Why Windshield Repair Should Never Be a DIY Project

Few things in vehicle maintenance are more important than windshield maintenance. Your windshield is your first line of defense from weather conditions, debris, and potential collisions. When your windshield is chipped or cracked it’s alarming and many drivers wonder if they can get a quick fix with a DIY kit. While those kits are all over the internet, DIY fixes are not the best option for damaged windshields. Here’s why. 

1. DIY Windshield Repair Kits Offer Limited Effectiveness

DIY kits for windshield damage are designed to remedy small cracks and chips. But it’s impossible to put windshield damage into a size category, including small. Chips and cracks come in all shapes, sizes, and depths. The location of the crack also plays a huge role in the seriousness of the damage to your windshield. 

DIY is a temporary solution, and the chip you repaired in your driveway will spread out to a decent crack over time leaving your windshield vulnerable to more damage. 

2. DIY Windshield Repair Kits Lack the Proper Tools and Expertise

Kits that come from the auto part store are a temporary fix because there are tools only auto glass technicians possess that enable them to truly repair the integrity of your windshield. For example, the tool that injects the resin into the crack, not to mention the UV light that cures the resin into your windshield. Then there’s the polishing that’s required. 

Repairing a damaged windshield isn’t something you want to fix with a band-aid. Unless you are an auto glass repair technician you don’t have the experience required to make sure your windshield is safe. There are certain jobs we hire professionals for, like tune-ups, oil changes, and tire rotations. Sure, you can do DIY but it makes you and your passengers vulnerable.

3. DIY Windshield Repair Kits Compromise Structural Integrity. 

Speaking of vulnerability, how surprising do you think it would be if debris hit your windshield while you were driving and it shattered? There are a lot of details that go into a windshield of which most people aren’t aware. For example, did you know that a crack near the edge of the windshield is more serious than the center? It is because it compromises the structural integrity. 

The structural integrity of your windshield will also be compromised if you try to fix the crack on your windshield yourself. As we’ve said, DIY kits lack the proper tools and expertise needed to repair such an instrumental part of your vehicle. 

4. DIY Windshield Repair Kits Don’t Consider ADAS

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are all those features that keep you and your passengers safe. ADAS runs on technology like radar and cameras that are embedded in and near your windshield. So, depending on where the damage is on your windshield, you could be rendering a safety feature useless with a DIY windshield repair kit. 

Professional auto glass repair services know ADAS and where it accesses your windshield so they can either work with it or suggest you need a replacement windshield instead of a repair. And while that might be more money, you aren’t doing anything at that point with a DIY fix other than prolonging the issue and putting yourself and your passengers at risk.

5. DIY Windshield Repair Kits May Void Your Warranty and Kill Your Insurance Claim

Warranties have stipulations and one of them could be that you must have a professional repair and replace the windshield on your vehicle. They do this for all the same reasons we listed above. When you try to repair something as vital as a windshield, major corporations like car manufacturers don’t want to be responsible for what could happen. 

Neither do insurance companies. If you use a DIY kit to repair your damaged windshield and the damage spreads, you may have voided any coverage on your policy. 

6. DIY Windshield Repair Kits Will Cost You Money

DIY kits are attractive because they offer an easy fix for a fraction of the cost. The truth is if you choose a DIY repair kit to fix your damaged windshield it’s just going to cost you more money in the long run. 

Here’s an example. You DIY fix your windshield and the damage spreads because you’ve never repaired a windshield and the kit you selected didn’t have the effectiveness of a professional repair. Now you have to replace the entire windshield when, if you had taken it to a reputable auto glass service first, they could’ve repaired it well, saving you the hassle and the replacement costs. 

Do You NEED A WINDSHIELD REPAIR in Orange OR San Diego County?

If you live in or around the Orange, San Juan Capistrano, or Cypress areas of CA and your windshield has damage contact us at 911 Windshield Repair and Replacement. We offer both in-shop and mobile services as well as stress-free assistance with insurance claims. 911 Windshield Repair and Replacement is a family-owned and operated business with more than two decades of experience with windshield repair.