Many drivers focus on the condition of their windshields, but a vehicle’s side windows are just as important to safe driving. Window damage becomes dangerous when it interferes with your peripheral field-of-vision or when it interferes with your ability to focus on driving. While it may be tempting to postpone repairs if the damage seems minor, it’s important to know that cracked, chipped or broken car windows can present real risks. In many states, you can be ticketed if a police officer deems your broken window to be unsafe.

Here’s everything you need to know about car window damage and how to find a local auto glass repair shop near you.

What to Do if Your Car Window Won’t Roll Up or Down

Window regulators are the mechanism that allows you to raise or lower your car windows. Whether your window regulators are powered by buttons or old-school manual hand-cranks, they are subject to high wear and tear (especially the driver’s window) and can stop working from age or excessive use. There are other common causes of window regulator failure: faulty switches, damaged window tracks, broken cables, worn out pulleys and cable lines, and exposure to moisture. A professional technician at your local auto glass shop can diagnose the problem with your regulator and repair it.

Although a window that can’t roll up or down may not seem like an urgent issue, especially if the window is already rolled up, remember that a broken window regulator could interfere with your ability or the ability of your passengers to exit your vehicle if you are trapped inside in the moments following a collision, so you shouldn’t delay getting it repaired.

What To Do When Your Car Window is Damaged or Shattered

If your car window has a small chip or crack, the damage can spread over time, leading to more expensive repairs and potentially a full auto glass replacement. Weather can make window damage worse. Like with cracked windshields, moisture can drip into the chip or crack on a car window, and cold temperatures can cause the moisture to freeze and expand, making the crack spread.

If your window is already cracked when you get into an accident, the glass is more likely to shatter during a collision.

Here are steps to take when your window gets shattered:

• Take photos and video of the damage. This is a key first step before beginning cleanup, especially if the broken car window is a result of an accident or burglary, because you will need to document the damage for insurance and law enforcement purposes.

• Contact your auto insurance provider and file a police report. If your car window is damaged as a result of an accident, burglary, or a natural disaster like a tornado, it may be covered by your auto insurance. Some law enforcement agencies will come out and file a police report in the case of accidents and burglaries. After natural disasters, some first responders will provide an incident report if you call them from a non-emergency line within a few days or weeks of the event.

• Clean up the glass. The most effective way to clean up shattered glass is to use a shop vacuum to suction it off of the interior of the vehicle. Remove as much as you can, but rest assured that your local auto glass shop will likely vacuum the car before they return it to you in an effort to restore it to pre-incident condition.

• Cover the window. Once you’ve cleaned up as much glass as possible, you will need to secure the window to protect the interior of your car until the window can be repaired. If you anticipate having to drive the vehicle before the window is repaired, you will need to use something that doesn’t obstruct your field-of-vision – we recommend clear packing tape and transparent plastic, such as a shower curtain liner.

Should You Repair or Replace Your Broken Car Window?

Auto Glass Repair

Auto glass repair is a quick, cost-effective solution if the crack or chip on your car window is small enough. Generally, chips smaller than the size of a quarter and cracks less than three inches long can be repaired. Anything larger will likely require a full replacement. A quality auto glass repair can prevent a chip or crack from spreading and help hide the original damage without having to remove the original glass. You’ll need to act quickly to get an auto glass repair, otherwise replacement may become your only option because driving with a cracked car window can cause the damage to spread.

An auto glass repair is a simple procedure that typically takes less than an hour: the technician uses a small suction vacuum to remove any moisture or other matter from the crack and injects resin to fill it. If done properly, window crack repair can be a safe and permanent solution to a damaged piece of auto glass.

Auto Glass Replacement

Auto glass replacement is typically more expensive than an auto glass repair, but it is often the best way to make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive. The location of the window damage can play a factor in determining whether or not you’ll need an auto glass repair or replacement. Depending on where the crack is located, it can compromise the structural integrity of the glass. If the damage is in the line of site of the driver, the auto glass shop may recommend a full replacement even if it’s a small chip, because auto glass repair can sometimes leave minor distortions in the glass. If a crack or chip is deep enough to penetrate the clear layer of plastic that prevents window glass from shattering, they will likely recommend a full replacement as well.

Get Your Window Repaired at an Auto Glass Shop Near You

A professional technician at your local auto glass repair shop will be able to inspect and assess the damage to your car window and help you determine the best method of repair or replacement.

When your car window is broken or shattered, Carwise.com makes it easy to find a reputable auto glass repairer near you and request an estimate. From reviews by real customers to services and payment information, Carwise has details on nearly 22,000 repair shops. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

Whether it happened because of flying debris or as the result of a car accident, a cracked windshield is never a good thing. You might be tempted to ignore it if it’s not interfering with your ability to see as you drive. However, it’s important to know that even small cracks and chips can spread quickly, presenting several risks.

The Risks to Driving with a Cracked Windshield

• You could get ticketed for having a cracked windshield. Windshield cracks become dangerous once they’re large enough to interfere with your field-of-vision. In many states, you can be ticketed if a police officer deems your cracked windshield to be unsafe.

• Weather can make windshield cracks worse. Moisture can drip into a chip or crack, and cold temperatures can cause the moisture to freeze and expand, making the crack spread.

• Cracked windshields can make car accidents more dangerous. Auto glass contributes to the overall structural integrity of the vehicle. Intact windshields are designed to transfer the force of a frontal collision down into the chassis, which lessens the impact you and your passengers feel. If your windshield is already cracked when you get into an accident, the glass is more likely to shatter during a front-end collision and your vehicle’s roof is more likely to collapse in a rollover accident. A cracked windshield can also interfere with airbag deployment because it is less likely to hold up to the force, increasingly the possibility of serious injury or even death.

Temporary Windshield Fixes

Windshields with cracks of any size need to be replaced as soon as possible. Do-it-yourself windshield repairs or replacements are never wise for several reasons; you don’t want to do anything that could exacerbate the damage or interfere with your ability to drive the vehicle safely. However, when you’re in the process of scheduling a professional repair or replacement, there are temporary measures you can take to help keep the crack from spreading.   

• Protect the glass from extreme conditions. Park in the shade when it’s hot and if possible, park in a garage or carport to protect the auto glass from water and direct sunlight. If you can’t park in a garage or carport, covering the vehicle with a tarp can protect the crack from moisture.
• Try a windshield repair kit. If you’re handy and the crack is very small, or it’s only a chip, auto parts stores sell windshield repair kits that contain resin. Just keep in mind that in many cases, DIY repairs do not last like those done by professionals and the crack may still spread.

When to Take A Cracked Windshield to an Auto Glass Shop

It’s important to seek repairs for your damaged windshield as soon as possible, even if the crack or chip is small, because the damage can spread over time. Even minor

scratches, nicks, chips and cracks can spread, leading to more expensive repairs and potentially a full auto glass replacement. We recommend seeking advice from a professional at a local auto glass repair shop as soon as it happens, even if the damage appears to be minor.

Should I Repair or Replace My Cracked Windshield?

In the past, having a chipped or cracked windshield always required replacement. Recent innovations to auto-glass repair makes windshields more repairable, but it depends on the size, location and severity of the damage.

Auto Glass Repair

Auto glass repair is a quicker, cost-effective solution than an auto glass replacement, if the chip or crack is small enough. Generally, chips smaller than a quarter and cracks less than three inches long can be repaired. Anything larger will likely require a full replacement. A quality auto glass repair can prevent a chip or crack from spreading and help hide the original damage without having to remove the original glass. You’ll need to act quickly to get an auto glass repair, otherwise replacement will become your only option because driving with a cracked windshield can cause the damage to spread, for a variety of reasons.

An auto glass repair is a simple procedure that typically takes less than an hour: the technician uses a small suction vacuum to remove any moisture or other matter from the crack and injects resin to fill it. If done properly, windshield crack repair can be a safe and permanent solution to a damaged piece of auto glass.

Auto Glass Replacement

Auto glass replacement is typically more expensive than an auto glass repair, but it is often the best way to make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive. The location of the windshield damage plays an important factor in determining whether or not you’ll need an auto glass repair or replacement. For example, a crack on the edge of your windshield can spread quickly and compromise the structural integrity of the glass, making replacement the safest option in those cases. If the damage is in the line of sight of the driver, the auto glass shop will likely recommend a full replacement even if it is a small chip, because an auto glass repair on a chip may leave minor distortions in the glass. If a crack is deep enough to penetrate the clear layer of plastic that prevents a windshield glass from shattering, they will likely recommend a full replacement as well.

An auto glass replacement typically takes longer than a repair; you may have to wait a few hours before driving your vehicle to let the urethane that bonds the glass to cure.

How to Find a Local Auto Glass Repair Shop

A professional technician at your local auto glass repair shop will be able to quickly inspect and assess the damage to your cracked windshield and help you determine whether you will need to repair or replace the glass.

Carwise.com makes it easy to find a reputable auto glass repairer and request an estimate. From reviews by real customers to services and payment information, Carwise has details on over 21,000 repair shops. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.