An independent guide to driver visibility. It is not a garage or a shop, it does not replace your owner's manual, and it is not connected with the previous website on this domain.
Equipment
The view from the driver's seat is not just the windscreen but a whole system. The glass lets the light through, the wipers and washers keep it clean, heating and ventilation clear moisture and ice, and the mirrors show what is beside and behind you. If even one link fails, your picture of the road is incomplete.
Every pane of glass in the car works for your view, even the ones you hardly ever look through.
We describe types of glass and systems in general terms, without naming car makes or manufacturers. For your own car's set-up, such as the heated elements, the type of wiper blade or any sensors, see the owner's manual.
Six elements that decide how well you can see the road and the traffic around you.
The driver's main window. It is usually laminated, so a film between the layers holds the fragments together on impact. Even a small chip in the area swept by the wipers can turn into a crack over time, which is why the rules for its condition are especially strict.
Windscreen chips (in Russian)
You look through the front side windows at the door mirrors and at junctions, so the same transparency requirements apply to them as to the windscreen. The rear side windows matter when changing lanes and parking.
Window tint (in Russian)
The rear window usually has heating elements bonded into it that quickly clear frost and condensation. They are easily damaged by a hard scraper or abrasives, so wipe the inside gently and along the lines.
Misting up (in Russian)
Over time the rubber edge of a wiper blade hardens, cracks and stops sitting snugly against the glass. Blades come in conventional, flat and hybrid designs; the owner's manual tells you which type and size your car needs.
The reservoir, pump, hoses and jets deliver fluid to the windscreen and sometimes to the headlights. The system is simple, but in winter frozen fluid gets in the way, and in summer dust blocks the jets.
Together, the interior and door mirrors show what is happening behind and beside you. There are blind spots between their fields of view, and adjusting them properly helps make those spots smaller.
Seasonal care for glass, wiper blades, washer fluid, mirrors and headlights, plus replacing blades as the manual describes.
How to choose wiper blades, washer fluid, winter kit and a glass specialist by the specifications, not the advertising.
Archived address: a short guide to the glass in your car, the different types and how to inspect them quickly.
Regulatory requirements are described as they stood on the date each page was prepared. The cited rules are Russian and EAEU rules; other countries set their own tint limits and roadworthiness rules, and rules change from time to time. Glass, wiper and demisting set-ups also differ from car to car, so check the current local regulations and your own car's owner's manual.