At Yellowstone Auto Glass, we understand the importance of a windshield in a vehicle. A cracked or broken windshield not only affects the aesthetics of your vehicle but also poses a significant safety hazard. Many of our customers ask us, “How long does it take to replace a windshield?” In this article, we will answer that question and provide you with all the information you need to know about windshield replacement.
Factors Affecting Windshield Replacement Time
Before we dive into how long it takes to replace a windshield, let’s first discuss the factors that affect the replacement time. The following are some of the critical factors:
- The vehicle design: The most important factor here is how the car was designed, as well as whether the glass was installed in a complex or simple way on the body of the car.
- Type of windshield: The type of windshield you need can also impact the replacement time. A regular windshield replacement will take less time than a replacement for a high-end windshield with added features such as rain sensors, heated wipers, etc.
- Weather Conditions: The weather can also affect the replacement time. Extreme weather conditions such as rain, snow, or excessive heat can prolong the process.
- Technicians Perfection: unfortunately many technicians skipping some steps in the installation process to save time like not removing the cowl which might leads to a failure installation.
- The Recalibration: If the car equipped with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) needs at least 60 minutes to re calibrate the ADAS.
How Long Does It Take To Replace a Windshield?
On average, windshield replacement takes up to 90 minutes for the windshield replacement only ( without recalibration) However, the time can vary depending on the factors we discussed earlier.
At Yellowstone Auto Glass, we take pride in our professional and efficient service. Our experienced technicians are experts in replacing windshields and taking the efficiency of work as a priority.
What Is The Windshield Replacement Process?
Now that you know how long it takes to replace a windshield let’s take a look at the replacement process. The following is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Pre – Inspection
Pre-inspection is the most commonly forgotten step in installation, but it’s the most important because it’s to determine if the job can be completed or not.
Step 2: Protection
We must protect the vehicle from damage we may cause due to tool breakage or slippage. Plus protect ourselves by using the safety equipment.
Step 3: Removal
This step takes the most physical efforts and tool mastery to accomplish. However, when this step is mastered your installation times will decrease dramatically.
Step 4: Preparation
Now the glass is out and there are two surfaces to prepare. Both the glass and the pinch-weld must made ready for chemical bonding, and the vehicle must be prepared to proceed with the next step, Installation.
Step 5: Installation
Putting the glass into the vehicle.
Step 6: Cleanup
It’s one of the measurements of quality work. The customer cannot determine if the glass was bonded correctly nor will they know if its leak free until later. Clean exterior, glass and cleaning the interior.
Step 7: Post- Inspection
Means the technician look at the vehicle as if he were the owner by making sure that the Glass installed leak free, no damage was caused, all parts are reinstalled correctly, the vehicle is clean, all tools are inventoried, all documents are completed and instructions are left and discussed with the owner.
Q: Can I Drive My Car After Windshield Replacement?
A: Yes, you can drive your car after windshield replacement. However,
It’s depend on which adhesive has been used to install the windshield. At Yellowstone we are using the most expensive adhesive which is the same adhesive using by the manufacturers which required 30 minutes only to get harden and ready to drive.
Q: Can You Replace a Windshield in the Rain?
A: It’s not advisable to replace a windshield in the rain as the moisture can affect the adhesive used to install the new windshield. If you have to replace a windshield in the rain, we advise you to get it to the shop.
Q: How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Windshield?
A: The cost of windshield replacement can vary depending on the type of vehicle and the type of windshield you need for example an original BMW windshield will cost $1800 or more while Chinese windshield will cost $170. At Yellowstone Auto Glass, we offer competitive pricing, and we will provide you with an accurate estimate based on your specific needs.
