Rock Chip on Your Windshield: Repair Now or Wait?

A stone kicked up on Highway 40 and left a small star on your glass. It looks harmless. On Quebec roads, with our temperature swings and rough winters, it rarely stays that way for long.

Short answer: if the chip is smaller than a coin and outside your line of sight, it can usually be repaired in about 30 minutes. Wait too long and it spreads into a crack that means a full replacement.

Why chips spread so fast here

Temperature swings

Cold glass and a blast of hot defrost flex the windshield and push a chip outward.

Potholes and rough roads

Every jolt on our roads works the damage a little wider.

Freeze and thaw

Water seeps into the chip, freezes overnight, and pries the glass apart.

Time

Left alone, most chips eventually run into a full crack. The only question is when.

When a chip is still repairable

Usually repairable

Smaller than a coin
Outside your line of sight
Not at the very edge
Only the outer layer of glass

Usually needs replacement

Larger than a coin, or spreading
In the driver field of vision
Within about 3 cm of the edge
Through the outer layer

This lines up with CAA-Québec repair guidelines, and it is exactly what our technicians check when you bring a car in.

Close up of a small stone chip and star crack on a car windshield — Caught early, a chip like this is a quick resin repair, not a new windshield.

The real cost of waiting

Waiting is the expensive choice. A chip repair costs a fraction of a replacement, and is frequently free through your comprehensive coverage. Once it becomes a crack, you are into a full replacement, which costs far more, especially once ADAS calibration is added.

Got a fresh chip? Do not wait.

Send us a photo. If it is repairable we can often fix it the same day in about 30 minutes.

Get a free estimate Call 514 684 2323

This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Coverage varies by policy and vehicle, so confirm with your insurer or ask us for an exact quote.