Answers from an Experienced Master Tech
Questions are,
Is this normal? Not at all
Is it safe to install? No, not so much
Will it get worse with time? Yes, that is likely, even if steps are taken to attempt preventing it
As Bob said, a good glass shop can inject resin and seal the edges but to get the resin to travel that far into the voids without leaving any air pockets would be very challenging. Not saying it can't be done but it would not be cheap and there would be no guarantee that it would not delaminate any further. By that, I mean I could not imagine any glass shop would offer to replace it if it did delaminate any further. There is just no way to know the condition of the area immediately surrounding the areas that are already delaminated.
It's a lot to cover as to exactly why it's not the same operation as filling a crack where the resin is used to bond glass to glass, but trust me it's not. Not bragging here, but I am an expert at cutting laminated glass for all kinds of applications and the part that is most difficult is (after matching lines are cut and the glass is cracked along a curved line) cutting the vinyl without stretching it and causing delamination. Glass breaks very easily in areas where it's delaminated at the edges. Long story short, the vinyl helps maintain the integrity of the glass, anywhere it is delaminated it is more likely to "stress crack" when the vehicle takes a jolt from a pothole or even a slammed door. And that's not the worst part. In an accident the glass could fail to the point that it comes out. I've seen the result of this first hand. Not good
Let me put it this way, as a professional installer the safety of your vehicle is my number one concern. So is this safe? Not really. Again the full explanation of why and how is really detailed and way too long for a glacially paced typist.
Bottom Line, if I went to a Glass wholesaler to pick up that windshield there is no way I'd accept it unless it was the ONLY one and your windshield was smashed. And, in that case I sure would not pay anywhere near full price. I can't imagine shipping something like that without fully disclosing it's condition. That's bad business bordering on negligent. Even if they did not know the potential issues with installing this glass, I think they should have. This is a safety issue that could have serious consequences for them. If you need me to write them an explanation of why I would not put this glass in their car, maybe that will help you recover some of your cost.
I know you already bought it, but even if you can't recover one dime of that money I still would not install it. Instead I'd see if you can find a local shop that can get you an FYG windshield. They buy them for about 90 bucks. Anything less than 175 "retail" with a receipt is a good deal. Anything around 125 with a receipt is an excellent deal. I say "with a receipt" because by law if it is a "second" or "cosmetic blemish" they are required to notify you in writing at the time of purchase.
Try pilkington, mygrant or ppg or call a small shop...just make sure to specify the FYG brand and in no case should you get the PPG glass - they do not fit well enough to be installed safely IMPO (professional)
You can call me at 480-250-3142 if you have any other Q's
Tommy
