Car side windows and body glass

"Body glass" is the trade term for every piece of glass on a vehicle other than the windscreen: front and rear door windows, quarter lights, rear screens and fixed panels. Most of it is toughened (tempered) glass, which is made very differently from a laminated windscreen.

Why side windows shatter

Toughened glass is heated and then cooled quickly, which leaves the surface under compression. It is much stronger than ordinary glass, but when it does fail the whole pane breaks into small, blunt-edged pieces rather than long shards. That is a safety feature, and it is also why a toughened side window cannot be repaired: there is nothing left to repair.

Some newer cars use laminated glass in the front side windows for noise reduction and security. Laminated side glass cracks rather than shattering, and is replaced in the same way.

After a break-in or a broken window

• Report a break-in to the Gardaí and keep the reference number; your insurer will usually ask for it.
• Photograph the damage before anything is cleared up.
• Wear gloves when removing loose glass. Fragments end up in door cavities, seat rails and the window channels, so a proper clean-out is part of the replacement.
• Cover the opening with heavy plastic and tape to keep the rain out until the glass is replaced.

How a side window is replaced

For a door window, the door card is removed, the remaining fragments are cleared from inside the door, and the new glass is fitted to the regulator so that it winds up and down cleanly. Fixed quarter glass and rear screens are often bonded in place like a windscreen. Rear screens usually carry a heating element and sometimes an aerial, so the connections need to be checked.

Insurance

Glass cover on Irish policies often covers body glass as well as the windscreen, but not always, and limits can differ. Check your policy schedule. Our guide to glass claims and your no claims bonus explains what to ask.