Ford Introduces its Ford Certified Glass Network
Customers come first when it comes to the Blue Oval when it comes to replacing or repairing glass components, including the windshield, on a Ford vehicle. To help ensure that glass components and replacements meet Ford’s standards, including having the proper fit, function, structural integrity and safety during and after a repair, Ford is launching its Ford Certified Glass Network. This isn’t Ford’s first rodeo with an industry-leading and comprehensive OEM network.
Windshields aren’t like the ones of the past, these days they’re built to function as part of an advanced safety system as structural support to prevent collisions. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems that are linked to the windshield include Lane-Keeping, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Braking, Auto High-Beam Headlamps, and Evasive Steering Assist.
“The Ford Certified Glass Network supports glass replacement companies who seek to be differentiated in the market by achieving our certification requirements. It is an exciting opportunity for us to work closely with the auto glass repair and replacement industry,” says Jennifer Boyer, Director of Strategy and Business, Ford Customer Service Division.
To be sure that Ford Certified Glass Installers can meet quality requirements for glass installation, the Ford Certified Glass Network will first require that ships have the glass calibration capabilities prior to doing any work. Installers benefit with access to technical repair procedures, a dedicated hotline for technical support, and calibration coaching. Ford is also recognized for offering industry-leading coaching throughout the installation process.
“We are excited that the Ford Certified Glass Network will provide a premium solution for the most safety conscious Ford and Lincoln owner. By utilizing Ford genuine OEM glass, industry accepted Auto Glass Replacement Repair Standards (AGRRS), and the utilization of Ford ADAS calibration procedures and tools, this Network will provide a great option for proper installation of genuine Ford OEM glass,” says Curt Wormington, Carlex Aftermarket Replacement Glass (ARG) Vice President.
Aftermarket windshields often miss the mark, causing adverse effects while driving thanks to a botched installation. Oftentimes, these aftermarket windshields can’t even duplicate the precise camera location and attachment brackets, causing the windshield to distort the initial quality of the camera. Head Up Display (HUD) is another feature that suffers when there’s a poorly installed aftermarket windshield as aftermarket glass fails to meet the specific Ford standards for genuine Ford glass. HUD relies on digital light projection technology as it displays speed, navigation, and other driver assist features on the windshield. Given that HUD windshields are specifically designed to eliminate secondary HUD images, aftermarket glass tends to be insufficient.
Ford also uses SoundScreen acoustic windshields that are engineered with damping layers that help reduce road, wind, and other external noises to maintain a quiet cabin. Not using this type of windshield will increase the interior noise, therefore unnecessarily disturbing the cabin. Additional perks of being a certified glass installer include ongoing communication with customers during the installation process and a follow up survey tasked with measuring customer satisfaction. Certified glass installers are also asked to provide a limited lifetime warranty that ensures repairs are taken care of by Ford Certified Glass Installer against defects and workmanship issues as long as the customer owns the vehicle. This limited lifetime warranty is not between Ford and the customer, but between the certified installer and the customer instead.
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