ADAS Calibration After Windshield Replacement — What You Need to Know
If your vehicle was built in 2018 or later, replacing the windshield isn’t just about the glass. Most modern vehicles have cameras and sensors mounted to the windshield that power safety features like lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. After a replacement, these sensors must be professionally recalibrated.
Skipping calibration means your safety systems may not work correctly — or may not work at all. Here’s what ADAS calibration involves, which vehicles need it, and how it affects the cost of windshield replacement.
What ADAS Actually Is
ADAS stands for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. These are the electronic safety features that assist you while driving. Common ADAS features that rely on windshield-mounted sensors include lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and traffic sign recognition.
The camera that powers most of these features is typically mounted behind the rearview mirror, facing forward through the windshield. When the windshield is replaced, the camera’s position shifts — even by a fraction of a millimetre — which throws off the system’s calibration.
Why Calibration Is Required
An uncalibrated ADAS camera can cause your lane departure warning to trigger at the wrong time or not trigger when it should, your automatic emergency braking to misjudge distances, your adaptive cruise control to follow vehicles inaccurately, and your collision warning to give false alerts or miss real hazards.
These aren’t minor inconveniences — they’re safety risks that could lead to an accident. ADAS calibration restores the camera’s alignment to factory specifications so every system works exactly as intended.
How Calibration Is Done
There are two methods, and your vehicle may require one or both:
Static calibration is performed in the shop. A target board is positioned at precise distances and angles in front of the vehicle. The calibration equipment communicates with the camera system and adjusts it to match the target, restoring factory alignment. This takes 30–60 minutes and is the most common method.
Dynamic calibration requires driving the vehicle on well-marked roads at specific speeds. The camera system recalibrates itself using real-world lane markings and road features. This is required by some manufacturers in addition to or instead of static calibration.
The required method depends on your vehicle’s make, model, and year. The auto glass shop determines the correct procedure before starting the replacement.
Which Vehicles Need Calibration?
ADAS features have become standard on most vehicles from 2018 onward. However, some vehicles from 2015–2017 — particularly higher trim levels — also have windshield-mounted ADAS sensors.
If you’re unsure whether your vehicle has ADAS, check for a small camera or sensor cluster behind your rearview mirror. If you see a rectangular housing or camera lens mounted to the glass, your vehicle almost certainly requires calibration after windshield replacement.
Your auto glass shop can also tell you instantly based on your vehicle’s year, make, and model.
What Calibration Costs
ADAS calibration typically adds $300–$800+ to the total cost of windshield replacement. The exact cost depends on the vehicle, the calibration method required, and the complexity of the system.
This additional cost is one of the key reasons filing through SGI makes financial sense for newer vehicles. With an SGI package policy, ADAS calibration is included in the claim — you pay only your $50–$100 deductible. Even with the $700 standard plate deductible, the total cost of glass plus calibration often exceeds $700, meaning SGI covers the difference.
Can You Skip Calibration?
We strongly advise against it. Beyond the obvious safety risks, some vehicle manufacturers state that driving with uncalibrated ADAS sensors voids the safety system warranty. In some jurisdictions, uncalibrated ADAS systems may also be flagged during vehicle safety inspections.
When filing through SGI, there is no financial reason to skip calibration — it’s included in the claim at no extra cost.
If you drive a 2018+ vehicle and need a windshield replacement, call Showtime Auto Glass at (306) 952-3580. ADAS calibration is included with every windshield replacement on equipped vehicles, and it’s covered under your SGI claim at no additional cost.
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