Accidentally rolled down window after tint

There’s no denying that tinting your windows can totally transform the aesthetic of your car. Not only does it make your car better looking, but it also has lots of benefits for inside your car, including better privacy.

However, no matter how great window tinting is, there is no denying that the time immediately after you get it done is a total pain in the neck. 

During this time, you are very limited with what you can do with your car. You cannot wash it for at least a week after the windows have been tinted, and you are also limited with rolling down your windows too.

This is a real pain, especially if you live in a hot area. If you live in a hot State, then you might find yourself tempted to open the window despite the warning and might be asking yourself ‘how bad is it if I put my window down after tinting?’. In this quick guide, we’ll be answering this. 

How long do you have to wait to roll down windows after tinting? 

If you have had your windows tinted, then you will probably have information given to you by the professional that did them. This information will include how long you should wait before rolling your windows down.

However, this information is fairly textbook, and because of this, the same principle applies for most window tints. So, you will usually have to wait around 72 hours or 3-4 days before you can roll your windows down. 

This might seem like a long time, but it is surprising how quickly the time will pass by. You might be tempted to roll your windows down before this time limit has passed, but you should never do this.

In fact, in an ideal world, you should leave your windows for longer than 72 hours before you roll them down. It takes at least 72 hours for the adhesive that bonds the tint to your windows to dry, but where possible you should give it longer to ensure that it has completely set before you do anything that could damage it. 

On a scale of good to bad, it will always be ‘bad’ to put your windows down immediately after getting them tinted. There is no way to sugarcoat it, as putting your windows down immediately after getting them tinted will almost certainly damage the work that you have had done.

The amount of damage that it will do does decrease as time passes, but if you roll your windows down before the adhesive used to tint them has set, then you will damage the tint. 

To attach the tint material to your windows, the technician will use an adhesive. You will not be able to see this adhesive as it will be clear, and as soon as it has set, this adhesive will not cause any issues.

But, while the adhesive is setting, you have to be very careful with what you do with your windows. Any actions such as washing them, or rolling them down could damage the adhesive, and in turn the windows. 

In particular, rolling down your windows when the adhesive has not set could cause the friction of the window rolling down to tear the tint material. This will lead to scratches and tears in your tint, rendering the entire thing pointless. So always wait the necessary time before you roll your windows down. 

How do I know when my tint has cured?

If you live in a hot area, then you might be desperate for your tint to cure. While it usually takes at least 72 hours for the adhesive to cure, the hot temperatures could speed up this process. So, you might be wondering what signs to watch out for to tell if your tint has cured, or not. 

You will be able to tell that your tint has completely cured when the window itself looks like it has been factory tinted. By this, we mean that the window will look like the glass itself is tinted, rather than an additional layer of material being added to it to tint it. It can be difficult to visualize it, but when you are looking at a window that has been tinted, you will clearly be able to tell the difference when your window has cured.

However, just to be safe, we would always recommend waiting at least 72 hours before rolling down your windows. 

Summary

In short, it is very bad to roll down your window immediately after getting it tint. You should never roll down your windows until the adhesive used to apply the tint has completely dried. This will usually take around 72 hours, but it is best to wait a little longer if possible.