Windshield replacement in Concord, NC, done at your car

This page explains the whole job: how Impex decides a windshield has to be replaced, how the glass is chosen, what happens during the visit, how long the adhesive needs before you drive, why the forward camera is aimed again afterwards, and how a glass claim usually works under North Carolina insurance rules. If the damage is a small chip, read windshield repair in Concord, NC first: a repair is quicker and keeps the factory glass.

Windshield replacement Concord NC: what the visit looks like

A Concord windshield replacement follows the same order every time. Impex describes most replacements as taking about one hour, plus a short curing period, with most drivers back on the road within two hours.

1. The part is checked by VIN. Before anything is scheduled, Impex verifies the glass against your vehicle identification number, so the windshield that arrives has the right brackets, tint band, heating or sensor mounts for your car.
2. The van comes to the car. The technician needs a dry, level spot with room to open both front doors. A driveway, a garage or a work lot all serve.
3. The old glass comes out. Trim and wipers are removed, the old urethane bead is cut and the broken windshield is lifted out of the frame.
4. The frame is prepared. Old adhesive is trimmed back and the pinch weld is cleaned so the new bead has a sound surface to bond to.
5. The new glass is set. A continuous bead of urethane is run round the frame and the new windshield is placed and pressed into it, then trim and wipers go back on.
6. The camera is calibrated. If the car has a forward facing camera for lane or braking assist, it is aimed to the new glass. Impex says it does this on site right after replacement.
7. You get the drive-away time. The technician tells you when the car can be driven for that adhesive and that day’s weather, and what to avoid for the first 24 hours.

When a Concord windshield replacement is the right call

Not every broken windshield needs to come out. Impex’s rule is that a repair may be possible when the damage is small, shallow and away from the edges, and that large or deep damage, or damage that reaches the edge, is safer to replace. The repair standard, ROLAGS, lists stone breaks up to two inches across and single line cracks up to 14 inches as repairable, but it also defines an edge crack as one that reaches an edge, and those usually mean new glass.

In practice a new windshield is the answer when:

• the crack runs into the edge of the glass, or starts there;
• a chip or crack sits in front of the driver, where even a good repair leaves a mark in the line of sight;
• there are several breaks, or one so deep that the inner layer of glass is damaged;
• the crack is long and still spreading;
• the glass has been struck hard enough to bend or come away from the frame.

Glass choice: matched by VIN, OEM or aftermarket

Two cars of the same model and year can need different windshields. One may have a rain sensor, a heated wiper area or a mount for the camera; the other may not. That is why Impex checks the part by VIN before it is ordered: the VIN tells the supplier how the car was built.

Impex offers both OEM glass and high-quality aftermarket glass. OEM glass matches the vehicle’s original specifications; aftermarket glass can differ slightly in thickness, clarity or sensor fit. For cars with ADAS, glass that meets the manufacturer’s specification matters more, because the camera looks through it. Impex’s technicians recommend the option for your car, and the quote says which glass it is. The article on why the VIN decides your windshield goes through the features that change the part.

Urethane and the first 24 hours

A windshield is not held in by its trim. It is bonded to the body with urethane adhesive, and that bond is part of how the car protects you. The Auto Glass Safety Council says the windshield and side glass are part of the passenger restraint system and must be installed properly for airbags to deploy safely, and that the windshield helps keep occupants inside the car in a crash.

The industry standard for replacement is ANSI/AGSC/AGRSS 005-2022. The Council defines the minimum drive-away time as the length of time the vehicle should stay put after an installation to allow proper bonding, and says it varies with the type and brand of adhesive, the weather at the time and other factors. There is no single number for every job, which is why the technician gives you the time for yours. The drive-away time guide explains it in full.

For the first day Impex asks drivers not to wash the car or slam the doors, and to avoid harsh bumps. Leave the tape the technician puts on until you are told to remove it.

Camera calibration after the new glass

Many newer cars carry a forward facing camera at the top of the windshield. I-CAR says that camera runs lane departure warning, collision braking and adaptive cruise control, and lists removing the windshield as one of the events that can require the camera to be aimed. For one example, the 2019 Subaru Forester’s EyeSight camera lists a removed or replaced windshield as a calibration event. Requirements vary by year, make and model, so the procedure is looked up for each car.

A static calibration uses targets set in front of the parked car and a scan tool. A dynamic calibration drives the car at or below a set speed for a time or distance, ideally on dry roads without heavy traffic or many curves. Some cameras need both. Impex says it completes both static and dynamic calibrations in one visit, and that most take between 30 minutes and 2 hours. If your car’s procedure needs the shop, Impex tells you when you book. More on ADAS camera calibration.

Concord windshield replacement and your insurance

In North Carolina glass damage normally falls under comprehensive coverage, which the NC Department of Insurance calls Other Than Collision. Its list of comprehensive losses includes breakage of glass and missiles or falling objects, and the coverage pays less any deductible. NC has no zero-deductible glass law, so your comprehensive deductible applies unless your policy has its own glass terms. Some policies include full glass coverage; check yours.

Under G.S. 58-3-180 you choose who repairs your vehicle, and the insurer owes the same amount whichever shop you pick. A comprehensive glass claim is not an at-fault accident, so it does not add Safe Driver Incentive Plan points, though your insurer may look at how often you claim. Impex says it works with all major insurance providers and can handle the claim with your insurer. The NC windshield replacement insurance page goes through a claim step by step.

Before the van arrives

• Park on a level spot with room to open both front doors. A garage is ideal if rain is likely.
• Take dash cameras, toll transponders and parking tags off the glass.
• Clear the dashboard and the front seats.
• Have the keys ready: the technician may need to run the car for calibration.
• If you are claiming, have your policy number or claim number to hand.

Concord roads and the stone that breaks windshields

Concord’s main roads carry a lot of traffic at speed. I-85 is eight lanes through the city, I-485 runs southwest of Concord along the Cabarrus-Mecklenburg line and meets US 29 by Concord Mills and Charlotte Motor Speedway, and US 29, US 601 and NC 73 run through Concord itself. On roads like these a stone thrown from a tire or a load has little time to slow down.

North Carolina treats loose stone as a hazard. G.S. 20-116(g) requires trucks over 7,500 pounds carrying rock, gravel or stone to keep the load six inches below the sides and covered with a tarp. If a truck sheds stone onto your glass, note the time, the place and anything you can read on the truck before you call your insurer.

Does a cracked windshield fail the NC inspection?

North Carolina’s annual safety inspection, under G.S. 20-183.3, checks the windshield wipers, not the glass itself, and the wiper rule (19A NCAC 03D .0536) fails wipers that do not work or cannot clear the windshield. A crack in your line of sight is still a safety problem. G.S. 20-135 also requires safety glass in the windshield of an NC-registered vehicle made on or after January 1, 1936, and a laminated windshield is what keeps the glass in one piece when it breaks.

What Impex customers say on Google

Impex Auto Glass, Greensboro: 4.9 on Google from 425 reviews (October 2026). Read the reviews on Google. The rating belongs to Impex’s Greensboro shop; Impex has no shop in Concord.

“Service was speedy and friendly. Highly recommend!” Sarah, Google review, October 2025

“I went in for a chip repair. The staff, from the front desk to the repair men, were welcoming, upbeat, friendly and could answer all of my questions. Would highly recommend!” Taylor, Google review, September 2025

Other glass on the same car

If the damage is not to the windshield, start with auto glass repair in Concord, NC, which covers door glass, quarter glass and back glass. If you want to know exactly how the van visit works and where it can go, read mobile auto glass in Concord. Harrisburg drivers have their own page on windshield replacement in Harrisburg, NC.

Questions people ask