Many newer cars, trucks and SUVs use a camera mounted near the top of the windshield. Depending on the vehicle, that camera may support lane-departure warnings, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control or other driver-assistance features.
This technology makes it especially important to determine whether a damaged windshield can be repaired before replacing it.
Windshield replacement may involve more than glass
Removing and installing a windshield can change the position or alignment of a windshield-mounted camera. When replacement is required, the vehicle manufacturer may also require the affected driver-assistance system to be recalibrated.
The Auto Glass Safety Council advises that components interacting with a vehicle’s advanced driver-assistance system must be properly recalibrated after windshield replacement when required by the vehicle manufacturer.
Calibration can add time, specialized procedures and additional cost to the replacement.
Repair may preserve the original installation
When damage is safely repairable and does not interfere with a camera or sensor, repairing the original glass avoids removing the factory-installed windshield.
That can preserve:
- The original windshield
- The original factory seal
- The existing camera mounting position
- The vehicle’s original glass installation
Repair should not be used simply to avoid calibration when the damage is unsafe or located in a restricted area. Industry repair standards recommend replacement when the damage or repair process could negatively affect windshield-mounted features, and technicians should follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations.
How do you know whether your vehicle has a camera?
Look at the upper center portion of the windshield near the rearview mirror. A camera may be enclosed inside a plastic housing attached to the glass.
Other signs include dashboard controls or indicators for:
- Lane keeping or lane departure
- Forward-collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Traffic-sign recognition
- Automatic high beams
The presence of these features does not automatically prevent windshield repair. It simply means the damage and its location should be evaluated carefully.
Start with a repair assessment
When repair is safe, it may be the fastest and least disruptive way to preserve the windshield. When replacement is necessary, the work should account for the vehicle’s glass, adhesive system and driver-assistance technology.
Executive Windshield Repair evaluates the damage before recommending a course of action and repairs the original windshield whenever it can be done appropriately.
Have a chip or crack in a vehicle with lane-assist or collision-warning technology? Call (414) 975-5513 before scheduling a replacement.