Back Glass and Rear Window Replacement in Raleigh, NC

Auto Glass Repair Raleigh is the Raleigh mobile service of Impex Auto Glass. If the broken window is on a door instead, see side window replacement, and for every pane on the car in one place, car window repair in Raleigh.

Why back glass is replaced, not repaired

Most back glass is tempered. Tempered glass is treated so that when it fails it breaks into small, blunt pieces all at once, instead of cracking in a line the way a laminated windshield does. That is a safety feature, and it is also why there is nothing left to repair. Impex’s own guidance is that back glass cannot usually be safely repaired: because it is tempered and shatters when damaged, replacement is the safest and most effective solution.

Impex lists the usual causes as road debris, temperature changes, accidents, and even pressure changes in the cabin, which is why some back windows seem to break with nobody near them.

What a back glass replacement involves

1. The part is confirmed by VIN. Rear windows differ between trims: defroster grids, antenna lines, wiper mounts, privacy tint and third brake light cut-outs. Impex uses VIN-based verification so the right glass is ordered.
2. The broken glass is cleared. The remains of the old pane come out of the frame, and the loose pieces are cleared from the opening.
3. The opening is prepared. On bonded back glass, the old adhesive is trimmed and the frame cleaned so the new glass bonds to a sound surface.
4. The new glass is set. It is placed, sealed and aligned in the opening.
5. The electrics are reconnected. Impex’s technicians reconnect and test the rear defroster and any other electrical components during the installation.
6. Aftercare is explained. You are told when the car can be driven and what to avoid for the first day.

Impex says a back glass replacement takes about one to two hours in most cases, depending on the make and model, and that the car is ready to drive once the adhesive cures. For the first 24 hours, Impex advises not washing the vehicle and not using the rear defroster, so the adhesive can cure properly.

The defroster, the antenna and the rear camera

The thin lines across your back glass are the defroster grid, and on many cars some of them are the radio antenna. They are part of the glass, so new glass brings new lines, and the connections at each side have to be reattached. That is the step Impex says its technicians take special care over: reconnecting and testing the defroster and other electrical parts before you leave.

Rear cameras on most vehicles sit in the tailgate, trunk lid or bumper rather than on the glass, and front radar sits in or behind the front bumper or grille, so a back glass job does not usually involve ADAS calibration. If your vehicle has a camera or sensor mounted near the rear window, mention it when you ask for a quote.

Before we arrive

• Cover the opening if rain is due. Heavy plastic taped to the paint around the frame keeps water out of the cargo area.
• Take valuables out of the car, and photograph the damage for your insurer.
• Brush off seats if anyone has to sit in the back, and wear gloves: tempered pieces are blunt but there are a great many of them.
• Leave the tailgate or trunk closed until the technician is there, so more glass does not fall inside.
• Park where the technician can reach the rear of the vehicle and the work can stay dry.

Paying for back glass in North Carolina

Impex’s guidance is that back glass replacement is typically covered under comprehensive insurance. The NC Department of Insurance lists ‘Breakage of glass’ among comprehensive losses, paid less any deductible, and North Carolina has no law that waives the glass deductible. You choose the shop under G.S. 58-3-180, and a comprehensive glass claim adds no Safe Driver Incentive Plan points because it is not an at-fault accident, though insurers may look at how often you claim. Impex works with all major insurance providers. See insurance and claims.

Tint and the law on rear glass

If your old back glass was tinted with film, the film went with it. New film on a rear window has to meet G.S. 20-127: at least 35 percent total light transmission and no more than 20 percent reflectance, with no red, yellow or amber film. Multipurpose vehicles such as minivans and pickups are exempt from the 35 percent rule for windows behind the driver. Many SUVs and vans come with privacy glass tinted in the glass itself, and the VIN check picks the matching part. More in our article on NC window tint rules.

Back glass across Raleigh and nearby

We replace back glass at homes, workplaces and lots across Raleigh, and in Garner, Wake Forest, Clayton, Knightdale, Wendell and Rolesville. The Raleigh service areas page lists them, and mobile windshield replacement in Raleigh explains how a visit works, which is the same for rear glass.

Questions people ask