Distorted auto glass

[C M Smith <cmsmith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My guess is that Pilkington made a bunch of bad windshields and that's why 
"they all do that" is the answer. They definitively do not all do that. 
Defective ones may and good ones do not. if the windshield supplied has 
optical distortions it is defective and should be replaced at no charge. In 
fact, what the heck is the installer thinking? The windshield should be 
checked before it is installed and if defective, sent back for a new one 
without defects.

There are only a few auto glass brands. Sekurit, Pilkington, St Gobain, and 
PPG are the only ones that come to mind.  PPG and Pilkington have supplied 
me with flawless glass, as long as it is branded as such. St Gobain may 
supply Ferrari but they supplied me with a failed windshield as a factory 
part. Sekurit supplied SAAB with a defective hatch glass on my 97 SAAB Aero.

North America mandates laminated windshields as part of the occupant 
protection specification. Since North American occupants of vehicles are 
not required to be restrained by seat belts it is deemed necessary to keep 
them inside by carefully laminating a thin film of plastic between the 
toughened exterior glass (thick) and the special (thin) interior layer 
designed to break into round edged pieces so as not to lacerate should the 
occupant hit the windshield with sufficient force to actually penetrate it. 
Incidentally, the movie "Adaptations" contains a cracker of a visual error 
in that one of the Nicholas Cage characters gets ejected through the 
windshield of the rent a Taurus. Not possible. The airbag would prevent 
that if the laminated windshield weren't enough. Funny though in a macabre 
sort of way. Earlier in the show the key in the ignition chime goes off, 
reminding all of us, except Mr Cage squared, that the keys are in the 
ignition. A dumb foreshadowing of the same chime going off as the identical 
non twin brothers travel off in their rent a taurus without their seat 
belts on ( quel surprise dans L'Etat Unis, n'est ce pas?) only to collide 
with the ubiquitous pick up after which Mr Cage no 2 is ejected through the 
windshield...not possible etc etc. This sequence seems a thinly veiled take 
off on the swamp scenes in Cape Fear... but I digress.

The proper NA spec windshield will have "AS1" marked on the windshield 
approximately 80% up towards the top and at the edge. Tempered glass is 
forbidden for NA passenger vehicle windshields. The old European movie 
trick of having the occupants kick or punch out the remains of a shattered 
windshield and keep on truckin' just won't work for Hollywood films.

All other window glass is tempered and not laminated, which reminds me, the 
enormous hatch glass on my 97 rear window is distorted right at the level 
of the rear view mirror. Makes every vehicle behind me look like a lean 
mean cop car. I'd have insisted the glass be replaced under warranty but my 
P O obviously was less demanding, or possibly less discerning.

Cheers


Michael Smith
White 1991 164L
Original owner
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