MOT Regulations

[Jawloms]

Does anyone know where I can find the proper regulations about what does and doesn't pass an MOT when it comes to windscreens please? The garage have failed my car because of a chip in the screen which is about 11mm. According to my mate who's a screen fitter and has paperwork about what will pass an MOT (although this is just his employers paperwork, not necessarily official regs), you are allowed up to 10mm in zone A. Zone A is 290mm wide above the centre of the steering wheel within the wiper sweep. About 3-4mm of my chip is outside the wiper sweep making it zone D and you're allowed chips or cracks as big as you like in zone D. I'm after actual guidance rather than more people's opinions on this. I've googled it and not managed to find anything, and VOSA's website doesn't seem to have anything either.

 

I'm tempted to just take it to a couple of other garages and ask if they'd pass it. If they will then paying them to MOT my car will be less than replacing the screen and getting a re-test at the original garage.

 

Thank you

 

Stuart

[FN-GM]

If it has a chip you can get it repaired for free with autoglass. Once you have done that take it back and they will pass it.

 

http://www.autoglass.co.uk/Glass-repair-and-replacement.186.0.html

 

To be honest i am pretty sure you fail with a chip because it can easily turn to a crack.

[tech_guy]

Yes, I was just going to say Autoglass - free and it doesn't mess up your car insurance. They did an amazing job on my wife's car when she had a suicide pigeon fly head-first into the screen when she was doing 50 on a bypass.

[Jawloms]

Probably should have mentioned - the chip has already been repaired once so can't be re-repaired..

[powdarrmonkey]

Probably should have mentioned - the chip has already been repaired once so can't be re-repaired..

 

Who by? if it was Autoglass, their repair is guaranteed for the duration of your ownership of the vehicle.

[plexer]

Our quality & guarantee - Autoglass® UK

 

doesn't actually say what the guarantee covers.

 

Thing is though even if part of it is in Zone D does the fact that the centre of the chip is in Zone A make it a Zone A chip regardless?

 

Ben

[Jawloms]

It wasn't Autoglass who did the repair.

 

Thing is though even if part of it is in Zone D does the fact that the centre of the chip is in Zone A make it a Zone A chip regardless?

 

Ben

 

This is what I can't find in any official regs.

[maniac]

This is from a popular motoring forum. I can't garuntee the accuracy of the information, but it seems to tally with what I thought.

 

WINDSCREEN

- Chips or cracks in the windscreen directly in front of the driver, in the area swept by the wiper blades, are acceptable if they are less than 10mm in diameter.

- In thae rest of the swept area up to 40mm damage is acceptable.

- Official stickers (parking permits, tax disc etc) in the swept area in front of the driver will fail if they are more than 10mm in diameter (40mm elsewhere).

 

There nothing regarding chips which fall half in one zone and half in another as far as I know, so most MOT testers are going to be cautious about this, after all it's their testing license at risk if they do it wrong.

 

Of course the easiest way is to fit a slightly shorter pair of wipers to the car, then the entire chip will be in Zone D.

 

Mike.

Edited October 15, 2010 by maniac

[HarryMonkey]

MOT testing manuals and guides

 

Here's the official MOT guide.

[jsnetman]

I was told to remove my sat nav holder from the screen as it constitutes a fail.

[Jawloms]

Of course the easiest way is to fit a slightly shorter pair of wipers to the car, then the entire chip will be in Zone D.

 

Mike.

 

That's what I thought, but the tester says that's not right as they use an overlay. However the link that stevenewman posted (thank you) says 'Swept area' so shorter wiper blades should enable the pass.

 

I've had a good relationship with the garage for a lot of years so may try talking to the boss. Whilst I am not going to be daft enough to ask him to jeopardise his MOTing licence, he's good for helping resolve problems.

[Jawloms]

In case this is a problem for anyone else, it appears that it is correct that the area covered by the MOT is the swept area, therefore if you buy shorter wiper blades because there is a chip right on the edge of your swept area, it will no longer be in the sweep so will pass.

[HarryMonkey]

Glad to hear it all worked out for you.