Driving a car in our country, with its narrow roads and pedestrian traffic, is a herculean task in itself. It’s not an easy feat to maneuver your vehicle through cattle, bikers who pounce on the road from nowhere, or speeders on the highways without getting minor dings, scratches, and cracks on your windshield. Well, glass is glass, and it breaks. So today, let’s focus on windshield cracks and when you need to repair them or replace them altogether.
Types of Windshield Cracks
A windshield crack or chip is a major inconvenience, and there is never a good time for either to occur. Many road users may not know that several different types of windshield chips and cracks can cause a lot of damage and hassle to car owners, so here’s our list of common windshield cracks for your reference, Read on!
Bull’s Eye
A bull’s eye chip is often the result of an impact from a rock or any such object that creates a circular chip with a cone in the glass’ outer layer. It is typically larger than a chip but is of the same rudimentary form, in which the impact has removed a piece of glass.
Chips
Also called “dings” by drivers, a flying rock usually forms a chip, and that usually looks like a small piece of glass is gone. That is why a chip is also referred to as a “stone break” or “pit” by experts. If the chip doesn’t have longer cracks spreading from it, is less than an inch in diameter, and doesn’t penetrate the glass, it can usually be repaired by a technician.
Cracks
Cracks are the most common windshield damages that a typical car sustains. They first appear as a line in the windshield. Some cracks are like small lines with start and endpoints, while others can be longer with many branches that extend from the mainline.
Stars
Windshields damage can also manifest itself in the form of “stars.” They are usually tiny chips with multiple cracks diffusing out from the center that look like a fireworks explosion. Smaller star patterns can generally be repaired, but it will always be somewhat visible after the affected area is filled-in. Therefore, when you’re ready to sell, it could lower your vehicle’s value. Hence, getting a total replacement would help in the long run.
In any case, whether you want it to be repaired or you’re planning to get a total replacement, we are here to assist you and we promise to get it done in the most affordable and convenient way around!around! Book Now
The Half Moon
The half-moon is a semi-circle, typically resulting from a blunt impact of small debris on the road. Since it isn’t a full circle, our trained technicians at Pitstop can clean it easily, unlike a bull’s eye break.
Combination Crack
A combination crack is usually described as a mix of the bull’s eye and the star break. This kind of a crack causes extensive damage to your windshield and it is incredibly hard to repair. Even with today’s innovation, most technicians still cannot completely repair combination cracks.
Stress Crack
A stress crack is a common windshield issue that doesn’t require any outside interference, such as loose stones or any other such objects hitting the windscreen. A typical cause of such a situation is a significant temperature variation, such as when cars are left in incredibly hot weather or, conversely, if the windscreen is washed with icy cold water. Unlike other cracks, stress cracks do not involve glass coming away, which is why they are tested for by running a ballpoint pen across the crack.
Also Read: Top 10 Car Maintenance Mistakes
Should you Repair or replace your Cracked Windshield?
Here are a few instances where you should repair/replace your windshield:
- If the crack is shorter than 12’’, it can be repaired, but if it is longer than 14’’, the windshield needs to be replaced.
- If a ding has not penetrated the glass and is contained in the outer layer, get your windshield repaired, and in case both the layers are damaged, you’ll have to replace it.
- Go for repairs if the bull’s eye/star damage is smaller than 1’’, but if it is larger than 3’’, get your windshield replaced by a car mechanic.
- If the crack or ding is away from the edges, take your windshield in for repairs, but if the crack/ding is too close to the edges, you may have to replace it altogether.
- Lastly, if there’s any kind of windshield damage that hampers the driver’s ability to navigate or drive, get your windshield replaced immediately. If there is no hindrance to the driver’s line of sight, make sure you promptly repair the windshield damage sustained by your vehicle.
At Pitstop, we have trained professionals who will inspect your windshield’s damage and let you know if it can be safely fixed or if you need to go for a total replacement. Our experts will first clean all the dust and debris from your windshield and later, polish it up to make it look like when it was brand new.
We are recognized as the most trusted car service platform in India, with having been partnered with 70+ OEM&OES, we thrive at offering the best 100% genuine and top quality parts and products at the most affordable prices. So, if you’re looking for a car repair or any kind of car service, tap on the button below and get your car groomed!
