and vehicle may be off, which will allow water to seep in when it rains, snows, or you wash your car. They may have also not taken the time to properly clean away your old windshield or set the adhesive for the new one right. A good auto glass replacement company will not only clean out every piece from your last windshield, they’ll also know exactly how to install your new one without any damage or slip-ups while placing the glass.

4 – Noises

Like a haunted house or your stomach after eating that gas station burrito, you’ll know you made a mistake with your windshield when you start hearing noises you don’t normally hear. If it wasn’t properly installed, you may hear a wooshing, rattling, or shaking noise coming from the corners or sides of your windshield. The noise is made from winds going through the cracks of your windshield at high speeds. This is most likely because of improper sealing due to debris getting in the way or from the technician not placing the glass correctly.

5 – Premature Green Light

Just like any other glue or adhesive, the chemicals used to make your windshield stick to your vehicle need ample time to dry. If your auto glass technician says you can drive your car immediately after they’re done placing it, they either don’t know what they’re talking about or haven’t done their job properly, ever. An auto glass technician who knows what they’re doing will tell you when the adhesive should be set by, ensuring your new windshield has enough time to cure and stick to your vehicle.

When looking for an auto glass replacement company in the Highlands Ranch area, stick with the best at A Advanced Auto Glass. Learn more about A Advanced, see what other auto glass services we can provide, or contact us today for a free estimate.