Microstructure of weld‐lines in injection‐molded polypropylene was characterized using polarized laser Raman spectroscopy, micro‐cutting analysis, and fracture testing. A coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulation was conducted to understand the structure–property relationship. The effect of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution on the weld‐line structure and mechanical properties were investigated. Property reductions induced by weld‐lines were evaluated by the double‐edge‐notched tensile method as a property ratio for a stress intensity factor of welded specimen to nonwelded one. It was revealed that the significant reduction induced by the weld‐line was caused by increasing molecular weight or broadening molecular weight distribution. Using polarized laser Raman spectroscopy, it was observed that molecular orientation in the weld‐line was not a dominant cause of the property reduction within these materials. The micro‐cutting analysis revealed that the property reduction was closely related to the reduction of the shear strength observed in the area below the surface V‐notch. Based on the coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulation, the reduction of the mechanical property in broader molecular weight distribution polypropylene was considered to be responsible for a lack of entanglement owing to the chain segregation of low‐molecular‐weight molecules in the weld‐line interface. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 53:2336–2344, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers