Ever wonder what those black dots are at the top center of your windshield? You know, that dot-matrix pattern that drops down around the rear-view mirror. Heck, there’s even some of those dots extending around the entire edge of some windshields. Mobile Glass has become somewhat of an authority of on this subject. See our credit in Jalopnik’s “Here’s What Those Little Dots Are On The Edges Of Your Car Windows” The pattern of dots around the rear-view mirror is called 3rd VISOR FRIT.
3rd Visor Frit
3rd Visor Frit is black paint on the inside surface of your windshield intended to provide shading from the Sun. In front of the driver and passenger, your car has a visor the can flip down to shield the Sun from your eyes –everyone knows this. Some vehicles even have a second visor that can be used (only to flip down) while the primary visor is rotated to side. However, there is still an area between the driver and passenger in the center of the windshield where the visors don’t shield. This is where the 3rd Visor comes in. The “Frit” -(black dot pattern of paint on auto glass), is good enough to work as a shield while still allowing you to see through it, somewhat.
What is Frit on Glass?
The Frit on auto glass can be there for one of 3 reasons.
- Shielding. Keeping your eyes from the glare of direct Sun light. As in 3rd Visor Frit
- Aesthetics. Just to dress up the glass and look “cool”
- Adhesion. Along the edge of glued in glass like windshields and back glass this painted surface allows the urethane (glue) to stick better.
Need Windshield Replacement?
Mobile Glass provides windshield replacement and auto glass repair for most of Texas and Colorado. See our main metro pages below and choose your specific location from there for service.