Table of Contents
- Black spots on the windshield are called chips and are vital for safety.
Have you ever wondered what the black spots around your car’s windshield are for?
Many drivers have probably thought about it and quickly forgotten their curiosity.
Well, the often overlooked car feature actually has a crucial function, and many people don’t know what its purpose really is. Or how vital those points are to safety.
Black spots on a windshield are called chips. Typically, the frit band begins as a continuous line before morphing into many small individual points closer to the edge.
What are blackheads called? And what are they made of?
Black spots on a windshield are called “frits.”
Frit banding is a glaze that is baked onto the edges of the windshield, parts of the windows, and sometimes behind the rearview mirror during the manufacturing process.
Typically, the frit band begins as a continuous line before morphing into many small individual points closer to the edge.
Black frits are made of enamel and create “etches” on the surface of the glass, making the glass rougher and easier for the adhesive to adhere to, keeping the windshield in place.
What does the black frit band do?
The frit band has multiple purposes.
It allows the adhesive to bond the glass to the vehicle while blocking UV rays and helping to distribute temperature evenly across the screen.
Because the black frits are made of enamel, they create “etches” on the surface of the glass, making the glass rougher and easier for the adhesive to adhere to, keeping the windshield in place.
At the same time, the black enamel helps prevent the urethane sealant (the adhesive) from melting in the sun’s ultraviolet rays, keeping the windshield firmly fixed in place.
Frits also play another role against UV rays; They distribute temperature evenly over the glass to reduce the risk of “lensing.”
Lensing occurs when there is too much heat in a section of the windshield glass, making straight lines appear curved. The optical illusion would distort drivers’ vision, so frits are crucial in dissipating the sun’s heat and preventing it, ensuring the driver has a clear view of the road.
Why are French fries so important?
As we’ve already discussed, frits are absolutely vital to driving safety.
In multiple ways they keep the windshield sealed in place and prevent it from moving or coming off during an accident (it used to happen).
And they ensure the driver can see the road clearly too, so they may seem insignificant, but you’ll never look at them the same again.
The frits distribute temperature evenly across the glass to reduce the risk of “lensing”, when there is too much heat in one section of the windshield glass, making straight lines appear curved. The optical illusion would distort drivers’ vision, so frits are crucial in dissipating the sun’s heat and preventing it, ensuring the driver has a clear view of the road.
Do they have any other function?
From an aesthetic point of view, the frits also play an important role, as they make the design of the windshield easier to understand.
Thanks to its halftone pattern, the contrast between the dark band and the glass is not so jarring.
What’s wrong with the black spots around the rearview mirror?
This is a more recent addition.
The black dots around the rearview mirror are called “third visor frits” and they have one function: to act as a sunshade and block the sun that is not covered by the visor.
What if the black frit band is wearing out?
Because fries are so important, it is essential that you keep an eye on their condition.
The pattern is important, so if any frit becomes worn or faded, you will need to replace it as soon as possible.
No chips could mean no windshield – it could fall out of place.
It could also be a general sign of the condition of your windshield.
