Side windows and rear glass

Tempered glass, not laminated

That distinction explains everything else. A windshield is laminated glass: two sheets bonded to a plastic film, which lets it crack without falling apart — and lets it be repaired.

Side windows and rear glass are tempered. Designed to burst into thousands of small blunt fragments rather than sharp blades, they disintegrate all at once. There is nothing left to fill: a side window cannot be repaired, only replaced.

What we replace

• Door glass, front and rear
• Quarter glass — the small fixed panes behind the doors
• Rear windows, including the defroster grid and its connectors
• Tailgate glass on SUVs and wagons

The cleanup, which is the real half of the job

When door glass bursts, it does not just land on the seat. It drops down inside the door cavity, works under the seat rails, into the air vents and beneath the carpets.

If nobody goes in after it, fragments will keep falling out of the door panel every time you shut the door — for months. We vacuum the cavity, the cabin and the trunk before the new glass goes in.

If the part has to be ordered

Some windows are not stock items. When that happens we seal the opening temporarily, so rain, snow and curious hands stay outside until the appointment.