About 6 months ago I purchased a 1997 Mercedes C180. I am delighted with the car, everything works and it recently passed the MOT.
After washing the car a few days ago I noticed a white discolouration along the bottom edge and partly up each side of the windscreen. The discolouration is on the inside of the glass. I have every reason to believe the windscreen is original equipment.
To a layman like myself this discolouration looks like smeared white silicon and it is entirely within the black band area around the windscreen perimeter. It is uneven in appearance and location, as I say just like a smear. There are no signs of leaks or water penetration.
I know absolutely nothing about car windscreens however my first thought was that the adhesive (I now understand this is called a Bonding Agent) used to fix the screen to the car had broken down due to age and I therefore decided to research this prior to talking to a Windscreen Replacement Company. If anyone can help in my research with answers to the following questions it would be appreciated.
My questions are:
1. Is my assumption that the Bonding Agent has broken down correct, if not what do you think the white smears are?
2. Apart from cosmetics is this a problem requiring windscreen replacement?
3. The screen is in excellent condition, free from scratches etc so, if replacement was advisable, would a competent fitter be able to remove my screen then replace it after cleaning off the white smear? If yes then would any particular cleaning agent be required?
Many thanks in advance and I look forward to your replies.
Gordon
After washing the car a few days ago I noticed a white discolouration along the bottom edge and partly up each side of the windscreen. The discolouration is on the inside of the glass. I have every reason to believe the windscreen is original equipment.
To a layman like myself this discolouration looks like smeared white silicon and it is entirely within the black band area around the windscreen perimeter. It is uneven in appearance and location, as I say just like a smear. There are no signs of leaks or water penetration.
I know absolutely nothing about car windscreens however my first thought was that the adhesive (I now understand this is called a Bonding Agent) used to fix the screen to the car had broken down due to age and I therefore decided to research this prior to talking to a Windscreen Replacement Company. If anyone can help in my research with answers to the following questions it would be appreciated.
My questions are:
1. Is my assumption that the Bonding Agent has broken down correct, if not what do you think the white smears are?
2. Apart from cosmetics is this a problem requiring windscreen replacement?
3. The screen is in excellent condition, free from scratches etc so, if replacement was advisable, would a competent fitter be able to remove my screen then replace it after cleaning off the white smear? If yes then would any particular cleaning agent be required?
Many thanks in advance and I look forward to your replies.
Gordon
