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I discovered a chip about 0.5" long right in the center of my windshield on my '06 Tacoma. I want to take care of this properly and quickly before the fall turns into winter and the chip propagates into crack. I don't mind paying to have it repaired and sealed as long as it is done right and I don't have to worry about again. But is it worth it to pay to have it done, I know there are kits that are available to do it yourself. So I would like to know if anyone has done the repair themselves? How did it turn out and how is it done properly? It seems that you would want to expel any moisture out of the crack, is this a concern and how is it done if necessary?
Put a piece of clear tape over it and have it professionally done. I was in the same situation as you were a few years ago but I can't remember exactly why I ruled out DIY kits.
Many insurance policies with comprehensive coverage will cover the full cost of windshield chip repair, no deductible. (They will not, however, fully cover a full-blown crack.) I'd look into this with your insurance company first before trying to DIY. Even if they don't cover it, I'd still look into having it done professionally. It's not that much -- somewhere in the $100 range IIRC.
Depends on the value of your car, how particular you are about the work, how handy you are - in principle you should be able to get a good DIY repair.
If you have full coverage insurance on this car, frequently they will pay for windshield repair since they would be on the hook for replacement if the crack spreads.
Avoid putting your defroster on full hot full blast, I have seen this crack an otherwise undamaged windshield. Buddy of mine in Idaho had a Supra, roughly 82, 83 model, maybe a year or two old at the time. We started out for work, both of us Navy nukes so have had all the materials training, I had commented to him several times about his habit of blasting the windshield with heat, the car had been outside so it was 20F or colder...anyway he says that "it don't matter" or some such, and sure enough the damn thing cracks, big long crack across the bottom 1/4 of the glass...Thermal expansion, thermal shock, etc. etc.
Sometimes the repair is successful, especially if done by a professional, other times, its not.
My aunt had a 1990 Lexus LS400 that had a rock chip with a small crack. My uncle had a glass repair shop come over to "repair" it. The next morning, it was cracked all the way across!
Yeah, get it taken care of soon... as you know, cracks dont like temperature changes... I had a 1992 Acura Legend that had a small crack across the bottom. One hot day in early March of 2006 or 2007, I had the car parked in a pretty big "bind", which combined with the heat was enough to spread the crack all the way across and naturally up across my line of sight. Normally, the cracks slowly grow, but this thing darted like a bullet. Strange, but two weeks later, out of nowhere my back door glass shattered. I sold the car at a discount to a guy in Alabama. Not sure what ever happened to that car, but I regret selling it.
Some cars have tougher glass it seems. My dad had an 88 Nissan truck that my uncle had accidentally let the windshield wiper (without the blade on it) smack down on the glass in 2000. It put like a "spider looking" crack where it hit.... that crack never did spread to my amazement, even when my dad sold it in 2008, the cracks had not spread. Strange that was.
i've had several taken care of over the years (always free. thank you insurance!) and have yet to have it give me an issue later on. let the pros handle this.
I used a DIY kit myself (cost less than $10) for a small chip 2 years ago and it hasn't spread yet. A half inch crack is a whole other issue though. I would get a professional out for that. Regardless it will cost a heck of a lot less than having to replace the windshield later on.
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Normally, the cracks slowly grow, but this thing darted like a bullet. Strange, but two weeks later, out of nowhere my back door glass shattered. 
I sold the car at a discount to a guy in Alabama. Not sure what ever happened to that car, but I regret selling it.
