Windscreen camera calibration

[boxbrownie]

The insurance company pay their nominated supplier, usually someone like Autoglass, AA Auto Windshields, Auto Windscreens, National Windscreens, etc. And given how low the average invoice value has fallen over the years, and how many insurance companies are enjoying deals which mean they no longer pay for associated clips/mouldings/trims etc, I wouldn't hold out much hope of the insco being too keen to pay for a recalibration.

Yes I understand all that, but my thoughts were that if the "correct" procedure after replacing the screen due to damage is that the camera needs recalibrating then it is down to the insurance company to pay for it, no doubt the would fight tooth and nail not to of course, after all they are an insurance company!

After all if the car is repaired after an accident and panels are replaced they need repainting.......or is that not part of the procedure for the repair?

It would be interesting taking it further if indeed MB procedure is to recalibrate after screen replacement, fun day in court

 

[sjmaxwell]

Yes I understand all that, but my thoughts were that if the "correct" procedure after replacing the screen due to damage is that the camera needs recalibrating then it is down to the insurance company to pay for it, no doubt the would fight tooth and nail not to of course, after all they are an insurance company!

After all if the car is repaired after an accident and panels are replaced they need repainting.......or is that not part of the procedure for the repair?

It would be interesting taking it further if indeed MB procedure is to recalibrate after screen replacement, fun day in court

I think that is the argument raging on the internet but my question is how is it done or is it dealer only due to specialist equipment. The main issues I have with the dealer is the cost and I have a general lack of confidence in what they can do even though they are an AMG specialist!

However, my Indie is keen to learn and try new things and if there is enough demand, invest in new equipment; my main dealer doesn't even have the equipment to fix the rattling timning chain issue in a M157 and had to borrow it from another branch but that is for another thread!:fail

 

[whitenemesis]

According to WIS this special calibration target is required when refitting the camera and/or windscreen

Daimler AG GOTIS - GSP Online Technics Information System

Along with STAR/Xentry obviously! Probably best to bite the bullet and go to a dealership?

 

[sjmaxwell]

Superb, many thanks, So its the same target as the headlights and is used for the Night View assist camera as well as the Multifunction Camera?

 

[boxbrownie]

I think that is the argument raging on the internet but my question is how is it done or is it dealer only due to specialist equipment. The main issues I have with the dealer is the cost and I have a general lack of confidence in what they can do even though they are an AMG specialist!
l

Yes, sorry for the hi-jack it is an interesting subject.

 

[sjmaxwell]

It is the same equipment for the headlight adjustment and night vision camera. Mike at MB Medway did it for me at considerable less than the dealer price and only 20 minutes!!

Thanks Mike

 

[Dieselman]

Good to hear.

Now it's done can we get on with the capitulating about whether this is an insurance approved mod, whether it will affect the rigidity of the windscreen, maybe it's a human rights violation and whether the Government will allow such mods either now or in say, 2025...

After all, we're only on page 2...

 

[sjmaxwell]

Good to hear.

Now it's done can we get on with the capitulating about whether this is an insurance approved mod, whether it will affect the rigidity of the windscreen, maybe it's a human rights violation and whether the Government will allow such mods either now or in say, 2025...

After all, we're only on page 2...

Dive in!

 

[TonyBrown]

Just got a little chip in the windscreen on my C204 fitted with the Speed Limit Assist camera. Autoglass said the camera would need resetting if the screen had to be replaced, and they couldn't do it. MB dealership said £138 just to reset the camera. My insurer (Aviva) scratched their head at first, then concluded it was no different to a rain sensor, and that they would cover the reset fee as part of the windscreen cover. Aviva said I could get the dealership to change the glass as well, but I would be limited to £110 claim!

 

[Glassman]

Just got a little chip in the windscreen on my C204 fitted with the Speed Limit Assist camera. Autoglass said the camera would need resetting if the screen had to be replaced, and they couldn't do it. MB dealership said £138 just to reset the camera. My insurer (Aviva) scratched their head at first, then concluded it was no different to a rain sensor, and that they would cover the reset fee as part of the windscreen cover. Aviva said I could get the dealership to change the glass as well, but I would be limited to £110 claim!

A little chip can be repaired.

 

[Diesel Benz]

Just got a little chip in the windscreen on my C204 fitted with the Speed Limit Assist camera. Autoglass said the camera would need resetting if the screen had to be replaced, and they couldn't do it. MB dealership said £138 just to reset the camera. My insurer (Aviva) scratched their head at first, then concluded it was no different to a rain sensor, and that they would cover the reset fee as part of the windscreen cover. Aviva said I could get the dealership to change the glass as well, but I would be limited to £110 claim!

I guess the car has other features in addition to the speed limit assist that would use the camera? Speed Limit Assist would likely be the feature that suffers least from incorrect camera calibration (aiming anyway).

Why not ignore calibration anyway and try if it works fine? Unless of course you can make them pay more than £110.

 

[sjmaxwell]

I guess the car has other features in addition to the speed limit assist that would use the camera? Speed Limit Assist would likely be the feature that suffers least from incorrect camera calibration (aiming anyway). Why not ignore calibration anyway and try if it works fine? Unless of course you can make them pay more than £110.

Along with high beam assist - I suppose you could switch them all off! Or, as I did, find a friendly indie to calibrate it for you

 

[richard]

The camera does/can-do (a) lane assist (b) speed limit assist (c) headlamp assist. If the new bracket is not in the exact same place as the old bracket on the windscreen then the alignment will be slightly wrong and the system won't be operating ideally. Whether you notice this or not is a different thing though.

I certainly noticed when they changed my camera - headlamp assist started working much better - I don't know if this was the camera (done under warranty), new software in the camera, or the fact it was all re-calibrated.

Cheers

Richard

 

[dozypillock]

I guess the car has other features in addition to the speed limit assist that would use the camera? Speed Limit Assist would likely be the feature that suffers least from incorrect camera calibration (aiming anyway).

Why not ignore calibration anyway and try if it works fine? Unless of course you can make them pay more than £110.

I have 2 of my vehicles with stone chips on screen at the moment. I am a bit loathe to get them looked at, as do not want the hassle, especially in this weather, and end up with 2 vehicles unusable, or stuck in garages.

Vehicle 1: My Merc. Has 2 bad chips, but on passenger side, so not really annoying, in day to day driving. I would put money on it that If I get anybody out, they will say, "cannot be fixed, new screen required".
It seems to have a myriad of sensors by the mirror (auto lights, wipers, interior lighting etc etc) and also a tinted effect around all these areas.
Would I have to push for a proper Mercedes screen? Will they fit it properly, without damaging any interior trim stuff etc

Vehicle 2: Ford Focus Zetec. Chip in drivers vision area, but less than 5p piece, and has been for 2 years, but annoying.
Screen is heated, so guess it will not be a cheap, easy swap?
Will I get an original, proper Ford one?

Both screens have never got worse, and my concern is more that I would have them both done, if I honestly thought they would be done properly, and not by "some geezer called Barry" who cannot wait to get back home again.

Failing this, I will stick with the chips.

How many on here have had complicated screens replaced, and been 100% satisfied with the job done, and finished result?

Neil

 

[richard]

The chips will crack, probably on a very cold day when the windscreen heats up. It is worth popping along to a window repairer and asking how much stone chip repairs will cost. Assuming your car insurance policy is a UK one, all I have seen do not lose no claims bonus if you claim and the excess is much lower than your normal excess. Some cover chip repairs with no excess as they don't want the windscreen to crack and have to pay out for a new window. You should check their approved repairer list and visit one of those for a chip check!

I had a replacement in my W169 A class, (autoglass) - it was great (apart from they didn't understand rain sensors and those ones need replacing - but that was years ago when the W169 was new. Alfie managed to get his insurance company to pay for an original part on his W245 but fitted by the local independent window place.

Richard

 

[Glassman]

The chips will crack, probably on a very cold day when the windscreen heats up.

Glass expands with heat, thus closing any cracks, therefore impossible.

 

[davidjpowell]

Glass expands with heat, thus closing any cracks, therefore impossible.

My screen once cracked in France. What started as three runs from the mirror (don't ask!) grew every day at peak sun and by the end of the week stretched across the whole screen.

Getting this sorted somewhat stretched me vocabulary....

 

[richard]

Glass expands with heat, thus closing any cracks, therefore impossible.

Well I said this because I (thought) had it happen on my car. - reasonable size chip. Got engine warm, turned on windscreen defrost full and big crack was there when I came back. I had assumed that the different expansion rate between the fully thick windscreen and the chipped bit killed it.

I can see now that a chip much more likely to turn into a crack when it all gets cold and contracts - and expect that the crack was there in the icy windscreen before I defrosted it - probably hidden by the frost !!


Thanks
R