What Is a Combination Break in a Windshield?
Reviewed by the Skyview Auto Glass technical team — NWRD-, ASE- and DINITROL-trained technicians · Updated November 2026
Quick answer
A combination break is a chip that has features of more than one type — most often a bullseye with radiating star legs. It forms when an impact both punches a cone and sends cracks outward. Whether it repairs depends on the size of the cone and how far the legs have run.
What makes a break a combination
A combination break is exactly what the name says: two or more break types in one impact. The common form is a bullseye with star legs running out of it, but it can also pair a half-moon with radiating cracks or a pit with a short crack. The mixed damage is what sets it apart from a clean single-type chip.
These breaks form when a stone hits hard enough to both crater the glass and drive cracks outward. The force punches a cone and then sends legs across the surface, so the technician has to fill the cone and bond each leg in one repair.
Repairability comes down to size and leg length. A combination break under about quarter size with short legs often repairs; longer legs or a break through both glass layers usually means the windshield is replaced.
Combination break repairability
| Feature | Usually repairable? |
|---|---|
| Bullseye with short legs, under quarter size | Often yes |
| Bullseye with legs over about six inches | Usually no |
| Break through both glass layers | No |
| Damage in the driver’s direct sight line | Usually no |
| Leg reaching the edge of the glass | Usually no |
What affects whether it repairs
- The size of the central cone.
- How many legs run out of it and how long they are.
- Whether the break reaches the edge of the glass.
- Whether it sits in the driver’s direct line of sight.
- Whether the inner glass layer is also cracked.
Repair it while the legs are short
A combination break is less predictable than a clean bullseye because the legs can run. Repairing it early, while the legs are short and the cone is clean, gives the resin the best chance to bond every part of the break.
More questions about combination breaks
Can a combination break be repaired?
Often, when the cone is under about quarter size and the legs are short. Longer legs, edge damage, or a break through both layers usually mean replacement.
What is a combination break in a windshield?
A single impact that creates two break types at once, most often a bullseye with radiating star legs. The mixed damage is harder to repair than one type alone.
Is a combination chip worse than a bullseye?
Usually. The radiating legs can run, so it is less predictable than a clean bullseye. Repairing it early, while the legs are short, gives the best result.
Related guides
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