How to repair a crack that is inside a windshield

Question

I have a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe and during one of my trips, something struck my windshield and leave what looks like a dent and a long crack. However, when I move my hand over both the "dent" and the "crack" I can't feel a thing. This is an image:

Other than some chip at the edge of the ring, the whole surface feels flat on the inside of the windshield and outside of it. And the inside of the black section of the windshield is not accessible because it is covered up by some leather surface. Could you guys help me out here? And can someone tell me how did it happen? And I have a 3M windshield repair kit, does it work if I inject the resin into the chip and hope it will flow inside and into the cracks?

Answer 1

Unfortunately there's no way to repair this. The only way to "fix" it is to replace it. Bullseye chips (original impact) can usually be fixed. They do it with some liquid fill and sucking out all of the air. The liquid gets injected into the bullseye and then UV light is used to harden it. The break is still there, but the filler is completely clear. This makes so you cannot see the breakage anymore. It also makes it so no more cracks will form at the bullseye (in most cases).

In your case it's the cracks which won't let you repair the windshield. If the cracks are less than an inch long, they can usually work with it. Once past this, there's nothing which can be done (which I'm aware of). The only recourse is for replacement.

Answer 2

As Paulster said, the only real fix is a new windshield. I used to fill in every single crack and chip as soon as they appeared.

Then, one day, a mother crack showed up out of nowhere and connected them all. Nothing hit the windshield, I was idling in front of my house warming the car up when it happened. I was sitting in the car, heard a "swoop" sound and saw my passenger side wiper bounce off the windshield then come back.

Here's the thing, I had fixed about 10 chips on that windshield, and the total cost of those 10 individual repairs added up to the cost of a new windshield. My new philosophy and my recommendation to you: don't bother with windshield chip repairs. When you have too many for your taste, or if you get one right in your field of vision, or when your windshield gets pitted (micro abrasions that accumulate over the years and progressively reduce the clarity of your view), then splurge for a new windshield.