Windshield replacement & camera "re-calibration"...

[crenca]

Need to replace my windshield as I have star right in my line of sight newly formed last week. Visited a couple of shops this morning, both insist on camera recalibration for about $200.

Thing is I had the windshield replaced once by a guy doing work "on the side" once already with no re calibration.

I have a base (Big Bend) 24 SAS MT (so no adaptive cruise, lane keep, parking sensors, etc.) and I drive with "Collision Avoidance" disabled 100% of the time (because it sucks - too many false positives).

I'm thinking I am going to refuse this $service$ and find a shop or individual that will not insist on it.

What are the real consequences of having your camera misalighed given my use case?

Also, what if I just leave the damn thing unplugged (or remove it), will I get CEL or other continuous nags (DTC codes showing up in Forscan I can live with)?

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[Windshield Defense]

Need to replace my windshield as I have star right in my line of sight newly formed last week. Visited a couple of shops this morning, both insist on camera recalibration for about $200.

Thing is I had the windshield replaced once by a guy doing work "on the side" once already with no re calibration.

I have a base (Big Bend) 24 SAS MT (so no adaptive cruise, lane keep, parking sensors, etc.) and I drive with "Collision Avoidance" disabled 100% of the time (because it sucks - too many false positives).

I'm thinking I am going to refuse this $service$ and find a shop or individual that will not insist on it.

What are the real consequences of having your camera misalighed given my use case?

Also, what if I just leave the damn thing unplugged (or remove it), will I get CEL or other continuous nags (DTC codes showing up in Forscan I can live with)?

Replacing the windshield can slightly change the camera’s position or viewing angle, which is why shops recommend recalibration.

We’d be hesitant to recommend skipping it or unplugging the camera. Your best bet is to check Ford’s procedure for your exact Bronco configuration to see if calibration is actually required.

 

[Rydfree]

My badlands windshield has been replaced twice with no re-cal each time. It's been fine.

 

[Ducati1098]

If you’re not using the camera for things it’s designed for, I would just simply not worry about the recalibration.
In most cases it really doesn’t need to be done anyway.
Unplugging it will cause fault lights/warnings.

 

[crenca]

Thanks for the replies guys. I assumed the process of re-calibration involved a board with a pattern put in-front of the vehicle, but it apparently it involves an ODB interface tool (Forscan has it) and a 10 minute drive:

https://www.stiversfordsouth.com/blog/how-to-calibrate-ford-lane-keeping/





It apparently is mostly about lane keep assist, which I don't even have, so if I feel the need I will do this myself.

I'm restraining myself, I soooo want to go on a rant about modern cars, tech, and $ for plugging in a freaking computer and letting it do all the work. Safelite wanted $1k for the windshield, install, and re-calibration....what a f$%^ing joke.

 

[corndog8]

If you don't unplug the camera, it will not have to be reset. (99.9% chance of it being ok). This is an additional charge by the big windshield replacement companies. Unnecessary. Like was previously mentioned, the smaller independent guys will tell you this.
Replaced mine 2 weeks ago and this was my experience.

 

[trcim4pu]

Have 2023 Heritage, no lane keep assist or any other ADAS type feature. Had front windshield replaced in Ann Arbor MI a couple of months back. Was $370 for "re-calibration" by Safelite. Believe the camera is used for "collision avoidance" detection, as I get periodic warnings if driving at high way speed & too close to vehicle in front of me. Didn't want false detection of this. Also didn't want to spend the $370, but did. Felt ripped off. Would really like some expert opinion on this, not from a glass company, as I expect that I'll have to do this again in the future...

 

[Windshield Defense]

Have 2023 Heritage, no lane keep assist or any other ADAS type feature. Had front windshield replaced in Ann Arbor MI a couple of months back. Was $370 for "re-calibration" by Safelite. Believe the camera is used for "collision avoidance" detection, as I get periodic warnings if driving at high way speed & too close to vehicle in front of me. Didn't want false detection of this. Also didn't want to spend the $370, but did. Felt ripped off. Would really like some expert opinion on this, not from a glass company, as I expect that I'll have to do this again in the future...

Did a little digging into Ford’s own documentation on this. It looks like the glass shops aren’t just making this one up

Ford’s repair procedures specifically call for an IPMA camera alignment after windshield installation. So even if you don’t use lane keep or adaptive cruise, if your Bronco has the forward-facing camera, there is a legitimate reason for the recalibration.

Whether $200–$370 is a reasonable price for it is a whole different question

 

[crenca]

Ford’s repair procedures specifically call for an IPMA camera alignment after windshield installation. So even if you don’t use lane keep or adaptive cruise, if your Bronco has the forward-facing camera, there is a legitimate reason for the recalibration.

Why? Honest question. I suspect the reason is since the camera is used for collision avoidance, it still needs to be pointing (via software) in the right direction if you don't want the system to work worse then it already does.

For my use case however, even this is not a good reason as I have disabled the collision avoidance 100% of the time (due to the many false positives).

Whether $200–$370 is a reasonable price for it is a whole different question

It is not. An owner can do the re-calibration themselves for the cost of Forscan, takes about 10 minutes. When you visit your primary care doctor for 10-20 minutes they collect about $90-140 real dollars in most places in the country( though it can be less).

Why would a glass company/tech be collecting twice as much fore the same amount of time? It makes no sense, other then a skewed market...

 

[MachingBird]

I always thought that the little black box, up in the front of the grille, was for ACC and obstacle avoidance. Thought the windshield camera was for Auto High Beams sensing and perhaps lane keeping... Ducati would know.

 

[Brian_B]

The calibration procedure is just “drive around for a few miles with the laptop hooked up so the camera can see road markers”. If i recall mostly it was for auto-calibrating “Horizon detection” so it could semi-accurately calculate distances.

I think Forscan can do it now - but it doesnt require anything crazy. I did it a couple of times when I had an FDRS license.

You are supposed to also do it anytime you adjust the ride height.

 

[Ducati1098]

I always thought that the little black box, up in the front of the grille, was for ACC and obstacle avoidance. Thought the windshield camera was for Auto High Beams sensing and perhaps lane keeping... Ducati would know.

The IPMA (windshield camera) is mainly for pre-collision assist, auto high beams and lane keep.

The CCM (radar module in the bumper) is mainly for ACC.

But there is information supplied between the two that help one another if both are equipped. The CCM is on a dedicated private CAN with the IPMA, so they share information

 

[MachingBird]

The IPMA (windshield camera) is mainly for pre-collision assist, auto high beams and lane keep.

The CCM (radar module in the bumper) is mainly for ACC.

But there is information supplied between the two that help one another if both are equipped. The CCM is on a dedicated private CAN with the IPMA, so they share information

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[23OBX2.7]

The calibration procedure is just “drive around for a few miles with the laptop hooked up so the camera can see road markers”. If i recall mostly it was for auto-calibrating “Horizon detection” so it could semi-accurately calculate distances.

I think Forscan can do it now - but it doesnt require anything crazy. I did it a couple of times when I had an FDRS license.

You are supposed to also do it anytime you adjust the ride height.

Interesting considering a load will change ride height....I also did 1" and seems tk self calibrate to some extent since everything works perfectly. Clearly new calibration is hard to dismiss.

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