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2019 SE windshield - does it have UV protection?

625 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  sbihue
Does the Sienna come with stock UV protection or Tint on the windshield? Our side windows were already tinted when we bought our SE from the dealer but I don't recall if the windshield was similarly treated. We recently had to replace the windshield and our insurance required us to go through Safelite who of course used non-OEM glass. Safelite says the glass is pretty much exactly the same (and probably made by the same manufacturer as OEM). There does seem to be much more heat coming through the windshield and my wife is complaining about light aberrations (sunbursts from car lights etc). She's ready to raise a ruckus so I am trying to figure out if a OEM windshield would've been any better.

Thanks!
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You are combining three different things here, though sometimes one product covers multiple.

UV - Ultraviolet is not visible, is about 3% of the sunlight reaching the surface of the earth, and is what causes skin tanning and cancer. UVB is almost completely blocked by untreated glass, but a large chunk of UVA gets through. You will not feel heat from UV coming through windows. It also has no effect on light aberrations.

IR - Infrared light can be thought of as being heat energy. Think of a fire with hot coals. You feel heat on your skin due to the large amounts of IR emitted by the hot coals. IR makes up approximately 50% of the sunlight reaching earth. Window coatings are often (but far from exclusively) made to block both UVA and IR. A window that blocks IR will have much less heat felt on your skin from light coming through it.

Visible light makes up the remaining 47% percent of sunlight reaching earth. This is what you can actually see. Tinted windows block visible light. They may or may not block UVA and/or IR. It depends entirely how it was made. This is why you see sunglasses advertise UV blocking. It's entirely possible to have dark tints that block visible light (hence why they are dark) but not block UVA or IR. On sunglasses this gives your eyes relief from bright light, but if not blocking UV they don't provide any protection to UV damage to your eyes.

Light aberrations (reflections/starbursts/etc) can be reduced by coatings that again are different than the above. They can be combined...but they are separate items.

I don't believe any OEM windshields will come with tinting, because tinted windshields (except for the top few inches) are illegal in most places unless you have a medical reason to have one. However, they can come with, or not come with, UVA and/or IR and/or anti-reflection coatings, etc. I do not know what the OEM has vs aftermarket. I figure they'd probably be pretty similar, unless you have a high end trim Sienna.

Also, are you sure the light aberrations are from the window? For starburst type aberrations, tilt your head side to side. If the starburst rotates with your head, the aberration is NOT on the windshield but on your own eyeballs and/or eyeglasses. If the aberration does not rotate as you tilt your head, then it is indeed coming from the windshield.
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