A Guide for your Damaged Windshield

Are you driving around with a damaged windshield and are unsure for how long can you do so? If yes, then this guide is for you! The answer to how long can you drive your vehicle with a cracked windshield depends on a host of factors.

But, before we begin, it is important to keep in mind that normally, to repair windshield crack is not a wise choice. This is because cracks usually compromise the structural integrity of the vehicle significantly, and as such, will only lead to future damage and expenses, if merely repaired.

However, chips can be repaired, provided they meet certain conditions, as discussed below.

Size and Number of Chips

One of the most common reasons behind windshield damage other than an accident is cracks and chips caused by temperature differentials, hailstorm, and debris. If your windscreen has suffered a chip which is not more than 40 mm in diameter, it can be repaired easily. However, it is still imperative that you do not take the damage for granted – chips can easily aggravate into bigger chips, even cracks, ultimately demanding a complete windshield replacement. Hence, make sure to not delay in contacting a reliable windshield car replacement expert.

Moreover, at the most, only two such minor chips can be repaired. If your windshield is littered with chips, seek professional help without delay.

Location of the Chip

Another common consideration regarding a damaged windshield is the location of the chip. While there is a significant time window before you need to address a small crevice on the side of your windshield, such is not the case if the fissure is in the driver's line-of-sight. It is dangerous to drive around with a chip on the front window if it distorts your vision, even slightly.

If a single minor chip is impeding your vision while driving, contact a windshield car replacement expert immediately as, in most cases, any chip sitting on the driver’s line-of-sight demands complete windshield replacement, and that too, at the earliest. Such a windshield is a major safety hazard for the time it’s left unattended. Also, do not try any DIY solution as installation of a car's windscreen is a technical task which requires two people, competent training, and a specific set of tools.

Extent of Damage

Your vehicle's windshield does not just protect you from unwanted environmental elements, but also awards your cabin with structural strength, so much so that the roof of your car does not cave in during a roll-over accident.

Therefore, if your vehicle recently experienced a collision leaving the windshield intact but, with a couple of negligible scratches on the top or bottom of the structure, you may have some time before you need to wheel your vehicle into a service centre. But, the minute a chip becomes more extended, or you see it spreading, stop driving the car and immediately take it to a windshield car replacement expert.

Any damage that has extended penetrated the first glass sheet up to the inner layer warrants immediate total replacement.

What Causes a Minor Windshield Damage to Worsen?

The following factors are responsible for worsening windshield damage.

Temperature Differential and Moisture

A windshield is usually manufactured using two panes of laminated safety glass with a layer of Poly Vinyl Butyral (PVB) sandwiched in between. This layer holds the two panes together during climate-led expansion and contraction and also during impact. But, a crack on your windscreen allows for moisture or water to seep inside the glass, which ends up freezing during colder temperatures. This process causes more cracks to form on the windshield's surface.

Moreover, if there is already a minor chip or crack on your front window, then summer heat can make it spread. Why? Because the sun's heat expands the glass.

Bumps and Vibrations

Although Indian roads have improved from what they were a decade ago, it is still impossible to altogether avoid bumps and dips while driving. Unfortunately, bumpy driving stresses an already-cracked windshield. Remember, there is no specific amount of time it takes for a crack to spread, but the longer you will leave it unattended, the more likely it is to grow.

Therefore, keep an eye on your minor fissure, and the minute you find it worsening, immediately seek the help of a windshield car replacement expert.

Dirt and Debris

Roads are a dusty place, and the constant motion of cars flies that dust and debris onto the windshield where it gets lodged in the cracks, if any. Therefore, a small windshield crack can turn into a big one, if small pebbles and dirt lodges inside the crevices of your front window.

While it may seem like a small problem, dirt particles can severely weaken your windshield. If you are dealing with said problem, slap tape onto the crack to keep the debris exposure to a minimum, and take it to a windshield car replacement expert as soon as possible.

The Bottom Line

Are you looking to consult a windshield car replacement specialist for your vehicle? If yes, then rely on AIS Windshield Experts. We offer a quick turnaround time on our services with the help of our network of 90+ service centres across 50+ cities.

Our squad of professionally trained technicians uses top-of-the-line tools and has substantial experience in handling vehicles belonging to several automotive brands. We also offer an extended one-year written warranty on workmanship and materials used. So, what are you waiting for? To know more about our services and areas of expertise, give us a call at 9818866364 or visit our website today!