Caring For Your Car Windscreen

Photo by KIM JINHONG from Pexels

There are a lot of things to consider when maintaining our cars. From changing the oil and topping up various fluids, to replacing faulty parts and making sure there are no leaks, most drivers assume that their workshops will take care of it all. That's a fair assumption; when we do bring our cars in for an oil change, many workshops inspect the vehicle for any other problems.

However, the mechanical parts of our cars aren't the only ones that deserve our care and attention. Even the paintwork, the interior, and especially the windows need some form of care from time to time. In this article, we'll look at ways in which we can take better care of our car's windscreens, both on the front and in the rear.

Our car's windscreens are incredibly important. Firstly, windscreens (or 'windshields') help to separate the external environment from the vehicle. That way, the atmosphere inside the car can be maintained comfortably without being affected by the heat or rain from the exterior. Without it, our drives would be a lot less comfortable, especially in our hot and rainy Malaysian climate.

Additionally, windshields also, as their name suggests, shield occupants of the car from the wind. If you think about it, this is crucial, and we absolutely take this for granted. Driving at high speeds would be uncomfortable with all the air gushing in our faces. Worse yet, it would also be hazardous! Any debris flying in the air like rocks would also fly into the car at high speeds and injure anyone in its path! Luckily, with the way windshields are built, it will crack but not shatter, which is why it's so essential for protecting a car's occupants.

While the windscreens' purpose is to protect you and your passengers, it would be good to take a few steps to protect the windshields as well.

Wipe Down

Providing basic care to our windscreens isn't tricky. Sometimes, all we really need to do is just give our windshield a good wipe down with a microfiber cloth and auto glass cleaner. This is to ensure that any dirt stuck to the glass is removed effectively to maximize visibility. Remember: when driving, visibility is something that must never be obstructed in any way!

When doing this simple task, it's also crucial that you never use regular household glass cleaner. Even though it's natural to assume that all glass cleaners are the same, both are made using different types of chemicals that can affect the end result. Using household glass cleaner on a car's windscreen could affect the clarity of the glass. Because of certain chemicals in it, household glass cleaners could also damage any window tinting you may have. So, to avoid causing any unnecessary problems, be sure only to use auto glass cleaner when wiping down your car's windscreen!

Repair Chips Immediately

It's only normal that at some point in time, you may find chips in the windscreen. These could be caused by small pieces of debris that hit the glass while driving, but it's nothing to be too concerned about. 

Many people aren't aware that these small chips can be fixed without having to replace the entire windscreen. If this happens to you, however, you must get those chips fixed immediately. The reason for this is to avoid dirt and other debris getting stuck in those chips in the glass, which will make repairing them tougher or even impossible later. 

If your windscreen is damaged, get them fixed right away before it becomes a much more expensive problem later!

Be Mindful When Parking

Our car windscreens aren't just damaged when the car is mobile. Sometimes, your vehicle could be completely stationary and still suffer massive damage that will cost you hundreds if not more to repair. This damage could be caused by debris from above!

Just because a parking spot is empty and shaded, it doesn't mean that it's the best place for us to leave our cars! In the interest of protecting our car windscreens, we need to be more mindful with how we choose our parking spots by paying attention to what's directly above it. Heavy tree branches or pipes that don't look very secure in its place could be a warning sign, and if possible, we should try parking somewhere else.

This is especially true in regards to parking outdoors under trees. Depending on the time of year, Malaysian weather will feature heavy rains and strong winds. During these times, branches and other debris may be broken by the force of the wind and land hard on your windscreens. If small debris while driving can cause cracks and chips in your windshield, imagine the damage that a tree branch can do!

Replace Wipers

Last but not least, another small but critical piece of equipment: your windshield wipers. These need to be replaced periodically to ensure that it can effectively clear your windscreens of any dirt and debris mentioned above. More importantly, they need to be changed so that the material of the blade doesn't break off from the wiper. If that happens, all that's left is the metal/plastic wiper which will scrape horribly against the glass and damage it when turned on!

Unlike other parts of our cars, windscreens rarely need to be replaced unless they're damaged. By taking the necessary steps to reduce risks and fix small damages promptly, our windshields will provide us with a safe and comfortable ride for as long as possible.