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A Consumer's Guide to Windshield Replacements   PPG Tips for Replacing Automotive Glass 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. Insist on a replacement made by a company that also manufactures original-equipment (OEM) windshields, such as PPG. 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. Make sure the windshield is installed with a urethane adhesive system that meets the original-equipment standards specified for the vehicle. 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. Make sure your vehicle is not driven before the urethane cures properly. This can take from several hours up to 24 hours. "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.'' For more information, visit PPb at http://www.ppgarg.com   Auto Glass Information From iCan2000.com      Auto glass - especially Windshields - have long since ceased to be the function of simply providing a barrier against the elements. The evolution of unibody construction has come to rely heavily upon windshields as a critical component of passenger safety.      In the event of a vehicle roll-over, a properly installed quality windshield will help prevent the collapse of the vehicle roof into the passenger compartment. In the event of a frontal impact, a properly installed quality windshield will be the barrier against which a passenger's air bag will deploy to protect a front seat passenger. Failure of the windshield to perform properly could result in a "Blow-out" allowing any unsecured passenger to be ejected from the vehicle.Windshield "Fit" (a quality product) and "Adhesion" (a proper installation) are essential to maintaining the overall integrity of the Passenger Safety Cage.      Many insurers, in their pursuit of greater profits, have suborned the practice of "Short-cuts" in the cost of materials and the process of installation. Such efforts at enhancing an insurer's "bottom line" have lead (and will continue to lead) to un-necessary death and injury. We believe such extraordinary efforts at cost-containment present an unacceptable hazard to public safety. All of the points brought out here (and more) were presented to the general public by ABC News 20/20 in their documentary aired on February 25, 2000. Auto Glass - - A Critical Safety Issue Quality Products and Proper Installation are Essential!     Nebraska Autobody Association PO Box 145 Clay Center, NE 68933 nz41254@windstream.net   Fast Answers 24 Hours A Day http://www.nebraskaautobody.com  Disclaimer: This web site features a variety of information from various sources. Information changes rapidly and cannot be guaranteed. Reader is advised to consult with an appropriate business and/or legal professional before acting on any information contained herein. Web Site Design by Norbert Zaenglein