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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to replace the rear window of your car?

Why is the rear window so important in a car?

The rear window, or rear windscreen, refers to the glass at the back of the vehicle. With the exception of a few commercial vehicles, most vehicles have a rear window. The rear window is essential for several reasons:

  • It ensures your driving comfort by providing maximum visibility, whether you’re looking in the rear-view mirror or reversing.
  • It protects your vehicle against theft, damage and bad weather.
  • It contributes to the overall strength of your vehicle. Without the glass, the vehicle is much more easily deformed in the event of a collision.
  • It provides essential features: the rear window of a car has a built-in de-icing system, a windscreen wiper and a third, high level, brake light at the top of the hatch, usually called the “third brake light”. Some models are fitted with a radio antenna and a GPS receiver. These are all functions that can be damaged if the rear window is broken or damaged.

So, a car’s rear window is more than just glass: It’s a major component of your vehicle’s protection, but also of your safety and driving comfort.

When should a car’s rear window be changed?

The front windscreen has had to be made of laminated glass (i.e. glass with a plastic film that allows the glass to remain in one piece in the event of damage), which reduces the risk of being cut by pieces of glass in the event of an accident. This isn’t a requirement for a car’s rear window, however. For this reason, manufacturers usually make it from tempered glass, which shatters into thousands of small cubes of glass that are sharp but much less so than long pieces. Above all, this glass is also lighter, helping to reduce the weight of the car and hence its fuel consumption, without compromising its safety.

Only some top-of-the-range vehicles are fitted with a laminated glass rear window, to increase resistance to break-ins – but the best thing is to leave nothing visible on the rear deck, especially if it’s valuable.

Because you don’t want to leave your car open to the wind if the rear window has shattered after a shock, collision or break-in, and also because the law requires it, you’ll need to have it replaced by a glass professional like Glassdrive.

Why should you trust Glassdrive to change the rear window of your car?

Because Glassdrive is the specialist in repairing and replacing passenger car and commercial vehicle windows. Glassdrive is a brand of the Saint-Gobain group, a leader in the design and manufacture of car windows (Saint-Gobain Sekurit provides the glass for one half of the vehicles in Europe). We work on all makes of vehicles and all types of glass.

Take an online appointment within Glassdrive network

How is the rear window replaced?

Only car glass professionals can replace the rear window of your car, just as for the windscreen. Make an appointment within the Glassdrive network and we order the glass from one of our suppliers (we prefer European products), which will generally be delivered within 24 hours. On the day of your appointment, the old window is removed and new one installed by a technician. This only takes 3 hours. Under certain conditions, some Glassdrive installation centres can come and carry out the procedure at an address of your choice. Under what conditions can the installation be carried out other than at a Glassdrive centre? Ask our Customer service or the installation centre to lend you a vehicle free of charge for the duration of the work. All our centres offer this service!

Insurance companies will cover the replacement of the rear window if you’re covered by a “glass breakage” warranty, which must generally be taken out in addition to the basic insurance (be sure to check that the rear windscreen is included in the list of glass covered). In this case, you don’t need to pay up front for the repair or replacement of the rear window. You may be asked to pay an excess if your insurance contract provides for this. Please note that this service doesn’t affect your no claims bonus, as long as you’re not responsible for the damage.

If you’re not covered by insurance, the cost of the operation must be determined in advance by the technician through a quote.

The good news is that Glassdrive is approved as a glass specialist by most insurance companies!

Still have some questions?