How to Determine if the Windshield needs Repair or a Replacement

A lot of factors can lead to windshield damage such as hail, storms, damaged glass, rocks, debris etc. No matter what led to the damage, it is necessary to repair the damage as soon as possible. While a small crack or a chip in your windshield doesn’t necessarily mean that your windshield must be replaced, certain cracks or chips can be dangerous enough to cause complete a breakdown of your front windshield glass. Hence, it is difficult to evaluate whether the damage on your windshield can be repaired or requires a replacement. Here are a few tips to check the same:

1. The size of the damage - generally, chips smaller than a quarter in size and cracks up to three inches long can be repaired easily. Any damage which is greater than this is usually difficult to repair and requires replacement.

2. The location of the damage - The location of the damage is also equally important to determine whether it can be fixed with a repair or not. If the damage is around the edges, it is a clear indication that the structural integrity of the windscreen is at risk. There is no option but to replace such damage as a windshield is responsible for 60 % of structural strength in case of a roll-over accident. Similarly, if the damage is in the driver’s line of sight, a replacement is necessary as a repair can distort the vision and lead to accidents.

3. The depth of the damage - A windshield is basically made up of three layers of glass - a special plastic layer sandwiched between sheets of glass. Damage that has affected only the outer layer is easy to repair; a replacement becomes inevitable for damage which is deep enough to reach both the layers.

4. The amount of damage - If there are less than 3 chips, the auto glass can be repaired. But if the number of chips exceeds 3, a replacement becomes essential. You must sustain a Ford, Toyota, Maruti or Nissan windshield replacement price in such a case.

5. The type of damage -

• Bull’s eye: - An impact point with a dark circle on the outer layer represents a bull’s eye. It can be fixed only if the damage is equal to or less than an inch without any dirt and doesn’t lie in driver’s field of vision.
• Combination break: - A combination of several different types of damages such as a star break within the bull’s eye is known as combination break. It can only be fixed if the diameter is less than two inches.
• Half-moon -  A partial bulls eye with only half circle is known as half-moon damage. It can only be repaired if the diameter is less than or equal to one inch.
• Star break: - Damage with a central impact and numerous stems forming a star is known as star break damage. It can be repaired if the diameter of the break doesn’t exceed three inches and it’s not in driver’s line of vision.
• Surface pit - A nick in the outer glass layer which doesn’t touch the inner plastic layer caused by normal wear and tear is known as surface pit. It can only be repaired if the damage is less than 1/8 inch.  A replacement becomes necessary, if the damage is extensive.

Lastly, an expert would be able to guide you better if the damage requires repair or a replacement. You ought to avail Toyota, Mahindra or Nissan car glass repair services instead of delaying it, otherwise the damage will increase and a replacement will be necessary.