How to Repair a Chipped Car Windshield

Car windshields often come into contact with rocks and other debris from the roadway, causing chips in the windshield glass that must be repaired. Any of a number of things can cause the windshield glass to crack after it has been chipped. Freezing temperatures, debris striking the windshield, or even minute twisting of the vehicle body, such as is common on rough or twisting roads, can cause a tiny chip to turn into a large crack. In many states, driving with a cracked front windshield can lead to a traffic ticket. In order to repair the damage caused by road debris, it's important that you fix the chip as soon as possible. If you avoid it too long, it may be necessary to replace the entire windshield, a costly and complicated procedure, particularly if you don't have insurance that covers the cost of windshield repair.

In order to repair a chipped windshield, you'll need a specialized vacuum pump tool that extracts the air from the repair site. These tools are occasionally available at automotive parts stores or specialty tool suppliers.

Begin by cleaning the surface of the glass where the repair is to take place. This is best done using rubbing alcohol and a clean rag. Once you've got the surface cleaned, attach the suction cup of the vacuum tool over the chip and turn on the vacuum. It will take only a moment to remove the air from the repair area. On the cup you will see an injector nozzle by which you inject the resin into the chip. Do so when the air is removed from the vacuum. Remove the vacuum from the glass.

The chip repair tool should have included an ultraviolet light. Use this to harden the resin by holding it several inches above the glass. It should take no more than five to ten minutes for the resin to harden. Allow the resin to cool to the ambient temperature, and then clean the resin and the glass in the area of the repair as soon as the resin has cooled off.

Apply a small amount of glass polishing cream to a polishing wheel, and then use it to further clean and polish the repair area. You will know that you are done when you can no longer see or can just barely see the chip that you just repaired. Once the resin has completely hardened, it will be impermeable, and you will not have to worry about windshield cracks due to expansion of the chipped glass.