FAQ > Customer Provided Glass

There are major safety pitfalls you should be aware of that come into play when installing a customer’s used or new auto glass part.

• AGRSS guidelines for installing a used bonded windshield, door, vent, quarter, or rear window back glass

The term “used glass” can be defined as a part that has been previously installed. Each piece of used glass must be evaluated on a case by case basis. The AGRSS Standard requires that the part be free of flaws, compatible with the new adhesive system and have a traceable path to the previous installation information. The adhesive manufacturer has specific bonding requirements to insure a safe, quality installation. The used part can ONLY be used when all questions about it are answered, and the part meets BOTH adhesive manufacturer AND AGRSS Standard requirements. The chart below is the AGRSS standard that all auto glass companies and their technicians are required to follow.

The AGRSS Standard (AGRSS/ANSI 002-2002 Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standard) is the first and only North American standard detailing the steps and procedures installers should take to provide safer automotive glass replacement. It is one of the most significant safety developments in the automotive glass industry in the past 50 years. The AGRSS Standard explains what steps should be followed for safer replacements and also sets up procedures for handling difficult or problem installations. It was developed by a dedicated group of automotive glass industry professionals under the auspices of AGRSS (Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards Council). The entire development process followed the procedure of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to insure that it was open and complete. As a result, the auto- glass industry has a standard that received input from and belongs to the entire industry, not just one group or company. It is important that every single person and company involved in the auto-glass replacement industry be familiar with the AGRSS Standard.

INSTALL GLASS According to Dow Automotive Procedures and the AGRSS Standard

STOP DO NOT INSTALL Does not meet ARGSS Standard

STOP DO NOT INSTALL Does not meet DOW Automotive Requirments

Did Your company install the glass in the vehicle it was removed from?

No

Yes

Was it installed according to the AGRSS Standards?

No

Does the urethane bonding surface on the glass meet all of the following 3 conditions?

• Freshly Cut • Well Bonded • Uncontaminated

No

Yes

Does the body-side bonding surface meet the same conditions

No

Yes

Guidelines for Determining if a used windshield, door, quarter or back glass part can be installed

?

Are you sure the method of removal has not contaminated the bonding surface

Yes

No

AGRSS

Surface contamination is and always has been an on going problem in the auto glass industry. In 2003, after a lot of extensive research, Dow Automotive implemented a working solution for the problem on “new” glass. Dow's mission was to define the types of contamination and provide a practical solution that is effective on a wide range of contaminants and safe for the auto glass technician doing the actual work. Dow concluded that the contamination could be classified into one of two types, "primary" or "secondary" and that both could be effectively treated by the technician using materials typically on hand in any properly equipped auto glass installation center. Most contamination can be classified as "primary" contamination that is the direct result of the manufacturing process or shipping from the manufacturer to the distributor's warehouse. Dow developed a "wet scrub" procedure for "new" auto glass parts a technician can use that can virtually clean and make just about any "new" auto glass part usable. Secondary contamination, is typically the result of handling or transporting the glass part and is usually easily treated with a good "commercial" cleaner. In 2004 Dow Automotive released the "wet scrubbing" procedure to the technicians in the auto glass industry. This procedure uses a mist of cleaner that is applied to the bonding area of the glass that will produce an indication of existing contamination. This particular cleaner will usually indicate a contaminant is present on the glass by “separating or fish eyeing". If this happens the glass bonding area is cleaned and tested again by reapplying the cleaner to determine if the contaminant was removed. If the cleaner does not separate when reapplied, the contaminant was likely a "secondary" contaminant and was successfully removed and the glass in now ready for the application of the adhesive system. If the application of cleaner continues to "separate or fish- eye" a primary contaminant is likely present and more cleaner should be applied to the bonding area and it should be lightly scrubbed with a non woven abrasive pad. After that process, the glass part should once again be re-cleaned and reinspected. If an auto glass technician "wet scrubs" a piece of glass more than three or four times and it does not appear that the contaminant is removed, Dow recommends that a new piece of glass from a different manufacturer should be used. By the later half of 2008 Dow Automotive has had nearly five years of proven results with this "wet scrub" process and it is still being supported by continued testing and well over a million installations.

It is highly possible that the bonding surface maybe unstable or contaminated. Contamination can come from many sources and can consist of one or more substances. It is difficult if not impossible for an auto glass technician to accurately identify the contaminant and know of any special treatment procedure for removing it. This was and remains a problem even on "new auto glass". A used glass that has been out in the world for a number of years, and removed by who knows what method from a vehicle, has even more hurdles to over come

Due to job cost considerations we do not offer this service for mobile on-site installation, we provide this service only IN House.

• I already have the auto glass, will Phoenix Glass install it for me? Yes, but due to economics Phoenix Glass cannot assume responsibility for breakage of your new or used glass. Also note that if we not not provide the glass to you directly from an auto glass manufacturer or one of our authorized OEM or OEE After market auto glas distributors we cannot warranty the glass itself.

Was the glass original equipment in the vehicle it was removed from?

No

Yes

Yes