Hidden Rust
D & C Auto Glass has been in the business for three decades and wants consumers to be aware of a problem that puts your safety at risk.
“We are out to educate consumers” says David, the owner/operator of D & C Auto Glass.
“In the past year, we have come across a lot of vehicles that have concealed rust under windscreens that we have replaced”.
“These cars would be unsafe to drive like that and customers don’t know this is happening to their vehicles” David said.
The problem starts when a car owner has their windscreen replaced and the installer scratches paint during the process.
David said the issue is not repairing the paint scratches.
“It’s not putting the primer over the scratches,” David explained.
Corrosion can have a number of causes including ill-fitting parts, improperly installed glass and incorrect adhesives ie silicone glues.
“I believe a lot of installers cut corners to save a couple of minutes so they can get to their next job. It only takes a few minutes longer to fix scratches that a tool has made during a window replacement” said David.
For Brendan Jacobs, scratches led to a rusty mess. He didn’t know there was a serious problem until his windscreen was about to fall out.
“If I would have hit something hard enough while off-roading, it probably would have fallen out,” he said.
The issue got so bad his windscreen began leaking every time it rained.
“So the water was coming in behind my mirror here, and I can pull down my liner and it’s still wet,” Mr Jacobs said.
Rust had eaten through the seal that secured his windscreen and only when David removed it, could Mr Jacobs see the extent of the problem. “As he was pulling it out, rust was falling into my Jeep and into the hood.”
The most common place we finds rust is along the top of a windscreen. He says when installers don’t repair scratches, water will set in under moulding and creates a breeding ground for rust.
When he discovers a problem, David points it out to the owner immediately and then grinds out as much of the rust as he can. But he also suggests people take their car to a body shop to have it looked at. It’s important to note that the problem is more common when a windscreen already has been replaced and that it can take several years for the rust to travel to a point where a driver can spot it.
So that windscreen you shopped so hard for the other day and pat yourself on the back for getting such a cheap deal, can cost you a lot more money down the track. Don’t risk it, call D & C Auto Glass and you know the job will always be done right.
