What to Do About a Chipped or Cracked Windshield

You can do your best to swerve around potholes, avoid crossing animals, and keep tabs on everyone else on the road around you. But there are some things that you simply cannot prevent. When you’re driving behind someone on a gravel road, or behind a fully loaded dump truck, your windshield may fall victim to flying rocks or debris, resulting in cracks. In most of these cases, it’s common for the other driver to have no idea it’s happened. Then it’s up to you to take your car in and assess the damage.

When They’re Small

Some cracks aren’t as hazardous as others. Small dings and chips on the surface won’t harm the overall integrity of the windshield. There’s no need to dump a lot of money into getting a brand new windshield when this happens. If the small lines of snowflake-like cracks bother you, you can get them filled. It won’t completely solve the problem, but it will help hold up what little integrity is lost while also diminishing the annoyance. There are a number of repair kits you can buy at your local megastore or auto store. You can find simpler kits for under $10 or go big with a professional repair kit that can cost a couple hundred dollars (might as well just have it professionally fixed at that point). Certain roadside assistance programs, like AAA, may even come out to fix your cracks for you, free of charge, if you’re a member.

When They’re Too Big

Sometimes, the cracks do affect the integrity of the windshield, which can cause serious problems. If a crack runs across most of the windshield, it’s possible that it could break through at any point, resulting in an accident or injury. Aside from that, cracks that disperse across the windshield can make visibility more difficult on the road. DIY repair kits won’t be useful here, and you’ll want to get it fully replaced. Generally, you can add windshield replacement to your insurance policy, which will allow you get it replaced without taking a lot out of your own pocket. Depending on your make and model, a new windshield can cost anywhere from $100 to $400 (sometimes even more).

You can get warranties on any of our certified Hubler vehicles, so you don’t have to worry about nasty things like cracked windshields.

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