Windshield Repair News

On July 20, 2003 ABC in Phoenix, AZ aired an 8 minute segment about car rollover dangers.
They say that less than 10% of all vehicle accidents are rollovers, yet 25% of them lead to victims being paralyzed or death. I expected to see more
emphasis placed on the windshield, but there wasn't any. The only time they mention "windshield" is when they are talking about how the strength is
due to the "windshield and support pillars" and by the time the car rolls for the 2nd time the "windshield is gone." They imply that the latter is the norm.
They talk with two attorneys as well as a victim. The attorneys believe NHTSA's roof crush test is outdated and needs to be changed.
Following is a letter from one of my subscribers. Heather Setler, of Best Glass Inc, Phoenix AZ, brought the ABC video to my attention. The day
after the program aired, Heather wrote ABC the following informative letter.

To ABC:
I found your piece on the roof crush very interesting. However, I do not believe it was 100% accurate.
While explaining how a vehicle reacts in a rollover collision, it was stated that at the point in which the vehicle rolls onto the other side, the windshield
is no longer in the vehicle. The fact is that the windshield should still be in the vehicle, regardless of the type of accident.
A good example of this was featured on ABC's 20/20 February 25, 2001. This featured individuals that had been killed or paralyzed as a result of
faulty windshield installations. What happens in the event of a windshield failure is horrific.
If the windshield comes out in an accident, it can cause the cabin of the vehicle to crush in on the occupants of the car. One individual featured in the
20/20 report was in a rollover in a minivan and became a quadriplegic as a result of the windshield popping out in the accident. If you do not have
access to this report, it can be found at:

http://more.abcnews.go.com/onair/2020/2020_000225_windshields_feature.html

It is unfortunate that the public at large is not aware that a windshield is not suppose to come out in a collision. I work with many industry experts, one
of whom teaches classes on airbag safety to EMT's & firefighters. As reported by the NAGC Update (Sept./Oct. 2002) - "After Mitch (Becker) did
his presentation he asked for a show of hands from the firemen in the audience - had they ever gotten to an accident scene and found the windshield
lying on the ground. 80% raised their hands... Prior to the class many thought that this was normal. The instructors of the class are now asking the
emergency rescue teams to file reports with the NHTSA, letting them know when a windshield has been ejected from a vehicle."
Too further prove that the windshields provided significant structural strength to the cabin of the vehicle you can look to the recall that was announced
by Ford Automotive on the 2002-03 Ford Taurus & Mercury Sable. It states in the recall "vehicles fail to meet the requirements of FMVSS 212,
Windshield Mounting. The windshields may exhibit increased wind noise, water leakage, squeaks and rattles. Loss of windshield retention may also
reduce occupant protection in the event of an accident..." The recall requires the effected vehicles to have the windshields replaced.
As a member of the Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standards Council (AGRSS), I would encourage you to look further into researching the
story that was first presented on 7/20/03. There are many industry links on the AGRSS Standard web page at www.agrss.com or if you would like I
can provide some local experts that are excellent resources of information. Other additional resources of information are at the Independent Glass
Assoc.
I am sure that you can understand the severity this issue presents. The public needs to be educated on the ramifications of having a windshield
installed improperly. Most have no idea that their automotive glass provides much more protection then just shielding them from wind and rocks.

I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to contact me with any further questions.
Q uestions@SupremeWindshieldRepair .com

REPORTED BY ABC NEWS
Feb. 25 — A windshield can be as important to auto safety as seat belts, air bags and anti-lock brakes.

More than just protection from wind, rain and debris, auto glass can save lives by preventing the driver and passengers from being thrown out of a
vehicle in a collision. And, today more than ever, vehicles depend on the glass to add to its structure and strength as a whole. So, for example, the
windshield can be an essential part of an air bag system or prevent the roof from caving in.
But installation is key: The difference between a properly affixed windshield and a poor job can be the difference between life and
death.

Getting the Job Done Right

The National Glass Association is an industry group that has certified more than 10,000 installers nationwide. 20/20’s Arnold Diaz spoke to experts
who suggest sticking with installers certified by the NGA; while it’s no guarantee of getting a quality job, you can at least increase your chances of
getting your windshield safely replaced.
To help ensure your family’s safety, follow these tips from the NGA:
1) Insist that a strong automotive grade adhesive be used to bond the glass.
2) Don’t let the glass be installed on corroded metal.
3) Follow — to the letter — the directions given by your technician.
4) Drive the vehicle only when the adhesive has fully cured (dried and hardened).
5) Always wear seat belts and insist that all passengers wear them too.

Just How Complicated Can It Be?

A good technician must be familiar with the specifications for hundreds of automobile and truck models, and understand the correct replacement glass
installation techniques for each. The wrong adhesive, or the right adhesive applied in the wrong amount, can leave a windshield vulnerable to summer
heat, winter cold, the stresses of high-speed driving and the sudden impact of collision. Improper handling of the windshield, such as with greasy
hands, is another mistake that is commonly made.

What is Automotive Grade Urethane?

It’s the most widely used adhesive. It needs to be strong and flexible, able to bond to smooth and rough surfaces, withstand adverse weather
conditions, yet still be workable. Its strength is measured in two ways: tensile and lap shear.
Tensile strength is measured by the pounds per square inch (PSI) of force necessary to pull apart two hard surfaces until the bond fails. If you adhere
your coffee cup to the kitchen table and pull it vertically off the surface, for example, the strength needed to separate it from the table would be called
tensile strength. Automotive urethane usually has more than 1000psi of tensile strength.
Lap shear strength is also measured by pounds per square inch until failure. To test lap shear strength, objects are pulled in a diagonal fashion. If you
were to pull the same coffee cup off the table diagonally, the strength needed to separate it from the table would be lap shear strength. Automotive
urethane has more than 500psi of lap shear strength. This force adds to the structural strength of the vehicle body and is especially important in
collisions when a rollover occurs.
Flexibility is equally important. Urethane must have flexibility to allow for vehicle body movement. While a car bends and flexes with the roadway, the
glass is rigid. So if the adhesive is too inflexible, the glass would break over a rough surface or other expected road conditions.
Urethane must also adhere to different types of surfaces. Glass is very smooth, yet the metal frame of the vehicle is rough. Automotive adhesives must
be able to bond, with equal strength, to all of the various surfaces used in the manufacture of motor vehicles.

The Curing Process

One unusual thing about urethane is the way it cures or hardens. Unlike paint or other adhesive products that use a solvent carrier, which dissipates
into the air to dry or cure, urethane uses moisture that’s present in the air to cure the product to its strong, rubber-like consistency.
If humidity is low, as may be the case in cold, dry climates like Arizona or the northern states, the cure rate of urethane products may be slowed
down. To promote the process, moisture may need to be added. Simply adding water after the installation could give the urethane enough moisture to
begin the cure; however, it may be necessary for the installation to take place under controlled conditions, like a heated garage or repair facility, and
not as part of mobile service.
There are new adhesives on the market that require no moisture to cure, but they do need some warmth. These products are usually a little more
expensive than urethane, but the quick release of the vehicle may sometimes be worth the cost.

Windshields: The Origin

Prior to 1919, “horseless carriages” were very few in number and operated at relatively low speeds. As motorized vehicles grew more common and
their speed increased, the wind and debris thrown into the faces of drivers became a more serious matter. To alleviate this concern, manufacturers
included glass as, literally, a windshield.
But this did not solve the problem completely. While the new windshields made the drive more comfortable, they did not adequately protect from
flying debris. Objects would frequently fracture early windshields, causing dangerous glass fragments to shower the occupants.
In 1919, Henry Ford addressed the problem by using a new technology founded in France called glass laminating. Windshields made using this
process were actually two layers of glass with a cellulose inner layer that held the glass together. Between 1919 and 1929, Ford ordered the use of
laminated glass on all of his vehicles.
Today, windshields are no longer held together with cellulose, but with a high- strength vinyl called polyvinyl butyral (PVB). This PVB must be.030 of
an inch thick to provide the strength needed to hold the occupants in the vehicle and the flexibility to reduce injury if a person is thrown into the glass.
All currently fabricated windshields must meet this specification to satisfy federal motor vehicle safety standards.

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