Is it mandatory to repair a broken windshield?

Q. My windshield broke in the last snowstorm. It seems to be an internal break and does not meet the surface outside or inside. If I do not get a new windshield, is it dangerous to drive? Also, is it illegal to drive it this way in Massachusetts?

A. Is it dangerous? The windshield is laminated glass, so it is really only an issue if something else hits the windshield because it is now weaker. Is it illegal? Yes. Cracks or chips larger than a quarter will fail inspection. Cracks within the wipers’ path would also fail. In some cases, a crack can obstruct your view of the road or cause glare. A police officer could potentially ticket you for unsafe equipment. I would try to get it repaired ASAP. In Massachusetts, if you have glass coverage as part of your insurance, the repairs are covered by your optional comprehensive insurance. 

Q. I own a 2006 Nissan Altima with 70,000 miles. During the last five years or so when I am stopped at a stop light, with my foot on the brake, my car will sometimes accelerate unexpectedly. It accelerates rather quickly. The more I press on the brake, the faster it goes. I have brought the car to my local Nissan dealer and my local Goodyear shop where I get my repairs done. I am always told there is nothing wrong with the brakes. Have you ever heard of this happening? If there is nothing wrong with the brakes, what else could the problem be?

A. Doing a little research, there are no known problems with these vehicles with unattended acceleration. Typically when we see this the issue is related to the fuel system. The engine can get a false signal and the car’s computer speeds the engine up to compensate for what is perceived as extra load. Other issues are the throttle itself, or even a floor mat that gets caught up in the pedals. In nearly every car that I road tested the brakes are able to overcome the throttle. Although anything is possible, I will say, the cases that I have researched on this issue have usually been traced back to the driver. Pedal misapplication or the unintentional or accidental pressing of the wrong pedal. At this point since no one can find anything wrong it would be wise to report the issue.

Q. I wrote to you a while back concerning a whistling noise issue with my 2025 Hyundai Tucson. Although you did not have an answer, the advice of taking someone from the dealership on a demonstration ride solved the problem. The whistle was caused by the roof rack cross bars. Like clockwork, when my vehicle reached 60 miles per hour, the whistling would occur. I think it may have been compounded by the fact that when I purchased the vehicle, the dealership had installed the cross bars incorrectly. 

A. Thanks for the update. You may also find your fuel economy goes up slightly. We tested several vehicles years back and saw a decrease in the fuel economy by up to 10 percent with roof rack cross bars installed.

Q. I have a 2013 Mercedes Benz ML 350. The Blind Side indicator is more often unavailable than available. The new car dealer I occasionally use wanted over $3,000 to repair. Sometimes it is available on startup, sometimes not.  Often it will fail during a drive. Is it an electronic control or sensor issue? Is there an alternative such as isolation/replacement of a defective part?

A. There’s no easy answer on this. The system is intertwined with the collision warning sensor, so it has many parts, and they are all connected through a CAN (computer network). The first thing that needs to be performed is a scan of all the modules and see if there is a code (this will not show up as a check engine light). It could be anything from a faulty sensor in the bumper to a front collision sensor that is misaligned due to a slight parking lot bump with another car. You need to start with the module scan first. There are a dozen interconnected modules. The problem is the issue may not be anything that makes sense. Recently I was looking at a VW. The car had several warnings on the dash, one was for the passenger side airbag. The issue was the antilock brake sensor was faulty. When this happened, it pulled down communications with the CAN. Always best to diagnose first and not guess.

Q. Our 2019 VW Beetle is developing a whistling sound at highway speeds. We do not know which door/window is the culprit. Before I bring it to the dealer’s attention on my next visit, I would much rather hear a possible cause from you first, thus avoiding possible runaround from the dealership.

A. There is no known or common cause of a wind noise on this model. So, some diagnosis is necessary, and you could try to do it yourself. Start the car and with the heater fan set to high close all the doors and windows. Now take a spray bottle of very sudsy soapy water and spray around the doors, windows, windshield and look for small bubbles. Find the bubbles, find the leak. If it has a sunroof, look at that too. I have had good luck using this method. 

John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE-certified master technician. E-mail your Car Doctor question to [email protected]. Listen to the Car Doctor podcast at johnfpaul.podbean.com.