How Long Before I Can Drive After a New Windshield?
The short answer
A new windshield is often safe to drive somewhere between thirty minutes and a few hours after it goes in, and we tell you the exact time for your vehicle before you leave.
It is the question we hear most at our Hillsboro counter, usually from someone holding their keys and looking hopefully at the door on a cold January morning, which happens to be exactly when the wait runs longest. The glass is held in by urethane, a very strong adhesive, and it needs time to set before the vehicle is safe. If you would rather not wait around, bring it in, or we will come and get it and bring it back once it is ready to drive.
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Text us which onesWindshield drive-away time: what we tell you at pickup
We give you a real number, not a guess from a website. Your safe drive-away time depends on the exact adhesive we used that day and on the temperature and humidity. It is often somewhere between thirty minutes and a few hours, and we will not hand you the keys before that time is up.
We ask you to leave the tape alone for a day or two. It holds the trim in place while everything settles, and it can come off after that. Crack a window about an inch as well, because closing a door on a sealed cabin pushes a puff of air against the new seal.
We ask everyone in the vehicle to be gentle with the doors for a day or so. Skip the car wash and keep the pressure washer well away for a couple of days, since a gentle rain shower is fine but a jet of water aimed at the edge of the glass is not.
We know the next bit is a tall order around Marion County. If you can, avoid rough gravel roads and big potholes for the first day, or just take them slow and the glass will thank you. If anything looks or sounds wrong afterwards, call or text us and we will take a look.
Why Hillsboro trusts Moxie to get the drive-away time right
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Safe, leak-free installs
Installed to the auto glass industry's safety standard, with a lifetime leak warranty.
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Camera recalibration in the same visit
If your windshield carries a camera for lane keeping or automatic braking, we recalibrate it here while the adhesive sets.
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Lifetime leak warranty
If glass we installed ever leaks, we make it right at no charge for as long as you own the vehicle. New damage from rocks and road debris is not covered, but a fresh chip can often be repaired in under an hour.
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Pickup and delivery
Within 40 miles of the shop, we can collect your vehicle and bring it back once it is safe to drive, so the wait happens here rather than in your day.
Call or text (620) 416-0008. Describe the noise. We'll do the rest.
Windshield drive-away myths we hear at the counter
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Windshield drive-away time across five Kansas counties
We look after drivers across Marion County, Harvey County, McPherson County, Chase County and Lyon County, with free pickup and delivery within 40 road miles of 611 Orchard Dr, Hillsboro.
Windshield drive-away time questions we hear every week
Can I go through a car wash?
It is best to give it a couple of days before you do. The brushes and high-pressure jets in a car wash can push water and force against a seal that is still settling. A gentle rain shower in the meantime is nothing to worry about, so there is no need to park the vehicle in the barn every time a cloud rolls over.
What if it's cold out?
Cold weather slows the adhesive down, so your drive-away time may be longer on a chilly Kansas morning than it would be in July. We account for the temperature when we give you your time, and on the coldest days we may ask you to wait a little longer before you head off. If you would rather not wait, we can bring the vehicle to you once it is ready.
Why can't I just drive it straight away?
The windshield is part of what keeps the roof up in a rollover, and your passenger airbag leans on it when it opens. Until the adhesive has set, the glass cannot do either of those jobs properly. It will look finished the moment it is in, but the adhesive holding it needs a little longer, and your safety is worth the wait.