How Long Does It Take To Replace A Windshield?
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Windshields are incredibly important if you want to drive your vehicle safely. You might notice cracks, chips, or breaks in your windshield throughout your driving journey. It can be easy to think, “this isn’t a big deal,” or “even though this is annoying, it isn’t affecting my driving.”
These thoughts are dangerous. You never know what can impact your driving or cause an accident until something terrible happens, so please get your windshield fixed or replaced immediately if you even have a clue that something is wrong. CoPilot will be here every step of the way to walk you through getting your windshield replaced, letting you know what it entails and how long it takes to replace a windshield.
Quick Answer: About An Hour For Replacement And Another Hour Before You Can Drive
How long it takes to replace a windshield depends on various factors, including the make and model of your car, the interior specifications of your vehicle, where you get your windshield replaced, and many other factors. We’ll go into more detail on these later, but if you want a quick answer, most windshield replacements will take thirty minutes to an hour. You also can’t drive your car for an hour after windshield replacement and might have to wait even longer (up to a day) to be able to go on the highway.
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Why You Need A Secure Windshield
If your windshield is compromised, you’ll be exposed to numerous safety hazards that could lead to severe injury or, worse, a risk to your life. One of the most prominent issues that a windshield defect can present is that it will obstruct your view. If there are cracks in your windshield in inconvenient spots, you might be unable to see some of the roads ahead of you and hit something that you could’ve seen with a safe windshield.
A genuinely dire problem that could occur with a cracked windshield is ejection from the car in the event of an accident. This may sound dramatic, but if your windshield is damaged or not properly secured, it may be weaker than you think. Flying out of your car through a broken windshield would be an absolute nightmare, and sometimes your seat belt isn’t enough to save you.
A working windshield is also instrumental to making sure your airbag correctly deploys. Many people don’t know how airbags work, but they utilize the windshield’s structure to push out in the proper direction. That stability is required for them to work right, so your airbags may only work correctly when needed if your windshield is stable.
No matter how long it takes to replace a windshield, it’s evident that having a working one is a necessity. If you suspect that your windshield has a problem, you must check it out immediately.
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How Long Will It Really Take To Replace Your Windshield?
When asking how long it takes to replace a windshield, a few things need to be addressed. The windshield replacement process is uniform across different places, generally taking half an hour to an hour (it’s safest to assume it’ll take a full hour). What can vary, though, is the time your car will need to recover before it can be driven safely. This depends on several different factors, including but not limited to the following:
- Weather. The climate outside when you’re having your windshield replaced can significantly affect the time it takes. A rule of thumb is that the colder it is out, the longer it will take, and if it’s more humid, the process will go quicker.
- Your car’s make and model. Different cars have different wiring and internal structure, which substantially affects the windshield replacement process. For example, if your vehicle has a series of electrical parts attached to the windshield, the mechanic must carefully disconnect them, replace them, and reconnect them. Auxiliary parts like the blades of the windshield wiper also need to be disconnected, and the procedure for doing that will differ depending on your car type. If your car has passenger-side airbags, you can expect the length of the replacement to be even longer.
- Where you get the job done. The place you take to get your windshield replaced and how much the job costs will affect not only the time of the job but the quality as well. We recommend finding a place that uses Urethane windshield adhesive, as this is the quickest and strongest to implement. Different shops will use other adhesive materials, and if you go with a place that skimps on quality material, the job can take longer and be less effective.
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Should You Have Your Windshield Repaired Instead?
Depending on the severity of your windshield’s problems, you can have it fixed up instead of getting it replaced outright. The main factors affecting whether or not you can get your windshield repaired are the damage’s size, nature, and placement. Small cracks not located in the windscreen’s center can be fixed. However, if the damage is severe, extensive, or in particularly troublesome areas like the corners or the center of the windshield, you’ll need a total replacement. In any instance, you should never judge this yourself.
Take your car to a mechanic and have it inspected by a professional because whether or not you can repair your windshield depends on many slight possibilities. It’s unwise to try to figure this out yourself. Most cases will require you to get your windshield replaced. Though it may seem like a huge inconvenience, now you know how long it takes to replace a windshield and have all the information you need to get it done! We advise you to speak with the mechanic working on your car and ask their opinion on how long it’ll take to get the closest estimate possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I have to wait long if I take my car in for windshield replacement?
For replacing your windshield, you only need to wait about 30 minutes to an hour before the job is completed. You can often drive your vehicle to a windshield repair shop and stay. However, most shops recommend that you don’t drive the car for at least an hour after the service is completed.
Q: Will insurance cover the cost of replacing the windshield?
In many instances, your auto insurance will cover the cost of windshield replacement or repair. Typically, those with comprehensive coverage are covered, whether it’s a repair or replacement job. On the other hand, if the damage is a result of an accident, your collision coverage may pay for it. If it’s the other driver’s fault, their liability insurance may pay for the damage. More often than not, you’ll be required to pay for a deductible before your insurance pays for its portion.
Q: Is it safe to drive my vehicle after windshield replacement?
No. Most repair companies have a standard drive-away time of 30 to 75 minutes to allow the adhesives to cure. Otherwise, it’s a safety issue since the windshield may not remain in place in case of accidents.
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