Auto Glass Repair in Wichita: Side, Back & Sunroof Glass

Find the right auto glass page

"Auto glass repair" covers a lot of different jobs. Start with the page for your type of glass:

For the front glass, see chip and crack repair or windshield replacement. The rest of this page covers what all of these jobs have in common.

Car window repair is different from windshield repair

Your windshield is laminated glass, which cracks but holds together. Most side windows and back windows are tempered glass: heat-treated so that when it breaks, it shatters into thousands of small, blunt pieces instead of sharp shards. That is a safety feature, but it means tempered glass cannot be chip-repaired. Once it is broken, the whole piece is replaced. Some vehicles, especially newer and higher-end models, use laminated side glass for noise reduction or security. Laminated door glass cracks like a windshield and is usually more expensive to replace. A shop can tell which you have from the vehicle details or the small label etched in the corner of the glass.

Broken side window: what to do first

The side window replacement page has more detail; here are the essentials.

1. Stay safe and document it. If the window was broken in a break-in, take photos before you clean anything up and file a police report; your insurer will likely ask for the report number.
2. Do not run the window switch. Moving the regulator with broken glass in the door can jam or damage it.
3. Clean up carefully. Wear gloves, pick up the larger pieces, then vacuum the seats, floor, door pocket and seat tracks. Tempered glass pieces get everywhere.
4. Cover the opening. Heavy plastic taped to the door frame keeps out rain and dust for a short time. Tape on painted surfaces can lift clear coat in heat, so tape to the frame or glass channel where possible, and do not leave it for long.
5. Request a quote. Mention the year, make and model, which window, and whether it has any features (tint, heating, antenna lines). Glass for some vehicles is stocked locally and some has to be ordered.

A proper side window replacement includes removing the door panel, vacuuming the glass out of the inside of the door, checking the regulator and its clips, installing the new glass, and making sure it seals and travels smoothly.

Back glass (rear windshield)

Back windows on cars, SUVs and pickups are usually tempered glass, often with built-in extras:

• Defroster grid: the thin horizontal lines that clear frost and fog. A new back glass comes with the grid, and the electrical connections must be reattached.
• Radio, GPS or keyless antennas built into the glass on some vehicles.
• Rear wiper on hatchbacks and SUVs, mounted through the glass.
• Third brake light and trim mounted on or around the glass.
• Sliding rear windows on pickups, with tracks, latches and sometimes heated or power-sliding panels.

Full details are on the back glass replacement page. Rear glass is usually bonded with urethane like a windshield, so it has a drive-away time too. Expect the shop to vacuum broken glass out of the cargo area or truck cab as part of the job; ask if it is included.

Hail is a common cause of broken back glass and sunroofs around Wichita, because rear windows on SUVs and hatchbacks sit at an angle that takes direct hits. If your vehicle has both glass and body damage after a storm, ask your insurer how they want glass and body repairs handled.

Quarter glass, vent windows and sunroofs

Quarter glass is the small fixed window behind a rear door or at the corner of the cargo area. Vent windows are the small triangular panes on some doors. These pieces are usually tempered and often bonded or encapsulated in a rubber or plastic frame, so the part can cost more than you would expect for its size, and some have to be ordered. Some auto glass shops also replace sunroof glass; others send those jobs to a dealer. Mention it in your request so the shop can tell you up front. See sunroof glass repair.

Window will not go up: regulators, motors and switches

A lot of "car window repair" searches have nothing to do with broken glass. If the window is intact but stuck, slow, crooked or has dropped into the door, the problem is usually mechanical:

• Switch: if the window works from the driver's master switch but not its own switch (or the other way around), the switch or its wiring may be the problem.
• Motor: you press the switch and hear nothing, or the window moves very slowly or only with help.
• Regulator: you hear the motor run or a grinding or clicking noise, but the glass does not move, or it falls down into the door or goes in crooked. Cables and plastic clips on regulators can wear out and break.
• Glass off track: the window tilts or binds, sometimes after a door slam or someone forcing it.

Many auto glass shops replace regulators and motors as well as glass. Others focus on glass only, so mention the symptom when you request a quote. If the window is stuck open, a temporary cover keeps rain out until it is fixed.

Leaks, wind noise and loose mouldings

Water on the floor after rain, a whistle at highway speed, or a moulding flapping at the edge of the glass can point to a seal problem around the windshield or back glass. Common causes are a gap in the urethane bead, rust under the glass, or a loose or damaged moulding. If the glass was replaced recently, contact the shop that did the work first, since many shops cover leaks under their own written warranty terms. Kansas wind finds every gap, so it is worth fixing a leak before it causes rust or electrical problems.

Window tint after replacement

Replacement side and back glass usually comes with the same factory "privacy" shade as the original where applicable, but aftermarket film you added before does not transfer. If you plan to re-tint, Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-1749a) generally requires side and rear windows on passenger vehicles to let in at least 35 percent of light, and windshield tint is limited to a strip along the top. Ask a tint shop to confirm what is allowed for your vehicle.

Insurance for side and back glass

Broken side and back glass from vandalism, break-ins, hail or road debris is usually handled under comprehensive coverage, subject to your deductible. Because side window replacement often costs less than a windshield, the job may cost less than your deductible, in which case paying out of pocket is simpler. Any personal property stolen in a break-in is typically a separate matter, often handled under homeowner's or renter's insurance rather than your auto policy. Check with your agent. See the side and back glass section of the cost guide for published price ranges.

How to choose a shop for side, back or sunroof glass

• Ask whether the glass is in stock. Common door glass is often available locally; laminated, heated, encapsulated or sunroof glass may need to be ordered.
• Ask whether cleanup is included. Vacuuming tempered glass out of the door, cargo area or headliner is part of a proper job.
• Ask about regulators and mechanisms. If the window or sunroof also does not move correctly, find out whether the shop handles the mechanism or only the glass.
• Ask about features. Defroster grids, antennas, privacy tint, rain-channel mouldings and sliders change the part.
• Get written warranty terms for leaks and workmanship.

What to expect

Most door glass replacements are done in one visit, often on-site, because the glass is held mechanically rather than with adhesive. Bonded glass, such as most back windows, many quarter windows and some sunroofs, uses urethane and has a drive-away time. If glass has to be ordered, cover the opening and park under cover until the appointment.

Quote requests are welcome from Wichita, Bel Aire, Park City, Valley Center, Maize, Goddard, Andale, Cheney, Clearwater, Haysville, Derby, Mulvane, Wellington, Andover, Rose Hill, Augusta, El Dorado, Newton and Hutchinson.

What does it cost? See published Wichita-area and national ranges for side and back window costs in the cost guide.

Good to know: Requesting a quote is free and there is no obligation. Ask for a written quote that lists the glass, any calibration and the warranty terms.