Windshield crack repair experiment

Overview

Windshield crack repair experiment 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOrI3sXPmCU

I hope you can learn from my mistakes. This should save your time and money. This is an attempt to repair a windshield crack with glue from a windshield repair kit.

The suction cup that came with the repair kit is not used. The suction cup is used for bull’s eye, small hole type of repair. If you have long crack type damage, you may just buy the glue without the suction cup to save money.
park the car in a place without sunlight, because you don’t want the glue harden as soon as you apply it.
I drilled a hole to stop the crack extension, but failed: it melted a drill bit from a rotary tool, broke a regular drill bit in half, and made the crack longer.
Crack can be outside layer, inside layer or the sandwich layer. If the crack is due to a flying rock or stone from outside, it is likely the crack is at the outside layer. My crack started from the back mirror stand, , thus it is difficult to deter

mine whether it is inside or outside.

Windshield crack repair experiment 2:

Continue from part 1 above

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsuLtR74L9M

not sure whether the crack is inside or outside, so applied the glue to both inside and outside.
outside: fist apply glue to the cracks on windshield, and then cover the crack with curing strip.
inside: because of gravity, apply glue to the curing strip first, and then stick the curing strip to the windshield.
move the car to a place under sunlight.
Only a few minutes later, the outside glue hardened.
Inside glue still wet after an hour, because the ultraviolet light is blocked by the windshield glass.
clean the inside wet glue with paper towels.
use razor to clean outside hardened glue, be careful, razor is sharp.
I hope you learned from my mistakes. This should save your time and money.

Alternative Methods

There is more than one way to approach this task. Here are the most common methods, ranked by difficulty and cost.

Professional Windshield Repair

A mobile glass technician injects resin into the chip or crack and cures it with UV light.

Difficulty: Beginner-friendly
Estimated Cost: $50-$100 per repair
Notes: Often covered by insurance; best for small chips under 6 inches

DIY Repair Kit

Purchase a windshield repair kit from an auto parts store and inject the resin yourself following kit instructions.

Difficulty: Intermediate
Estimated Cost: $10-$20
Notes: Affordable but results vary with crack size and technique

Full Windshield Replacement

Have a glass shop remove the old windshield and install a new OEM or aftermarket replacement.

Difficulty: Requires professional
Estimated Cost: $200-$500+
Notes: Necessary for large cracks or damage in the driver’s line of sight

Tips and Common Mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls and use these tips to get the job done right the first time.

Repair chips and small cracks immediately — temperature changes cause them to spread rapidly.
Park in shade when applying windshield repair resin — UV cures the resin before you are ready.
Clean both surfaces thoroughly with glass cleaner and a razor blade before applying any adhesive.
For rearview mirrors, scrape old adhesive completely off the glass button and the windshield mount point.
Apply mirror adhesive in a well-ventilated area and follow the curing time exactly — rushing causes failure.
Use a small piece of masking tape on the outside of the windshield to mark the mirror position before removal.

Tools and Materials

Item	Estimated Cost
Windshield repair kit	$10-$20
Rearview mirror adhesive kit	$5-$12
Glass cleaner	$3-$6
Razor blade scraper	$3-$8
UV curing strips	Included in kit
Masking tape	$3-$5
Isopropyl alcohol (surface prep)	$3-$5

When to Take It to a Mechanic

Not every repair is a DIY job. Take your vehicle to a qualified mechanic if:

You are unsure about the diagnosis — misdiagnosing the problem wastes money on unnecessary parts.
The repair involves safety systems (brakes, steering, suspension) — mistakes here can be dangerous.
Special tools or equipment are required that you do not own and would cost more than the shop labor.
The vehicle is under warranty — DIY repairs can void warranty coverage if something goes wrong.
You do not feel confident after watching tutorials and reading guides — there is no shame in hiring a professional.

Video Tutorial

For the full video tutorial, visit Genius Asian.

Continue learning with these related guides:

This article was originally published on cartrek.com on 2012-01-01. Content has been updated and expanded for 2026.