new question, how long should a glass shop be liable for an installation? and how can they prove it was your install, say if its 2-3 years down the road? i have customers that repalce their windshields every year or less. even if they have an invoice, that doesn't prove it is your windshield in their car. what if i replace a windshield, the person goes on vacation hits a bird breaks their new windshield gets one installed 3000 miles away loses receipt, 2 years later w/s falls out in accident customer remembers having replaced only has on invoice,mine, and sues?

One thing that might help is something that we just started which is to record EVERY dot # from the w/s we install on the invoice. Nothing is guaranteed, but if they do not match up, BINGO. Likelyhood of someone else installing the same w/s these days is pretty slim. Only takes 2 seconds to look at the windshield and write it down.

Install it correctly, don't worry.

missed the point glassgod

As he frequently does!

Get an etching machine and etch in your companies initials. Just a thought!

You wish

good idea glasswoman, i didn't think of that, do you do that?

The etching is a good idea so you know at a glance if you did it, but from a liability standpoint if you did a bad job on one you could just not mark that one. At leaste that is what I picture a lawyer saying.

DOT # from glass, LOT # from urethane and primers is what I recommend. Then the urethane manufacture will ber involved in a lawsuit and can test if is was even their product on install. This still only LOWERS LIABILITY RISK also, but every little bit helps.

you don't even need an etching machine, they make rubber stamps that etch, just get a few with your logo and after the job is done, stamp away, could also help for repeat business the customer always has you name right on the glass

we write the shops name and date on rear view mirror tab and also record dot # and primer lot #'s. works great because most customers don't even know it's there.

Well, if we're going to worry about this....

What if a body shop has the glass pulled and re-installed by others during collision repairs?

Your etching, sticker, numbers on the mirror tab, dot and chemical numbers on your shop sheet are all still there, but it most certainly isn't your installation any more.

Now what?

I'm not being arguementative, this is an interesting discussion. I'd love to hear more ideas.

Frankly, part of me has been in favor of a way to document the install by ANY installer for reasons of someone checking back, like a signature. One that couldn't be removed, or would be destroyed if someone tried.

If a way could be found to do this, I think poor installations would drop dramatically, however, implementation of such an idea is still the issue.

One person said, no matter the system, someone will figure out a way to 'gig' it. "Gig-Proof" would be a requirement.

mark1,
i'm glad someone realized my original point, how long should we be responsible for the install? i have been thinking about changing my lifetime parts and workmanship warranty to two years. i think that may solve some of the problem.
does any other repair business offer a lifetime of liability? mechanics? plumbers? building contractors?
but somehow we are expected to offer one.

BQA,

It likely won't matter how long you warranty anything. GM almost 'lost' GM over that silly fuel tank thing, nearly 25 years after the design was made, and yet was fully in compliance with all rules of the time the trucks were made.

You will be responsible for your work for the duration of the vehicle. We 'signature' in plain sight all installations, and warranty the installation workmanship for the life of the vehicle. The 'for the life of the vehicle or current owner' won't protect you if the accident happens to the next owner.

The current owner, if sued by the next owner for a faulty WS replacement, would quickly cough up your invoice, and it wouldn't likely matter.

The protection we seek is this:

1. Do the best possible job each and every time.
2. Use the best available materials each and every time.
3. Document these issues as best possible each and every time.
4. Make 1 through 3 a standard part of your daily business practices.

That's all any of us can do, unless we learn to see into the future to learn what it holds.

This is, of course, my non-lawyer, non-legal opinion. The warranty on this opinion expires in five minutes or the end of this sentence, which ever comes first.

but with gm all they did was offer $1000 off the purchase of a new truck, i know we had three at the time. so if a new truck cost say $15000 then, that would be like us giving every customer that had a faulty w/s $20. pretty small price to pay, unlike the $7 million paid to one person in the denver lawsuit on the dw848. but still why don't we get to use the same guidelines for warranty as everyone else? go to a ford dealer they offer 12 month 12,000 mile, or less, warranty on their parts and installation. can anyone answer that?

also when i do a w/s for the service dept. at ford i warranty it to them for life, they warranty it to the customer for 12/12.

we had our attorney write up our assignment of proceeds, at the same time he did our warranty.

from what i remember, if you give a warranty in writting you can limit the charges, it helps protect you from what i understand.

although in a court of law who knows, but i would rather be proactive, than reactive in those matters.