Toronto, Ontario — As is surely no mystery to readers here, when a piece of technology advances, so too does its repair process advance in complexity, and to that end Ford has issued a reminder to repairers on how best to prepare windshield substrates such that proper ADAS functionality is maintained on the vehicle.
Whether you use the cold-knife method, power tools or piano wire, Ford has some comprehensive warnings to keep in mind when looking to replace a piece of the legacy automaker’s glass.
Gerry Bonanni, senior damageability engineer for Ford, provided an additional FYI on the matter in the company’s recent On Target newsletter.
“Another very important note for repairers is if the windshield is damaged and is equipped with a camera bracket or adhesive mouldings, the glass cannot be reused,” said Bonanni. “It must be discarded. A new windshield is required in both instances.”
Ford’s warnings for windshield substrate preparation are as follows:
- New or re-used fixed glass must be installed within two hours of cutting the urethane adhesive. Cut or scraped urethane becomes oxidized and inactive beyond two hours, reducing the effectiveness of the repair bond.
- To avoid rust formation, use extreme care not to scratch the paint or primer, or damage the pinch weld during glass removal.
- Take precautions to prevent damage to other components when cutting urethane.
- Repair any corrosion found on the pinch weld. The pinch weld is a structural component of the vehicle. Corrosion left unrepaired may reduce the structural integrity of the vehicle. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious injury to the vehicle occupants.
- Avoid scratching the pinch weld. Repair all minor scratches and exposed metal on the pinch weld following manufacturer’s instructions on the product being used. Use the same brand primer and urethane adhesive.
- Do not touch the adhesive surface as it impairs re-bonding; ensure the mating surfaces are clean and free of foreign material.
- Fixed glass may have locating pins that vary in location. It may be necessary to cut these pins with a utility knife.
- If replacing the windshield glass and it is equipped with a camera bracket, it must have locating pins and spacers to ensure correct alignment. Do not use a replacement windshield glass, without locating the pins and spacers.
- Minimize applying primer over areas with remaining urethane adhesive and observe a minimum flash time of 10 minutes.
- The fixed glass must be installed within 10 minutes of applying the urethane adhesive. Using a power caulk gun will apply the adhesive with less effort and in a continuous bead. Ensure the urethane bead is uniform to prevent air and water leaks.
- The door windows must be left open during the adhesive curing time to prevent pressure from compromising the urethane adhesive bond.
- Do not drive the vehicle until the urethane adhesive seal has cured. Follow the manufacturer’s curing directions. Inadequate or incorrect curing will adversely affect glass retention and may result in serious injury to vehicle occupants.
- If equipped, the adhesive strip backings must be removed from the A-pillar moldings before installing the new fixed glass.
The fourth edition of Ford’s On Target newsletter for 2022 can be found here.
