Which window, and can it be fixed?
What Is Quarter Glass (Quarter Window) on a Car?
Maybe a glass shop used the term and you nodded along. Quarter glass is simple once you know where to look. Here is what it is, where it sits and what happens when it breaks.
It is the smaller side window behind the rear door or beside the cargo area, and it is replaced as a single piece of glass.
Quarter glass, also called a quarter window or quarter panel glass, is a smaller window on the side of a vehicle that is not part of a door. It sits in the body of the car, in the section roughly over the rear wheel area, which is where the name comes from. On a sedan, you will see a small piece beside the rear door window. On a coupe, it is the window behind the door. On an SUV, a wagon or a minivan, it is the window behind the last door, near the rear seat or the cargo space.
Most quarter glass is fixed, which means it does not move. It is set into the opening and bonded in place, and it is there to let light in and to give you a view of the side and rear. A good number of vehicles also have quarter glass that is a little larger and rounder, especially in vans and SUVs, and some of those have a darker factory shade for privacy. Some vehicles have quarter windows that open, either by sliding or by popping out on a hinge. If yours moves, tell us when you text, so we can confirm we can handle that exact piece for your vehicle.
What it is made of depends on the vehicle. Most quarter glass is tempered, which means when it breaks, it breaks into small pieces. Some vehicles use laminated glass here instead. You can check by finding the small stamp in a lower corner of the window, which names the type.
The reason quarter glass breaks is the same as any side window. Rocks and debris, a break-in, a basketball, a heavy door slam, a tree limb in a storm, or a flaw that grows with Georgia heat. Because it does not roll up and down, it is less likely to be damaged by wear and more likely by impact. When it breaks, the pieces can fall into the body panel behind the window, much like glass falling inside a door, and they are not always easy to reach. That is part of why replacement has to be done carefully.
Quarter glass cannot be repaired. Tempered glass cannot be patched, and a chip in it is a risk that can fail without warning. Replacement is the answer. We replace quarter glass, we come to your home or workplace, and the estimate is free by vehicle. Text us a photo of the window and your VIN, and we tell you what your vehicle uses.
Quarter glass at a glance
- Where: the side of the vehicle, behind the rear door or beside the cargo area
- Usually fixed in place, but a few vehicles have ones that open
- Most are tempered, so they cannot be repaired
- Replaced as one piece, to match your vehicle
The estimate for quarter glass is free and is based on your vehicle. See our page on what changes the cost of quarter glass replacement for the details. The VIN is how we make sure we are pricing the exact piece.
Questions Drivers Ask
Is quarter glass the same as a quarter panel?
No. The quarter panel is the metal body section over the rear wheel. Quarter glass is the window set into it. People sometimes say quarter panel glass for the same window.
Does quarter glass open?
On most vehicles it is fixed and does not move. A few have quarter windows that slide or pop open. If yours opens, tell us when you text so we can confirm we can handle the exact piece.
Can a cracked quarter window be repaired?
No. Most are tempered glass, and tempered glass cannot be repaired. It gets replaced.
Does my vehicle even have quarter glass?
Almost certainly. Most sedans, coupes, SUVs, wagons and vans have at least one on each side. A photo of your vehicle from the side is enough for us to see what you have.
The Service That Handles This
Broken Side or Back Window?
Call or text a photo and we will tell you straight what your window needs and what it costs. We come to your home or work across Cumming and Forsyth County.