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Letter to the Editor
Tuesday January 2
PPG Provides Tips for Having Automotive Glass Replaced
PITTSBURGH -- American motorists replace nearly 15 million windshields and windows in their vehicles each year, but many may not know the importance to their safety of a quality installation. Russ Corsi, automotive replacement glass technical manager with PPG Industries, North America's largest supplier of automotive replacement glass, advises consumers to pay close attention to the materials and methods used when having automotive glass replaced.
"Windshields are a structural component of today's vehicles, and perform several important functions," Corsi said. "There are federal windshield glazing standards for penetration resistance, and installation standards for occupant protection and windshield retention in a collision and for the windshield's providing support to the roof in a rollover. In addition, a properly installed windshield is necessary for deployment of the passenger-side airbag as it inflates in the event of an accident."
While carmakers assure that the required installation and glazing safety standards are consistently met for windshields in new vehicles, Corsi said car owners will want to make sure their windshield replacements do as well.
"We recommend consumers follow these guidelines so that their windshield replacement meets the same high glazing and installation standards used for new vehicles," Corsi said.
According to Corsi, these original-equipment manufacturers have the same high standards for both replacement and new-vehicle windshields.
"The fabrication of replacement and original-equipment windshields from these glass manufacturers is governed by the same quality assurance systems," he said.
Urethane has been designed and tested to provide proper adhesion of the glass to the vehicle, Corsi said. Additionally, he noted, properly applied and cured urethane is the only accepted method for holding the windshield in place should the passenger-side airbag deploy.
According to Corsi, butyl sealants or other materials do not provide sufficient adhesion and should not be used.
"A poor-fitting, poorly installed replacement windshield can result in minor annoyances such as air whistles, water leaks or even stress cracks," Corsi said. "But it can also result in the windshield installation no longer meeting federal safety standards.
"For their best protection, consumers need to make sure that their windshields are replaced by glass shop professionals that use replacement parts made by original-equipment manufacturers and follow installation procedures that should return their vehicles to the same level of safety standards that were required for the assembly line."
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