CONSUMER CORNER

IMPROPERLY INSTALLED WINDSHIELDS

POSE SERIOUS SAFETY RISKS

Attorney General Carla J. Stovall offers this public service to help you avoid becoming a victim of consumer fraud. Although some of the details have been changed, the cases appearing in this column are based on actual complaints. For further information or to file a complaint, please write Attorney General Carla J. Stovall, Consumer Protection Division, 120 SW 10th, 2nd Floor, Topeka, Kansas 66612, or call the toll-free Consumer Hotline, 1-800-432-2310. Leave your name, number and subject of your inquiry with the receptionist and an agent will return your call promptly.

Dear Kansas Consumer:

It has come to the attention of my Consumer Protection division that in several areas of the state transient workers are offering windshield replacements. These types of workers work out of the back of unmarked pickup trucks and usually offer their services at a low price. Although the convenience and possible savings these workers may offer sounds tempting, I urge Kansas consumers to use local qualified businesses whenever possible.

Using transient workers for services is risky. All too often, they violate the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) in several ways. First, all door-to-door transactions that cost more than $25 must have a three-day right to cancel. These workers are required by law to give this notice to consumers both verbally and in writing. Rarely does a transient worker give the three-day notice. Often, they do the work within the three days and then disappear making it impossible for consumers to exercise their three-day right to cancel. Second, any warranty given is useless if consumers cannot get in touch with the business if they have a problem. The transient nature of these types of workers makes tracking them down virtually impossible.

Furthermore, the workmanship is typically shoddy. When it comes to windshields this can put the driver and occupants in serious danger. Recently, a weekly national news program featured the dangers improperly installed windshields can cause. Today's windshields not only protect a vehicle's occupants from the wind, but also are a vital structural component of the car. The windshield supports the car's roof from collapsing during a roll over and provides a solid surface for a passenger-side air bag to deploy. If the windshield is improperly installed, it can pop out during a roll over or when the passenger-side air bag deploys. This increases the danger of the roof collapsing, makes the air bag totally useless and creates a large hole where occupants can be thrown from the car.

The proper installation of a windshield can be very complicated. A technician must be familiar with the specifications of all the different types of vehicles out on the road today. Careful handling of all surfaces during installation is critical. For instance, something as simple as oil from the technician's hands can compromise the bond of the adhesive to the car and the windshield. The proper priming and adhesive steps also must be followed to the letter to insure proper bonding of the glass to the metal frame of the vehicle. The adhesive must be strong enough to handle not only day to day driving conditions, but also adverse weather conditions and the tremendous forces applied to it during an accident. The adhesive also must be flexible enough to handle the movement of the vehicle and not break the rigid glass when driving over a pothole or railroad tracks.

Curing is a very important step in the installation process as well. A properly-trained technician should give consumers clear instructions on what to do and what not to do in the hours following installation. It is vital that consumers follow these instructions very carefully.

If consumers hire a transient worker, they run the risk of having an untrained person installing their windshield and, therefore, putting anyone who uses their vehicle at serious risk. I suggest that consumers check out the installer's credentials before they have him or her do the work. Although anyone can make a mistake, someone who has the proper training will have better odds of properly installing the replacement windshield.