Windshield Inspection Tips - Check Your Windshield When You Fuel
We are surprised the number of times we find additional chips on a windshield that the owner didn't know were there. Most surprising some of them are in the clear portion of the windshield on the passenger side or behind the rear view mirror. That is why we recommend that you inspect your windshield regularly for damage. Each time you fuel your auto or truck is a good time. By identifying a ding (star and bullseye chips) and getting them repaired you can prevent a cracked windshield, not to mention saving money.
As you can see by the below picture this auto's owner has a cracked windshield and it could have been prevented.
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A close up photo of the above cracked windshield shown below reveals that the crack was caused by a chip in the black area (frit) on the side of the windshield. The auto owner didn't know the windshield was chipped until a crack ran out. The black area can't be inspected from inside the car or truck.This is why you must look the windshield over from outside.
With most cracked windshields the crack started with a chip. We get many calls about a windshield crack and the individual doesn't know what caused it since they can't see any chip from inside. Yet from outside a chip is usually found.
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The owner of the mini van that the windshield is shown below didn't know they had a chip in the bottom of the windshield. Besides the chip being in the black (frit) area that can't be seen from the inside of the van, it is also partially hidden by the wiper blades.
Lifting the windshield wipers to check for chips is a good habit that can save you money.
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Check from the outside of the car or truck where stickers can hide chips like small stars and cracks. Below is a classic example, do you see the crack in the windshield over the state inspection sticker? It is circled in red; the customer was unaware of this second windshield chip.
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Chips can hide over printed areas of the windshield as show below.
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Don't forget to check the third visor area of the windshield (black area) that some autos and trucks have around their rear view mirror. Shown below is a star in the third visor of a Ford F150 windshield.
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