Unlike a windscreen, your door windows are tempered glass. It is designed to disintegrate into thousands of blunt granules rather than sharp shards, which is much safer in a crash — but it also means there is no repairing it. Once it goes, the whole pane is replaced.
The glass positions we replace
Tell us the position and we will bring the right pane. Every one of these is a standard job for us:
The clean-up matters as much as the glass
This is where most cheap jobs cut corners. When tempered glass shatters, granules go everywhere — inside the door cavity, into the window channel, under the seat rails, into the seat belt mechanism and deep into carpet.
If the door cavity is not vacuumed properly, those granules rattle every time you drive and can jam the new window regulator within weeks. We strip the door card, vacuum the cavity and channels, and clean the interior before refitting. It adds time to the job. It is not optional.
Broken into? Do this first
If your window was smashed in a break-in, protect the car and yourself before anything else. Do not sweep the granules with bare hands — they are blunt but they embed in skin. Do not run the window switch, because a motor driving against a broken pane can strip the regulator and turn a glass bill into a mechanical one.
Tape a plastic sheet over the opening if you have to leave the car, message us with the make, model and glass position, and we will get to you the same day where possible.
Rear screen — a different job again
The rear windscreen is tempered like side glass, but most have a heated demister grid bonded into them, and many have the radio aerial printed in too. Replacing one means reconnecting those terminals correctly, or you lose your demister and your reception.
We test the demister and the aerial connection before we leave. If your rear screen has gone, mention any high-mount brake light or wiper fitted to it when you message so we bring the right part.
Door glass — all 4
- Front right (driver side)
- Front left
- Rear right
- Rear left
Quarter glass — all 4
- Front right & front left
- Rear right & rear left
- The small fixed panes at the corners of the door frame
Side window (rear set)
- R.L — rear left
- R.R — rear right
- The fixed panels behind the rear doors
Also replaced
- Rear screen / back glass with demister
- Sunroof glass
- Vent and mirror glass
Not sure what your glass is called? Take a photo of the car from the side with the broken pane visible and WhatsApp it to us. We identify the part from the photo — you do not need to know the terminology.
How long it takes
A door glass replacement is typically 45 minutes to an hour, because the door card has to come off and the cavity has to be cleaned properly. Quarter glass and fixed side panels are usually quicker. A rear screen with a demister takes a little longer than a door because of the bonding and the electrical connections.
Why tempered glass shatters into granules
Tempered glass is heated and then cooled rapidly, which locks the outer surface in compression and the core in tension. That makes it several times stronger than ordinary glass against impact — but when it finally fails, the stored tension releases all at once and the entire pane crumbles. That is by design: blunt granules in a crash are far safer for occupants than long sharp shards. It is also why a "small crack" in a side window is not a thing you will ever see.
Frequently asked questions
Can broken door glass be repaired?
No. Door and side windows are tempered glass, which shatters completely rather than cracking. The full pane must be replaced.
Do you clean the glass granules out of the door?
Yes. We remove the door card and vacuum the cavity, window channels and interior. Skipping this causes rattles and can jam the window regulator later.
Which glass positions do you cover?
All four door glasses, all four quarter glasses, the rear-set side windows (R.L and R.R), rear screens with demisters, and sunroof glass.
My window was smashed in a break-in — what should I do first?
Do not operate the window switch and do not sweep granules by hand. Cover the opening, then message us with your car make, model and the glass position for a same-day slot where possible.
Will my rear demister still work after replacement?
Yes. We reconnect the demister grid and aerial terminals and test them before leaving.
Broken side window? We can fit today.
Send us the car and which glass is broken — front-left, rear-right, quarter or rear screen — and we will come to you.