Remove rock falls

It is probably the nightmare of every car driver

Kategorien: Car Hobby

Whether on the road in your free time or on the way to the office - you drive your car, think of nothing bad and there it is - a crack in the windshield, or the rock fall. The shock is great at first - what to do? In the following text you will find valuable information on how best to remove stone chips.
© ALesik / depositphotos

General information on the subject of rockfall
Stone chipping almost always occurs on the windshield of your car and is triggered by a car in front, for example when small stones are thrown up and suddenly hit your windshield. Since the windscreen has a natural tension, a blow of even the smallest stone often leaves a damage or a crack in the windscreen.

A rockfall happens relatively often, about two million times a year rock falls are reported or need to be repaired. It also depends on the speed, or the stone or part that hits the windshield. Fine roll-split or small stones will at most cause a small star-shaped scratch on the windscreen, but if the stones are larger or the speed of the car in front is increased, a crack in the windscreen may also form.

Do stone chips have to be removed - is a garage always necessary?
Here it always depends on the damage caused by the stone chip. Legally speaking, the windscreen in the car must be replaced in any case if the stone chip is on the driver's side and at viewing height, or is larger than a two euro coin. Then a simple repair is not sufficient. Otherwise, you will not only be threatened with a severe fine and a point in the central register, but the crack may spread further and endanger you and other road users. Either way, a repair or a complete replacement of the windscreen is absolutely necessary. In addition, even a repaired and apparently "whole" windshield can produce dangerous stray light during nighttime driving, which obstructs your vision.

Removing a stone chip yourself - a good idea?
If you are driving or later notice a stone chip, you should prevent dirt and moisture from entering the crack. To do this, you can either use extra window patches, which you always have in your car for emergencies - for example in the glove compartment - or you can tape the area with adhesive tape. In this way, you will be able to reach the nearest garage before you can have the windscreen repaired or replaced.

Although there are various kits available in (specialist) shops that promise a do-it-yourself treatment of the windscreen or scratches, you should keep your fingers and rather let the professional of your choice touch these kits. The main reason for this is the high pressure with which the repair resin is sprayed into the crack so that it becomes firm enough or the windscreen is really repaired.

These kits for amateurs cannot keep up with this standard, so let them be better. If the windshield only needs to be repaired in the garage you trust, you will definitely have to pay less: on average you will pay around 100 Euros for the repair and you can pick up your car from the garage within a few hours and be safely on the road for work or leisure. With partial coverage insurance, the damage is covered in any case.
© ALesik / depositphotos

The situation is different, especially in terms of costs, if the disc actually has to be changed. Depending on the car model, you can expect to pay about 600 euros upwards. The insurance company pays for this as well, for more detailed information you should ask your insurance company directly. If a stone chip affects the rear or side windows, these are always replaced directly, as they are made of different glass and not of extra safety glass like the windscreen.