What Happens If You Don’t Fix a Cracked Windshield?

Getting a chip or crack on a windshield is a common problem. Damages can happen to a vehicle’s windshield just anytime, particularly with the stones and pebbles on the highways as they come flying on. But once the windshield or the auto glass of your car, SUV, or truck has sustained a chip or a crack, it is your duty to give it serious attention and get it fixed immediately. You should never put off a windshield repair or replacement job, as doing so will only worsen the problem while compromising your as well as your passengers’ safety on the road.

The dangers of ignoring or delaying the fixing of the car auto glass are many. Below we’ll talk about all this and much more.

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Says About the Role of a Windshield

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) cautions vehicle owners about the dangers of a cracked windshield. According to the agency, the windshield acts as a supporting component for the roof of the vehicle. This means the windshield adds a great deal of strength to the vehicular frame. If your car happens to be involved in a crash or collision, the windshield minimizes the risks and provides safety to the driver as well as the passengers.

If the windshield has a crack, the roof of the vehicle can collapse during an accident. Worse still, you might also get ejected out of the car. This can lead to severe injuries, broken bones or even death.

As a responsible car owner, you need to pay immediate attention to any kind of damage done to the auto glass of your car, SUV, van or truck. Initially, the chip or the crack may be smaller, but it can soon expand and spread across the windshield, making the repair more expensive. Or, you may require to replace the entire windshield with a new one, built from high quality auto glass.

Here is What Can Happen If You Don’t Fix or Ignore Fixing the Cracked Windshield of Your Car, SUV, Van, or Truck

Now that you have read the warnings of the NHTSA in regard to a broken or cracked windshield, you should become serious. Driving on the road with a cracked windshield can put your life in jeopardy. For your knowledge, let us explain what might happen if you don’t fix a cracked windshield.

Auto Glass Cracks Only Worsen with Time

Most vehicle owners think that ignoring or putting off windshield repair work will not make the chips or the cracks bigger. But you should know that smaller chips can easily spread or turn into large cracks. This happens either due to pressure while driving or as a result of fluctuations in temperature. If you have a cracked windshield, you should immediately take your vehicle to Sir Auto Glass or hire our mobile auto glass repair services to get the problem fixed.

Small chips and dings are fast and easy to fix. But large-size cracks require a great deal of repair work or replacement altogether. Don’t forget the usefulness of that old proverb that says: “A stitch in time saves nine.”

Your Insurance Company May Not Pay for the Entire Windshield Repair

When it comes to paying for the cost of windshield damage, insurance companies are required to forgo their deductibles.

If you don’t want to get into any kind of hassles with the automotive insurance company, you should expedite the repair process rather than delay it. There are chances that the insurance company will place a cap on what percentage of the cost of a windshield repair or replacement they want to pay. At Sir Auto Glass in the Portland Metro area, we have tie ups with most of the major auto insurance companies. If you have a cracked windshield or car window glass, immediately reach out to us and we’ll take care of the rest including dealing with the insurance company. Delaying the fix will increase the cost of repair or replacement.

A cracked Windshield will Obstruct Your Field of Vision on the Road

While on the road and be safe, you need to have unobstructed visibility. If you don’t repair a cracked windshield, the danger is that your field of vision on the road will be obstructed, leading to grave risks.

The windshield of your car should offer clear and intact visibility. If the visibility is not full and clear, you might miss seeing an animal crossing the highway or get a poor vision of the vehicles passing by. Just imagine what could happen, if you fail to see something crossing the road or close to your vehicle. Compared to these dangers, the cost of a repair or replacement is nothing. So, do not put your life in jeopardy due to impeding vision through a cracked windshield.

You Can Land into an Expensive Traffic Citation

Different states in the U.S. have different regulations in regard to driving with a chipped or broken windshield. So, ignoring the repair of a cracked windshield will not just make the fix costlier later, but it can also get you a ticket for committing traffic violation in many states of the country. Getting a ticket means you will either be given a specific date to fix the broken windshield. Worse still, the traffic department may decide to issue an order to take your vehicle off the road.

If you plan to avoid getting a ticket or being fined for traffic rules violation, you should immediately take your car to an auto glass shop such as Sir Auto Glass, which offers services in areas such as Portland, Beaverton, Oregon City, Gresham, Wilsonville etc. Mobile auto glass service is also available.

Your Airbags May Not Deploy Properly

Most modern cars come fitted with airbags, which acts as a safety component in the case of a crash or collision. During the collision, the airbags get inflated and cushion the impact in an effective manner.

But the airbags in your car can fail to deploy, if the windshield is poorly installed or its strength has been compromised due to a crack or damage. When the airbags fill up, they press against the windshield. If the windshield does not provide the needed support, the expansion of the airbags will fail. As a result of this, the airbags will inflate and expand outside the car simply because the windshield broke. If you plan to avoid this failure of airbags and keep yourself safe, you should never neglect the repair or replacement of your windshield.

The Roof of Your Car Could Cave In

The main function of a windshield is to support the structural strength of the vehicle. If the automotive glass is cracked or damaged, it will take its toll. In particular, it will weaken the roof of the car.

Just like you need beams to support the roof in a building, windshield is essential to hold up the roof. If the windshield is broken, the roof of the car might collapse altogether due to the impact of a collision. In case the roof caves in, the occupants of the car caught up in a collision can sustain fatal injuries. Therefore, always make sure the front as well as the rear windshield of your car is properly installed and get a chip or crack fixed by an expert as quickly as possible.

You Can Be Thrown Out of the Car

You might have seen videos of road accidents where the driver or the occupants of the car are ejected from the vehicle during a crash or collision. This happens because the windshield was damaged.

If you happen to be in a crash or collision, getting thrown out of the car simply reduces your chances of survival. A broken windshield moves out of its frame due to the weight of the body. On the other hand, a properly installed and intact windshield eliminates the chances of getting ejected from the vehicle. If you plan to avoid ejection during a road accident and reduce chances of fatal injuries and increase your chances of survival, you should never ignore a crack or chip.

Delayed Repairs are Expensive

If you delay the repair of a damaged windshield, the cost of repair will only increase due to the worsening of the problem. Timely repairs are not just fast, but they also cost you much less money. So, even if the damage looks like a small blemish, it is wise to pay attention and get it fixed immediately.

Thanks to advanced technologies, many new techniques have come up to repair a small chip or crack in a way that makes the windshield look brand new once again. But you need to get the damage fixed before it becomes worse or spreads. If it is a small chip, an auto glass technician will first vacuum out the air and then inject resin into the area and give it some time to cure. The process is fast and simple. Timely or early repair means the area of damage will not discolor and dirt and debris will not enter into the chip. If you have spotted a blemish or ding on the windshield, get in touch with Sir Auto Glass immediately to schedule the repair. If you lack the time to come to our auto glass shop, use our mobile repair service.

Are DIY Repair Kits Useful?

DIY techniques can be helpful only in some specific cases. You can take this route if the chip or the crack is too small.

You’ll easily find DIY windshield repair kits in the market. Using the kit, you can repair small auto glass damages – before it gets a chance to become worse. Usually, cracks that are under 6 inches can be repaired. If the size of the damage is beyond 6 inches, you will need a new car auto glass installation. While you try to use a DIY repair kit to fix the problem all by yourself, you should also understand the difference between the quality of DIY work and that of an experienced technician. Fixing a chip or crack requires the use of the right set of tools as well as adherence to the techniques in a proper manner. If you lack knowledge and skills, you may worsen the damage in the windshield while trying to fix it yourself using DIY repair kits.

You may want to fix chips or cracks in smaller auto glasses or side windows yourself. But when it comes to repairing a windshield or installing new auto glass, you should only trust expert technicians.

How Much Does it Cost to Repair or Replace a Broken Windshield?

The cost of a repair or replacement is economical. However, the charges may vary a little based on where you are located. In some states of the U.S, there are laws for insurance companies to waive deductibles for vehicle owners with comprehensive auto insurance. The cost of repairing a windshield is cheaper, provided you address the issue immediately. If it is a replacement, costs will vary depending on the quality of car auto glass you want to install.

Drivers with comprehensive car insurance don’t have to worry about the cost of auto glass repair or new installation. These auto insurance plans are designed to cover the entire cost of repair or replacement.

When it comes to fixing a chipped or cracked windshield, you should rely only on highly skilled and experienced technicians. Operating in the Portland Metro area, Sir Auto Glass is known to have a highly competent team of auto glass technicians, trained in the repair and installation of windshields for a wide range of cars including both domestic and international makes and models. For your convenience, we also provide mobile auto glass repair service for vehicle owners who are too busy to come to our auto glass shop in Portland, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, or Oregon City. All you need to do is give us a phone call or our professionals will arrive exactly as per the scheduled appointment to get your cracked windshield fixed.

Talk to an Expert Windshield Repair Technician

If you still have a question or want to schedule the repair or replacement of your broken front or rear windshield, reach out to Sir Auto Glass. Our company provides car auto glass repair, rock chip repair, windshield scratch repair, and windshield replacement in service areas including Portland, Wilsonville, Lake Oswego, Oregon City, Tualatin, and Gresham among others.

To get in touch with one of our experts, you can give us a phone call.