Rear window replacement in Pretoria
Rear glass carries more than it seems: demister lines, sometimes the radio aerial, and on hatchbacks and SUVs a rear wiper. All of it has to work again after the new glass goes in.
Tempered or laminated rear glass
Most rear windows are tempered glass. When they break, they usually go all at once into small pieces, often with a loud bang, sometimes days after a knock or when the car heats up in the sun. Some vehicles use laminated rear glass, which cracks but stays in place.
Either way, a cracked or broken rear window is replaced, not repaired. On a bakkie, the rear glass is the small cab window behind the seats, and sliding versions have their own frames and catches. A canopy window is a separate part made by the canopy maker.
Demister lines and electrical connections
The thin lines printed across a rear window are the heating element of the demister. They are fed by two terminals soldered or bonded to the glass, one on each side. The new glass must have the same element layout and terminal type, and the plugs must be reconnected firmly. A loose terminal can stop the demister working or, if it arcs, damage the wiring.
Many cars also print the radio, GPS or phone aerial into the rear glass. If the new screen lacks the aerial pattern, or the aerial lead is not reconnected, reception will suffer. Ask the fitter to confirm the replacement glass matches these features.
Wiper hardware and the tailgate
On hatchbacks, station wagons and SUVs the rear wiper motor often passes through a hole in the glass, with a seal, washer, nut and cap. These parts are removed from the old glass, inspected and refitted. A perished seal is a common source of water leaks into the boot. Spoilers, brake lights and tailgate trims around the glass may also need to come off and go back on.
Many tailgate windows are bonded with urethane, just like a windscreen, so they also have a cure time before the tailgate is slammed. Older sedans may use a rubber seal with a locking strip instead.
What is involved in a rear window replacement
A rear glass job usually follows these steps:
- Make the car safe. Remove loose glass from the parcel shelf, boot, seats and seals, and vacuum thoroughly.
- Strip the surround. Remove trims, the wiper arm and motor cap, spoiler or brake light if they are in the way.
- Disconnect electrics. Unplug demister terminals and the aerial lead.
- Prepare the opening. Cut out the old bead or seal and prime any bare metal.
- Fit the new glass. Bond or seal it in place, refit wiper hardware with a good seal, and reconnect terminals.
- Test everything. Check the demister heats evenly, the aerial works, the wiper parks correctly and there are no leaks.
Before you drive with a broken rear window
With the rear glass gone the car cannot be secured, exhaust fumes can be drawn in on some vehicles, and rain will soak the boot. Cover the opening with heavy plastic taped to the paint, not to the glass edges. Keep the boot lid or tailgate closed gently, because loose pieces in the seal can fall inside.
Tell the fitment business whether the window broke in a break-in, from an impact or on its own. Spontaneous breakage can point to a fitting stress or an edge chip, and the fitter will want to check the opening. For door glass see side window replacement. For the front screen see windscreen replacement. Hail can also take out rear glass, which is covered in our hail damage guide.
Insurance and rear glass
Glass cover does not always include the rear window. Some policies list the windscreen only, and others include all glass. Check the schedule, and see our guide to glass claims for how the excess usually works. If you run several vehicles, bakkie and fleet glass explains how a fitment business can handle repeat work.
What drives the cost
We do not publish prices. The fitment business quotes you directly once it knows the exact vehicle and the damage. These are the factors that usually make the difference:
- Whether the glass is tempered or laminated, and its size.
- Built-in features: demister element, printed aerial, wiper hole, privacy tint.
- Bonded glass versus glass set in a rubber seal.
- Trims, spoilers or lights that must be removed and refitted.
- Clean-up time inside the boot and cabin.
- Part availability for the exact vehicle and body style.
Our guide to what a windscreen replacement in Pretoria depends on explains how to compare quotes fairly.
By vehicle type
Frequently asked questions
Why did my rear window break on its own?
Tempered glass can fail suddenly from an earlier edge chip, a stress point from fitting, or heat. The fitter should check the opening before the new glass goes in.
Will my demister work after replacement?
It should, if the new glass has the same element and the terminals are reconnected firmly. Ask the fitter to test it before you leave.
My radio aerial is in the rear glass. Will it still work?
Only if the replacement glass has the same printed aerial and the lead is reconnected. Confirm this when you get the quote.
Can a cracked rear window be repaired?
No. Rear glass that is cracked or broken is replaced, whether it is tempered or laminated.
Is the bakkie cab window a rear window?
Yes. The small window behind the seats is the rear glass. Canopy windows are separate parts made by the canopy maker.
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