For decades, national windshield repair and replacement shops have pushed people toward replacement when it wasn’t necessary. Have you ever had a shop tell you, “If it’s bigger than a dollar bill, it can’t be fixed”? Whether that shop is intentionally lying or not, data shows that windshield crack repair is safe, and “big auto glass” knows it.
Safelite executives themselves said they encourage replacements for profit. “[F]or the long term preservation of our replacement business believe we need to embrace smaller standard of two inches or less” (Summary Judgement pg. 17).
We want to help you understand how they did this and why it affects you. We believe this is a major disservice to consumers everywhere, whether you would prefer to have your windshield replaced because of a chip/crack or not. The questions in this blog answer common concerns or pushback we’ve experienced as we’ve tried to explain that windshield crack repair is safe and benefits consumers.
Here’s an example we think almost everyone can relate to:
Imagine going to the dentist with a toothache and being told your tooth was beyond repair and you needed a new one—when all you really needed was a cavity filled.
The dentist can charge your insurance more for a new tooth than just a little filling, and it wastes your time and money. Not only did it negatively impact you, but it was a blatant lie.
We are not claiming that every auto glass shop is lying to you. But big players in the industry are and they’ve perpetuated misinformation and myths that are hurting the consumer.
The information in this document comes from internal information from Safelite obtained during court trials, lab-tested results, journalism publications, and 30+ years of industry experience from our US-based resin manufacturer.
Insurance requirements and need for windshield repair or replacement will vary by state and country—this information will not apply to every consumer.
Windshield Cracks Can’t Be Repaired
Data proves windshield cracks can be repaired but you have to have the right materials.
Just like aluminum foil isn’t going to provide structural integrity for a building that needs rebar, you have to use the right tools to safely repair a crack.
The resin we use restores the repaired area to over 100%, meaning the repaired area is stronger than the original glass.
In third-party tests of these repaired cracks, the original glass broke before the repaired glass.
In over 30 years, our resin manufacturer, who also repairs windshields, has a less than 1% windshield crack repair fail rate and offers a multi-year warranty on their work.
As the biggest windshield repair and replacement company in the US, Safelite knows windshield crack repair is safe and viable. At his deposition, David Erwin [National Repair Development Manager of Safelite] admitted that his statement that “Safelite’s research indicates [the ROLAGS 14 inch standard] is not safe” was a lie—stating that “[i]t was an unfortunate choice of words. . .” (Summary Judgment pg. 16).
What About Structural Integrity?
“All of the windshield lawsuits to date were from deaths and injuries caused by a replacement eliminating and/or compromising one or more of the FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard).
There is no known injury lawsuit ever from a windshield repair in the 31-year history of the [long crack repair] industry.” Ultra Bond
Although the reports are not current, multiple sources found that 70-80% of windshield replacements were done incorrectly. Our manufacturer claims that there is no new data because the problem is ongoing and involved in several lawsuits.
While we would love more current data on this, the fact that the majority of windshield replacements were done wrong at any point is very concerning.
So, although the 70-80% claim is not the strongest data point, the fact that all windshield lawsuits to date are from replacements failing—and none from repairs failing—is reason for concern.
The tools and repair methods we use have passed the FMVSS 212 Retention Safety test and the FMVSS 216 Roof Crush Safety test.
Crack repair is safe and in many cases, safer than a windshield replacement. See more in the “That’s Not Safe” section.
It’s Not Permanent—It Will Spread When It’s Hot, Cold, or You Drive on a Bumpy Road
We offer a full lifetime warranty on repairs so if we weren’t confident about the quality of our work, we’d already be out of business. But if you want lab results and data, we’ve got that too!
After being repaired, test glass went through The Resistance to Thermal Cycling Test—from freezer to oven three times—and then placed under stress until it breaks.
All of the resins we use for chip and crack repair resulted in a repair that was stronger than the original glass, meaning the original glass broke under stress before the repair did.
You can take a closer look at those test results here.
Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
If lab results and court data prove it’s safe and viable, and if windshield replacements compromise safety, crack repair is safer and in many cases, less expensive for the consumer.
The information in the “What About Structural Integrity?” and “That’s Not Safe” sections give more information on safety.
You Can’t Guarantee It Won’t Continue to Crack
We can. In over 30 years and thousands of repairs later, our resin manufacturer has less than a 1% repair failure rate.
Our shop has completed over 50 windshield crack repairs over the last 6 months (as of May 2025) with these specific tools and we haven’t heard back from any customers claiming the repair has failed. We’re so confident in our work that we offer a warranty on the lifetime of the repair—if it fails, we offer a complete refund.
Any Shop That Offers Windshield Crack Repair Is Scamming You
We would argue that Safelite and other shops that know windshield crack repair is viable have been “scamming” consumers for decades by perpetuating information they knew was incorrect in order to make more money. What they’ve been doing sounds like the definition of a scam to us.
From Safelite itself: “We can’t be naïve in believing that all of these millions of repairs [at the existing six-inch standard] that are getting done are not impacting our replacement business.”); id. (describing replacement as “driving [Safelite’s] business profitability”).
It Won’t Pass Inspection
Every state will be different so you can check your state’s windshield damage laws here.
In Utah, most cars do not need a safety inspection so this doesn’t apply.
Windshield Crack Repair Is Not Safe
In a rollover crash, pictures show that a crack repaired with Ultra Bond resin remained intact while the rest of the windshield cracked in several places.
Those who claim that windshield crack repair is not safe are ignoring several lab-tested data points that show the resin we use is stronger than original glass. You can find these tests here or in the sections above.
Over the last 30 years, windshield repair has proven to be safer than windshield replacement. (See data in our “What About Structural Integrity?” section.)
In addition, your windshield helps airbags deploy at just the right moment in a crash. If it’s not properly installed, that timing can be thrown off, putting passengers at risk. The windshield supports the airbag, guiding it toward passengers during a collision. If the windshield is damaged or improperly installed, it can fail, making the airbag less effective.
The data points toward windshield repair being safer than windshield replacement.
Red arrows point to the repair done with Ultra Bond resin. The picture shows that the rest of the windshield was damaged in a crash while the crack repaired with Ultra Bond resin stayed intact.
No One Will Choose Repair Over Replacement
If you knew a windshield replacement was more dangerous than a repair, would you still choose a replacement?
Cosmetically, your windshield will not look the same. The glass has been damaged and repair with a “new substance” will not make it look brand new (although many of our repairs are almost impossible to see when they’re complete).
There are some cases when windshields do need to be replaced. If the crack is old and dirt has contaminated the glass, the resin will not be as effective. If a crack is significantly impacting your line of sight and driving safety, it should be replaced. If the crack is below the windshield wipers, there’s a good chance the tools won’t reach that area of the windshield, resulting in an incomplete repair.
But the fact remains that over the last three decades, tens of thousands of people have picked windshield crack repair over replacement.
In court documents, we learn that Safelite knew people would choose repair over replacement, “[Insurance client name redacted] currently believe that crack repair is something many of their policyholders would opt to try (especially those with higher deductibles [redacted]) where available” (Summary Judgment pg. 17).
You can check out some of our recent reviews about windshield crack repair or read a few here:
- K. Comish: “Great service, quick response time, and incredible repair. I had a ~14” crack in my windshield and they repaired it completely. I can barely tell where the crack used to be. So happy the crack could be repaired rather than paying for a replacement windshield.”
- L. Jeppson: “Chip pros fixed my windshield and it looks AMAZING. Lots of people said that I needed to replace my windshield but brad took one look and fixed it up great! 10/10″
- T. Ricks: “Brad did and amazing job fixing our windshield!! I contacted him after another shop told me they’d have to replace the whole thing. He was able to fill a pretty long crack, and you can barely even see where the crack was at now!”
- L. Hansen: “A freeway rock chip was a 9-10 inch crack by the time the car got home. After a very pleasant phone call this morning, my chip and crack were beautifully fixed today, and we are good to go.”
You Can Still See It
The glass is damaged and resin is a “foreign substance,” so yes, you will most likely still be able to see where the repair happened. The age of the damage, if it’s been contaminated, and the location all influence how the repair looks. It’s like a scar after an injury or surgery.
Check out our Instagram to get a good idea of before and after looks.
You Don’t Need to Get a Repair at All; It’s Safe to Drive With a Damaged Windshield
Your windshield is responsible for, by some estimates, 45-60% of your car’s structural integrity. If your glass is damaged, this creates a weak spot in your windshield. In the event of a crash, especially a rollover, you are taking a risk on roof crush.
Because windshield glass is laminated, meaning it’s made up of two layers of glass with a piece of plastic between them, it won’t shatter into a million pieces. So no, your windshield won’t explode on your morning commute if you don’t get it repaired. But here are some reasons why you might want to:
- You’re concerned about safety in a crash
- You have to pass a state safety inspection
- It’s in the driver’s line of sight and is impacting your visibility
- You’re worried about getting a windshield damage ticket after being pulled over for something else
Will Insurance Cover Windshield Crack Repair? Or Hold This Claim Against You?
This will depend on your insurance and your state so it’s always best to confirm.
In the United States, if you have comprehensive car insurance that includes glass coverage, your insurance will cover windshield crack repair.
In Utah, your insurance company cannot raise your rates because you submit a glass claim. However, if you submit many claims over a short period of time, they can drop your coverage.
If you get frequent rock chips or cracks, you might want to look into windshield protective film and talk to a glass shop about ways to reduce damage.
The Golden Question: If They Can Repair 2 Inches, Why Not 12 Inches or More?
ROLAGS says 14 inches or more can be repaired; in internal emails, Safelite says that 24 inch windshield crack repair is “safe and viable” (Summary Judgment pgs. 16 & 39). Why are there so many different “standards”?
The bottom line is that there is no standard. Here’s why:
- Big auto glass repair shops wanted to make more money on replacements so they created an arbitrary number to encourage replacements
- Members of the different auto glass safety boards (ANSI, ROLAGS) wanted to share the correct data but had to compromise to set some kind of industry standard
Caselaw summarizes it better than we can so their description is stated below:
“In 2007 … an industry group formed by the American National Standards Institute (“ANSI”), comprised of sixteen industry members including both Safelite and Ultra Bond, conducted a safety study and concluded that cracks up to fourteen inches could be safely repaired without requiring windshield replacement.
The group then created the Repair of Laminated Automotive Glass Standards (“ROLAGS”) and set the fourteen-inch crack repair standard as best practice nationally for the windshield repair industry. Safelite was one of the industry members that voted to support this standard.
Despite the new industry standard for repairs, Safelite continued to market the “dollar-bill rule” as the safety standard for windshield repairs and continued to tell consumers that cracks longer than six inches require windshield replacement.”
We believe, and this is supported by court documents, that Safelite did this to make more money off of windshield replacements. (“[F]or the long term preservation of our replacement business believe we need to embrace smaller standard of two inches or less” (Summary Judgement pg. 17)).
Although this information is not well known, Safelite has been in legal battles for the last 10 years over false advertising claims and their push for replacement over repair. There is a court date planned for summer of 2025 to determine how responsible they are for negatively impacting the repair industry.
We Share This So You Can Make an Informed Decision
Yes, we fix windshields. If you take this information and decide to schedule a repair with us, great! We’ll be really happy you got an expert repair and didn’t feel forced to replace your windshield when you didn’t have to. We’ll be happy you saved money and learned a little bit about a major player in this industry that we believe has been involved in false advertising.
We run this business, but we’re also consumers like you. We don’t like when huge corporations lie to make money off of people. If the dentist removed a tooth and charged us for a new one when all we needed was a filling, we would be mad—and we’re guessing you would be too.
