I just got back from the Auto Glass Safety Council’s Winter Meetings in wet and cool Florida just in time to shovel out our driveway from six inches of snow. What a winter!

As promised, I want to report on a few issues that were discussed in the Standards Committee meeting and around the water cooler. In addition, I’d like your help with a couple issues that have come up recently.

1. Procedures for Pinchweld Preparation: In my last post we discussed the proper procedures for preparing the existing bead after the glass was removed with a new wire-out tool. Jeff Olive of Glasspro approached some adhesive representatives before our meetings and got their recommendations concerning this issue. They all said the same thing, trim back to 1-2mm and bond accordingly. Trimming the existing bead back assures the removal of any contaminants and makes the bonding surface even and acceptable for fresh urethane.

2. Salvaged/Used Glass: Though this is not a new issue, it was again brought up for discussion because there has been a push by the insurance industry to use salvaged glass in repaired vehicles. The committee spent a considerable amount of time discussing the matter and reviewing our original interpretation. The committee found that our Standard and the interpretation we originally published are still relevant and correct as it pertains to consumer safety.

Here are some new glass issues that I thought I would bring to the attention of the experts in the field, my readers.

1. There has been a rash of glass breakage recently when re-installing the rearview mirror to the mirror pads. Reportedly, this is happening on a variety of glass brands but most recently on Kia Rios, Chrysler 300 and Chargers. The reporter said that the mirror pad seemed tight to the glass without any cushioning. If any of you have heard or experienced this issue, please contact me, your glass distributor or manufacturer. I suspect that it could be caused by an aftermarket mirror pad adhesive but I want to hear more before I jump to any conclusions.

2. There has been a report of an audible ticking sound occurring on recent models of General Motors SUVs. The glass has never been changed but the ticking sounds like it comes from the dash or interior “A” pillar molding. When the glass is removed to fix the noise complaint, there is no indication of a problem. Once the windshield is re-installed, the noise is never heard again. I contacted my glass expert friends both here and overseas and they seemed to agree on the cause. It is not the glass but the glass mounting. The glass is sitting too low and is making contact with the plastic interior parts. When the temperature changes the glass will contract or expand thus causing the glass to rub or snap from the warmed plastic. To fix, use a rubber or plastic shim and force it between the glass and the dashboard or molding. You can R&I the windshield as well, but then you run a much greater risk of breaking the glass.

3. Dan Boehmer of Rolladeck and a past Auto Glass Week™ Technician Olympian contacted me about the 2011 Volvo XC60 windshields. He said that the OE and any dealer pre-primed windshield on this vehicle have a primer failure problem. The DOT number on the vehicle is 32, which is St. Gobain. There is a video on YouTube that illustrates the issue. Evidently, the primer applied along the top at the factory is deficient and peels right off with your fingers. If you have experienced this problem, please contact me as soon as possible so the vehicle and glass manufacturer can be contacted and informed of the problem.

Comment on this post, email me at bob@autoglassconsultants.com or call me at 800/695-5418.

The technicians in the field are the eyes and voices of the industry. Without you informing us of what you see, hear and experience we cannot protect the consumers from improper installation or manufacturing defects. Thank you all for your input and professionalism. Keep it up.