How to Cover Broken Rear Car Window

If your rear window is broken, you’ll want to cover it up as soon as possible. There are many ways to do this without spending a lot of money. You can use a large tarp and some bungee cords to create an instant car cover from the vehicle’s inside.

How to Cover Broken Rear Car Window

Here in this article, we have given some more tips on how to cover broken rear car windows so that they don’t get damaged from any potential stormy weather! 

Tools Required to Cover Broken Rear Car Window

There are a few basic tools and materials that you can find around the house that will help protect your car windows from further damage. The supplies you’ll need include:

  • Heavy-duty plastic sheet
  • Bungee cords or rope
  • Permanent markers
  • Scissors

Step by Step Guide: How to Cover Broken Rear Car Window 

Step 1: Remove the Broken Glass

You’ll need to remove some auto glass to inspect the damage. Use a hammer, chisel, or other tools to loosen the remaining pieces. Wear gloves and eye extra protection while performing this task, as shattered glass is dangerous.

Step 2: Cover Broken Rear Car Window with Plastic Sheet

Use two bungee cords or ropes to tie the piece of plastic over the window. This will prevent any pieces of tempered glass from falling out and injuring you. If multiple windows have been damaged, tie each separately with a bungee cord or rope.

Step 3: Place Paper on the Outside of the Rear Car Window

Use permanent markers to write “broken glass does not open” or something similar on the piece of paper you’re using. Place this directly on top of the plastic sheeting covering the damaged part of your rear window. This will help people cut while in your vehicle and prevent debris from getting in the car.

Step 4: Clean Around the Window

The next step is to clean the window. Using a vacuum or broom, sweep any broken glass and debris away from where it fell on the ground. This will help prevent anyone from stepping on sharp glass pieces while in your car.

Step 5: Replace With New Glass

If you’re planning to replace the damaged rear window, you can go ahead and do so at this time. However, you will need to take the car to a professional if you’re not sure how, as it is important to replace the entire glass properly for safety reasons.

Step 6: Add Insulation

After replacing the window, add insulation around the edges of the new part to help prevent further damage from the elements. This simple process can be completed within an hour or so.

Step 7: Clean Car Interior

Take some time to clean the inside of your car after replacing the window. Stained fabric and dirt leftover from replacing the glass should be removed, as it’s important to keep your vehicle clean at all times.

Cleaning Car Interior

Step 8: Secure the Plastic Covering

Place the second piece of plastic over the rear window to help keep debris and moisture away from your vehicle. Secure this with bungee cords or ropes exactly as you did with the first sheeting.

Step 9: Seal the Window Covering

Seal the plastic covering by applying weather-resistant spray around all edges of the window. This will help keep water out of your vehicle and prevent mold or mildew from growing.

Step 10: Test for Leaks

After completing your work, test to ensure no leaks or loose edges anywhere on the window coverings. You can test again after it rains or when you wash your vehicle. If there are any leaks, you may have to remove the covering and adjust it; this is why testing is important!

Step 11: Check Your Work

Check your work over once more to ensure everything was done properly. Please make sure the rainproofing spray has dried before you drive your vehicle to test it. If there are any problems, make the necessary repairs.

Step 12: Add a Second Layer on the Outside of the Rear Car Window

Add a second layer to the outside of your vehicle’s window if you’ve had to remove the glass and replace it. This will help protect the replacement glass and keep moisture out of your car. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to keep your vehicle safe.

Step 13: Replace Broken Car Window Glass

If you decide that a new piece of glass is the best option for replacing your damaged rear window, follow these steps to ensure everything is done correctly. You will need to take the car to a professional if you are not confident in your skills.

Replacing Broken Car Window Glass

Some Tips to Temporarily Cover a Broken Car Window

  • Use a piece of plastic or other clear material to cover the window. Tape it down on all sides, and put something underneath it so you can operate the door without any problems. This may not last long but will hold for an hour or two while you shop for your replacement glass.
  • Use a backpack or coat to cover the blown-out rear window. While this won’t fully protect anyone from sharp pieces of glass or debris, it will protect them from getting cut on a long drive to a store that sells temporary window replacement. Again, it’s not ideal for most situations but might work well if you can’t find plastic sheeting anywhere.
  • Use duct tape and other strong pieces to create a temporary cover. This may not be the best option for keeping out debris, but it can help protect you from any glass that might fly off if your car goes over a bump while driving.
  • Use cardboard and additional tape to cover the entire window frame. Poke holes in the cardboard to allow air and tape it to the window. This will work well for short trips, and you can replace the glass when you reach your destination.
  • Clean the window before covering it. A dirty or wet surface will make it much harder to keep moisture and debris out.
  • Replace the broken glass window as soon as possible, even if you must drive around for a few hours before taking your car in. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and driving without proper driver window protection could cost you a lot of money or even your life down the road.
  • 7. Don’t remove pieces of broken glass from the inside of your vehicle until you’ve reached your destination. It’s much safer and will protect you from getting cut if there is still sharp glass in the broken side window frame.

Why Should You Cover Your Broken Car Window?

If you have broken glass in your window, there is a good chance that rain and debris will get into your vehicle. If not, the broken pieces of the window could fly out at any time.

Debris Will Get Into Your Vehicle

This can be very dangerous, especially if you are driving on a highway when it happens. You might hit another car or lose control of your own vehicle, which can lead to an accident that causes injuries or fatalities.

Dos and Don’ts of Covering a Broken Car Window

Dos:

  • Always leave the area where the rear car window is broken as clean as you found it.
  • Cover the broken glass with a sheet of plywood and some masking tape to prevent sharp edges that can injure people or pets.
  • Have a spare temporary window cover in your vehicle to replace the plywood non-covered broken window with a new or used window.
  • Do drive as safely as possible with a plywood-covered broken car window while using layers of duct tape to secure the plywood in place.

Don’t:

  • Don’t completely cover your rear car’s entire window perimeter with sheets of plywood because it will be difficult to see out of your vehicle in an emergency.
  • Don’t try to drive with a sheet of plywood covering your broken rear car window because it will likely fall out, and there could be an accident.
  • Don’t put replacement glass in the back seat of your vehicle in case passengers are injured by using them as weapons.
Covered Broken Car Window

Things To Consider When Covering a Broken Car Window

  • You can’t just take any rug or cloth and cover your broken window. The material needs to be thick enough not to rip easily yet thin enough to have good visibility. Thin, strong enough fabrics, such as a vinyl curtain or nylon, might work.
  • You will have to take the time and effort to correctly place the fabric over your broken car glass so that it does not come off when you drive down the road. This is especially important if you get caught in some bad weather while driving with this temporary fix.
  • If you see that the fabric is starting to rip or get holes in it, you will need to remove it and replace it with a new piece of material before your window breaks again.
  • You should consider taking another person with you if you plan on covering your broken rear car window because they can help you place the material on your back window and hold it so that it does not fall off.
  • If you cannot find anything to cover your broken rear car window, you should consider going to a fabric store or an auto parts shop to buy something.
  • You can’t use some materials people usually think of to cover broken windows. For example, do not use blankets because they will fray and rip very easily as you drive down the road. Also, you cannot use towels that are not made of a microfiber material or something similar because they are too thin and will tear very quickly.
Too Thin and Will Tear Very Quickly
  • If your car is old, it is possible that your back window does not have any cloth or vinyl covering it. If you have this type of glass, you will need to find some material for repairing windows to cover your broken rear car window effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which Plastic Is Best for Covering Car Windows?

A: There are plastic materials to choose from when you want to cover a broken window. The most common type is vinyl material which comes in many different colors and patterns. This might be the best choice because it offers good visibility while protecting you from all the rain, hail, sleet, snow, and debris that will get inside your car if you do not cover your broken window.

Just keep in mind that this material can get very hot if you are parked outside in the heat of the summer or cold, so make sure that you have a good amount of ventilation inside your vehicle before choosing vinyl material to cover your broken car window.

Q: Can You Drive a Car Without Rear Window?

A: No, you cannot drive a car with a broken back window, but there are times when it is necessary to do this to keep yourself and your passengers safe. When this is the case, you must get the problem fixed as soon as possible to protect yourself if something happens. There are times when it is not safe to drive at all.

So, unless you are in a hurry, you should pull over where there is plenty of room and cover your car window with any material you can find. You might even consider getting help from another person if the breakage of your back window is on the passenger side or if you have an SUV. It can be extremely challenging to cover a broken car window or windshield on your own, as it requires stretching and bending over while trying to keep the material in place without damaging it.

Conclusion

When you have a broken rear car window, it can be difficult to know the best course of action. You might think your only option is expensive glass repair services or having an auto body shop replace the entire windshield and backglass for you. However, we’re here to tell you that many other options are available!

Replace the Entire Windshield

We’ve put together these techniques in these blog posts on how to cover broken rear car windows until you take the time out to get them fixed by professionals.  We recommend reading these posts if you are looking for a way to cover your broken rear window. Let us know if you need help finding an option that works well with your vehicle!

Louis Wein

Louis Wein

Louis has always been fascinated by cars. He loves the way they look, the sound of the engine, and how they make him feel when he's driving. He is always keen to learn more about different mechanics of cars and how the engine contributes to other aspects of the car. As an automotive technician with over 10 years of experience, he knew how they worked and loved taking them apart to see how they went back together. He was especially interested in the mechanics of combustion engines and loved finding ways to make them more efficient. He loves to work on cars and help people keep their vehicles running smoothly. As a senior editor, he enjoys contributing to Diy quickly because it allows him to share his knowledge and expertise with others.

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