Do-it-yourself Volkswagen Tiguan windshield replacement: selection, repair, installation

The appearance of a crack on the windshield of the Volkswagen Tiguan will upset any motorist. This situation arises due to various reasons, and it is not necessary that the driver himself is the culprit. Even the smallest pebble flying out from under the wheels of the car will easily damage the glass, no matter how high-quality and thick it may be.

Brief technical note on Volkswagen Tiguan windshields

Experts and experienced motorists warn: a small defect in the glass can easily grow into a big problem. And in this case, you will have to carry out the replacement of the windshield. Of course, this procedure falls under the insured event. If the breakdown was not due to negligence, but due to the fault of the manufacturer - the glass was poorly glued at the factory - the service center will take care of the repair (provided that the Volkswagen Tiguan is under warranty).

But what if the situation does not fall under the insured event. There is only one solution - to find the original glass and replace it with your own hands.

In general, German-made car models are very popular in our country. It is not difficult to find glasses, they are sold in almost every car shop. Manufacturers of original VW glasses are classified into 3 groups:

• top;
• average;
• budgetary.

The first group includes products of Pilkington, Saint-Gobain, AGC brands. To the second - Jaan, Guardian. To the third - XYG, CSG, FYG, Starglass. Obviously, for the sake of safety and the highest comfort, you should buy premium or middle-class glasses. However, this does not always work out, and some economy class models can also compete with top brands in technical terms.

Pilkington glass technical data with font code must be printed on the original product

A glazier I know has always recommended AGC products. I specifically made inquiries about this brand, found out that this is a Japanese concern that manufactures products in our Russian Federation. After some time, trouble happened - I went to the dacha on a gravel road, I drove fast, in the morning I found a crack on the windshield. Replaced with AGC - fits perfectly, and the review is good.

Detailed view of windshields

Now more about the technical characteristics of various glasses.

1. XYG is a Chinese fake, far from the highest quality products. Firstly, the wipers are quickly overwritten, and secondly, the glasses are soft and scratched from a slight impact. It is almost impossible to find suitable moldings, mirror retainers or sensors for such models.
2. FYG is already Taiwan. Products of excellent quality supplied to the conveyors of the famous Bavarian concern. So, on the e90 it even comes in the original, comes with a ready-made set of protective plastic cards and a bracket for the mirror. There are also rain sensors, heating system. In a word, good glass for an adequate price.
3. Benson - called "German China", as the German company produces glass for some reason in Asia. Out of 10 thousand models, 3 come across with factory defects (approximate statistics). The quality is acceptable, the brushes can be used for a long time.
4. NordGlass is a manufacturer from Poland. A very decent option. There are all additional components, including rain sensors, camera mount, etc. The quality is at the level of the original. However, there is a minus - there are many fakes for this brand on the market.
5. The Guardian is excellent quality. Many connoisseurs call such glass original, although according to the documents it goes wrong. Experts explain this situation in an easy way to get through customs delays at the border.

A separate line is worth highlighting Russian manufacturers.

1. KMK and Steklolux - the quality is nowhere worse. Better not to take. Products often sin with incorrect dimensions, poor visibility, etc.
   

   Windshield of KMK products is better not to buy
2. SpektrGlass - produced in Nizhny Novgorod. You can buy. The glass is smooth, the dimensions are suitable. However, it is recommended to check for lenses.

The windshield lens effect is a reflux defect. It is expressed in the distortion of the view. As a rule, the lower part of the windshield often distorts the picture of vision. The lens happens on "cooperative" glasses, on original and high-quality analogues - it should not be found.

It is recommended to choose glasses that are already equipped with everything you need. One of the mandatory elements of the Volkswagen Tiguan windshield is a rain and light sensor. This device makes it possible to establish the fact of the beginning of precipitation, determine the degree of glass contamination, automatically turn on the wipers and headlights at a low level of illumination.

The rain and light sensor is an essential element of the Volkswagen Tiguan windshield

An equally important component is the humidity sensor. It is used to control the degree of humidity inside the machine, activates the air conditioning when necessary. You also need to pay attention to the presence of brackets for mirrors. If the glass is without them, you will have to install the fasteners separately, which may cause dimensional discrepancies for the original models.

Repair of minor defects in the windshield of Volkswagen Tiguan

On bad roads, the windshield withstands constant colossal loads. If the tracks are not perfectly clean, then on the surface of the canvas there is small gravel, hardened pieces of dust and dirt. While moving in the stream of cars in front, all this debris from the road is thrown onto the windshields of the rear cars. For this reason, a large number of small chips and cracks are formed not only on the windshield, but also on other parts of the front of the body.

There are the following glass damage:

• minor chipped points;
  

  The chipped point on the glass also needs to be repaired
• chips that look like stars;
• cracks.

A small chip in most inexperienced drivers, as a rule, does not cause much concern, as it does not interfere with the observation of the road. However, under certain conditions, from any slight shock or vibration, even the most insignificant defects can transform into a whole network of cracks over the entire surface. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of the problem as soon as possible, because it is impossible to control the process. The most dangerous types of chips are asterisks.

A chipped asterisk can easily transform into a whole grid of cracks

Damage can be different in diameter and depth. And therefore, the methods of restoring the glass surface also differ. However, in most cases a polymer is used. It is advisable to carry out glass repair in a professional auto repair shop. Only a specialist knows how to properly drill a windshield so that it turns out to pour a quickly hardening, restoring composition into the hole. It is also necessary to achieve the same characteristics that the glass had before restoration. For example, after repair, it should provide the same refraction of light rays as standard auto glass.

Cracks and large chips in the form of a grid are not subject to “treatment”. In principle, defects less than 100 mm in length can also be repaired, but they can break at any time and present Volkswagen Tiguan owners with an unpleasant surprise.

It is noteworthy that defects on the windshield can be formed due to a violation of the geometry of the body. The car has been in a minor accident, there seems to be no damage at first sight. And the next day, a crack is found on the glass.

Do-it-yourself windshield replacement

It is an alternative to repair and is quite doable on your own. The service will charge about 2 thousand rubles for the service. It is customary to distinguish between a replacement without options, just with sensors, and a complete one (with a DD and a camera). The cost of good original European-made glass starts at 9 thousand rubles. Chinese counterparts are 3 thousand rubles cheaper, the price of Russian glasses is 4-5 thousand rubles.

Tools

Here are the tools you need to get the job done.

1. Screwdrivers with flat and figured stings.
2. Fishing line (string) with two handles for cutting old glue.
   

   Windshield cutting line should be with comfortable handles
3. A special spoon (made of hard plastic) for removing plastic interior elements.
4. Metal snap-off tool (a curved chisel with a double sting) for removing glass retainer moldings from the outside.
   

   A double-bit snap-off tool or a curved chisel is used to remove glass retainer moldings from the outside
5. Puncture.
6. Degreaser.
7. Pneumatic gun for glue.
   

   The glue gun must have a comfortable tip to make it easier to apply the composition.
8. Special polyurethane adhesive sealant such as Liqui Moly.
9. Ordinary chisel.
10. Suction cups.
    

    The suction cups for removing the windshield should be of good quality in order to hold the part more securely

Preparatory work

First you need to correctly prepare the car.

1. Wash it - if there is no time completely, then at least glass.
2. Park the car on a perfectly level ground. The fact is that a curved floor will not allow for a competent replacement, and a new windshield may even break during installation.

The step-by-step procedure for preparing the windshield for removal is as follows.

1. The rain sensor and the bracket with the rear-view mirror are dismantled from the passenger compartment.
   

   DD or rain sensor is removed together with the bracket for the rearview mirror
2. The place in the ceiling where the negative wire of the windshield is located is disassembled.
3. The side elements of the frame are attached, fixing the glass from the outside. Everything must be done very carefully so as not to break the plastic moldings.
4. The hood of the car opens, the wipers, jabot, lower elastic band are removed.
   

   The frill or lower windshield mount is pulled up after removing the sealing gum holding it

The nuances of cutting glass glue

When the windshield is ready for removal, it is now necessary to work with an assistant. It is necessary to cut glass (or rather, the adhesive sealant on which it sits) with a string. One person must be inside the car, the other outside. To facilitate the work, it is recommended to use a puncture - a special metal knitting needle with a thin sting and a hole in the middle. The puncture will act as a hook, through which one end of the fishing line can be easily passed through a layer of hardened glue.

You can start cutting the windshield in 2 ways.

1. Pierce the glue layer with a tool, and thread the fishing line.
2. Cut off part of the adhesive by leading the string around the corner of the windshield at the bottom or top.

The glue cutting technology is reduced to the fact that one worker pulls the fishing line towards himself, and the other keeps it taut.

Cutting the adhesive composition with a string should be carried out in pairs with an assistant

Dismantling the old Volkswagen Tiguan glass and installing a new one

Glass is best removed using special suction cups. Naturally, the tool must be of good quality, otherwise, if there is no tight hold, the glass will fall and break.

Further actions.

1. Take a sharp chisel and cut off the layer of glue remaining on the frame. This must be done as carefully as possible so as not to damage the paintwork of the body.
2. Clean the opening well with a vacuum cleaner.
3. Degrease the work surface before installing the activator.
   

   Be sure to prime the work surface before installing the glass
4. Treat the edges of the new glass and the opening with primer, which will ensure reliable adhesion of the adhesive to the surface.
5. Next, apply heated glue to the glass with a gun. The strip must be inseparable, without joints in prominent places.
6. Carefully place the glass in the opening so that there is no displacement.
   

   Installation of the windshield must be carried out carefully using special suction cups so that there is no displacement
7. After that, you need to slightly press on the windshield for better grip.
8. Stick 3-4 tapes of masking tape on top of the roof of the car. They will hold the glass until it is completely dry.
   

   Masking tape on the windshield is needed in order to keep the part from moving at first
9. Install all moldings and wipers.

For the first time after installing a new glass, you should not shake the car, slam the doors, hood or trunk. The windshield has not yet completely stuck, it can move out of the opening from the slightest impact - this must be understood. It is obvious that it is still forbidden to drive - at least 1 day the car must remain in place. Then you can remove the strips of adhesive tape and go to the sink. Water must be poured onto the glass under high pressure. This is done in order to check the tightness of the bonding.

When I changed the glass on my "lizard", I also glued the seams from the inside. In principle, it is not necessary to do this, but as an additional measure it will do.

Video: how to replace glass with an assistant

How to replace a windshield - windshield replacement for Volkswagen Tiguan - Petrozavodsk

If a defect is found on the windshield of the Volkswagen Tiguan, urgent action must be taken. Remember that a good view for the driver is the main aspect of safe movement.