We spend an awful lot of time in our cars , especially these days as traffic is back to pre-pandemic levels. But do you know all the features of your vehicle inside out? I bet you do not.
How about those little black dots on your windshield? Have you noticed those? As you may or may not know, these dots serve an actual purpose, and I’m about to tell you all about it, so listen up.
If you thought those windshield dots were merely decorative, you’d be wrong.
They actually serve a real safety purpose. These dots are called “frits,” and they are black painted enamel that’s baked onto the surface of the glass. Wow! I didn’t know that.
So what?
Well, modern cars have a windshield bonded to the frame. The windshield is bonded using a strong and long-lasting urethane adhesive, which makes the windshield a structural component of the vehicle’s body. Aha! It’s starting to make more sense now.
Here’s a better explanation:
The frits are there to provide a secure point of contact between the glass, urethane adhesive, and the windshield frame. So, essentially the frits help keep the windshield in place and prevent it from moving while a car is in motion. Get it?
What would happen if the frits weren’t there?
Simply put, the windshield could become loose and fall out of the frame. Yikes! That doesn’t sound good to me. But they do have an aesthetic element, after all. They are baked in a halftone pattern, with smaller dots placed toward the outside.
So, what happens when the dots start to wear out?
I didn’t even realize that could happen. But if you do notice it, you should get them replaced. If you do not the glass could become loose and fall out of the frame. OMG!
But beware, this isn’t a case of a DIY project.
Trust me, don’t try to fix them yourself. Instead, take your car to a licensed professional who can fix the windshield for you. This is something you don’t want to mess around with, that’s for sure.
Do you have to replace the entire windshield?
That’s not always the case. But if you do notice any cracks, then absolutely you should do that. Even if the crack seems small to you, it can easily spread and become a bigger problem.
You should also look out for pitting.
What’s that, you ask? Pitting, also known as sandblasting, is when you notice small marks on the windshield. They can happen after repeated exposure to dirt, sand, and dust. In winter, snow and hail can also cause pitting.
Wow, did you know about any of that?
I certainly did not. I honestly thought that those windshield dots were there just for aesthetic reasons. But now that I know their real purpose, I feel more educated. These are the type of things you should really know about your vehicle because they can be a real safety issue.
