Windshield installation is a specialized job and hence needs to be done by experts with proper training and enough experience to handle such jobs. Not only it is technical due to the presence of many subsystems on the car windshield, but the windshield itself is fragile and can develop cracks due to a faulty windshield installation.
Though a factory setting is not possible once the car is out of the production line, a windshield replacement company has technicians that can do the job flawlessly. Still, even after all efforts there can be some issues.
Let’s check a few issues that can be detected if you inspect your car windshield closely. Timely detection can save any unwanted damage to an incorrectly installed windshield glass.
- Water seepage/leakage in the cabin
- Air noise or vibration at high speed
- Blur in windshield
- Rattle noise or friction in the windshield
- The windshield isn’t flush correctly with car body
Water seepage/leakage
During car washing under pressure water jet, water seeps into the cabin through the edges of the windshield. There can be 2 reasons.
- The adhesive used during windshield installation is not used properly. It can causes gaps between the windshield and car body.
- The car body gets perforated with small holes due to rusting and water may be seeping through it.
Noise or Vibration at high speed
Improper windshield installation can also cause noise inside the car cabin. You will experience wind flowing through some corner of the windshield into the cabin and making a whooshy sound. Intensity can vary from a slight whisper to a distinct knocking noise when driving at high speeds. It depends on the gap between the windshield glass and the car body. The worse the situation regarding faulty windshield installation the more will be the noise and the soon you should get it checked.
Blur in the windshield
If you have a new windshield installation, the windshield glass should have perfect vision as per the manufacturer’s standards. But depending upon the source of the windshield and the brand you have selected, it can vary. If your new windshield has blur or wave while seeing through, it means there is some defect. Ideally, your windshield replacement company shouldn’t have used such a windshield glass. But sometimes small glass defects get ignored in normal check and it comes into light only after installation especially while driving at night.
Rattle noise/friction in the windshield
Sometimes if there is some gap or the windshield is not placed correctly, the windshield starts rubbing at the dashboard. Though the dashboard has trims and foam to avoid such a situation, sometimes during windshield replacement trims or foam gets tempered, and hence the gap between the dashboard and the windshield cause noise of friction which need to be filled to avoid any kind of crack due to unwanted stress on the windshield.
The windshield isn’t Flush Correctly
If there is a visible gap between the car pillars and the windshield which was not there in the old windshield, it means the technicians haven’t flushed the new windshield properly into its position. This kind of poor installation can cause a rattling sound effect and vibration during the high-speed drive.
Reason for poor windshield installation
- The first obvious reason can be poorly trained technicians, which don’t have the correct training or enough experience.
- It can be due to a single-man installation. Ideally, a proper windshield installation required a pair of technicians.
- The use of sub-standard adhesive can also cause faulty windshield installation. Due to the quality of the adhesive, the windshield and car body don’t bind well and hence there can be gaps that as a result can cause water seepage or unwanted noise.
- Poor application of windshield adhesive is another reason. Sometimes technicians don’t apply adhesive in proper quantity and thus the windshield is not even as per the car frame. Uneven application of urethane can cause gaps and can result in noise due to wind.
- Sometimes sheer lack of attention can be the reason. Even a perfect technician can be careless during windshield fitting which may result in the improper placing of the windshield. This type of installation can cause unwanted stress on the edges of the windshield and hence cracks may start at such point without any visible reason.
- If you drive your car immediately after a new windshield installation, it can also be a cause of windshield disorientation.
What should you do if you find a faulty windshield installation in your car?
As discussed, a poor windshield installation can create unwanted stress due to wind at high speed. It can cause cracks in the new windshield glass. To avoid any such situation you should visit your windshield replacement company asap to get it checked if you observe any of the above signs.