Glossary
Our glossary will help you get up to speed with common terms in the auto glass industry. Whenever you encounter a term you don't recognize in the auto glass repair or replacement process, you can always check back with the Safelite AutoGlass® glossary.
5-Point Service Pledge
Safelite AutoGlass® is committed to making sure your experience is the best it can be. We believe your satisfaction is of the utmost importance, so we can stand behind it with our 5-Point Service Pledge:
- A SafeTech™ certified technician will provide a quality auto glass installation or windshield repair, using high-quality parts and materials.
- We will fully protect the interior and exterior of your vehicle where we are working.
- We will clean your vehicle's exterior glass.
- We will vacuum all broken auto glass after the work is completed.
- We will provide a lifetime warranty on auto glass materials and workmanship for as long as you own or lease your vehicle.
A
Adhesive
The bonding agent used to adhere replacement auto glass to your vehicle.
ANSI
The American National Standard Institute, a private, non-profit organization that coordinates a voluntary consensus standardization system. All Safelite® technicians are certified to the ANSI auto glass replacement safety standard.
Anti-Theft Vehicles
Vehicles equipped with an anti-theft device or with laminated, tempered auto glass to prevent breaking.
D
Drive-Away Time
The time it takes for your vehicle to be safe to drive after your repair or replacement is finished.
Safelite AutoGlass® technicians use only the best materials, including the industry's finest adhesive with a one-hour drive-away time for windshield installations. The choice of adhesive is a critical element in the quality and safety of a windshield installation. Using the most advanced materials improves the quality of the installation as well as your safety and convenience.
G
Glass Color
Almost all auto glass is tinted with a specific color, which is typically blue, green or brown. To determine the color of auto glass in your vehicle, simply hold a piece of white paper behind your glass.
H
Heads-Up Display
This feature allows the dashboard measurements to be projected up on the glass to prevent the driver from having to look away from the road to monitor vehicle performance.
I
ISO Certification
Certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) worldwide federation of national standards bodies concerned with consistent rules or guidelines of technical specifications.
K
Keyless Entry
Vehicles with this feature have an antenna on the rear windshield for the keyless entry system. We ask about this because when a vehicle has this feature, we need to remove the antenna before starting the work.
L
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is created by putting a piece of laminate between two pieces of glass, which will cause the glass to stay together even when broken. Car windshields are laminated glass.
Light Sensor
A sensor, usually located in the windshield that senses the absence of light and turns the headlights on.
M
Modular Glass
Auto glass with a molding or assembly attached to it.
Molding
A finishing strip used to secure the glass.
Mylar
A thin, polyester film used to cover the resin used to repair a damaged area until the resin has hardened.
O
OEM
OEM glass stands for stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEM glass is made by the same manufacturer that made the original glass in your car windows. Auto glass parts used by Safelite® are either OEM or OEM-equivalent.
P
Partition Glass
Partition glass is a divider between the front seat area and the back seat area, common in limousines.
Pinchweld
The pinchweld is the part of the vehicle frame where the adhesive is applied to bond the glass to the vehicle.
Primers
The primer is a solution used to remove impurities and clean out auto glass damage to prepare for the urethane. Safelite® uses a single-use primer pad to apply Sika Aktivator to the auto glass to ensure a reliable seal with your vehicle.
Q
Quarter Glass
The quarter glass, often triangular in shape, is glass found on the side of the vehicle between the rear door glass and the rear windshield glass.
R
Rain Sensor
A sensor, usually located on the windshield that senses rain and turns the wipers on automatically.
Rear Windshield
This auto glass stretches across the rear of the vehicle. It is also referred to as the back glass.
Repair Bridge
A patented, high-pressure injector used to fill and seal damaged auto glass areas with resin.
Resin
A hardener used in rock chip or crack repair. Once it has filled the chip or crack, it is cured with ultraviolet light to prevent further damage to the windshield and restore the structural integrity to the auto glass and vehicle.
S
SafeTech™ Certification
This is the training that all our technicians must complete successfully before they can repair or replace your auto glass.
Safelite® is the only company with an internal certification program to ensure compliance with the new American National Standard Institute (ANSI) auto glass replacement safety standard.
Side Glass
This is the glass found either on the driver or the passenger doors. It is also known as door glass.
Structural Integrity
Auto glass helps support the structure of your vehicle in the case of an accident. Safelite® uses only the best materials and procedures to install your auto glass, because your safety is our top priority.
V
Vehicle Make
This is the brand of vehicle that you drive. Examples are Dodge, Ford, General Motors or Honda.
Vehicle Model
This is the type of vehicle that you drive. Examples are the Dodge Durango, Ford F-150 or Honda Civic.
Vent Glass
The vent glass, often triangular in shape, is glass found on the side of the vehicle between the front door glass and the windshield.
VIN
The Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is a unique 17-digit number assigned to each vehicle.
VIN Etch
A car theft deterrent measure in which a vehicle's identification number is gently etched into all of the automobile's glass. Car thieves generally avoid VIN Etched vehicles because all of the glass must be stripped and replaced before a thief can get rid of the car, a costly and time consuming process. VIN etching is harmless to windows and it won't mar the look of the vehicle.
W
Windshield
A piece of laminated auto glass used to protect the inside of the vehicle from the elements, as well as promote the structural integrity of the vehicle.
Windshield Repair
Our certified repair specialists can repair chips, nicks and cracks up to six inches long. This prevents further damage and restores the structural integrity of your windshield, without removing and replacing the glass. Windshield repair is safe, effective, and convenient, and takes less than 30 minutes to complete.