windscreen cracked

random44

guys,

should you change a cracked windscreen ?

mine is cracked but very small . i am worried that it may smash into pieces

thanks

torbrex

yes
not that it will smash into pieces but because it is illegal depending on size and location of the crack

UsernameAlreadyExists

It's very unlikely that it's smash into pieces, it'll just grow over time.

I had a stonechip extend ALL the way across the bottom of the my screen once and you could actually see it grow in little sections over the course of a few weeks depending on temperature changes and speed (wind pressure)

You'll need to get it changed for the next MOT though.

Foxy-Stoat_3

Please state the LAW that says about having a cracked windscreen...LOL

MOT requirement, get it done just before....it wont smash into a thousand pieces unless its a 1960's car with the original screen.

forgotmyname

Its cracked, It wont get any better.

Bonded in windscreens are a part of a modern cars structure, A cranked one will weaken that.

redux

Foxy-Stoat wrote: »

Please state the LAW that says about having a cracked windscreen...LOL

MOT requirement, get it done just before....it wont smash into a thousand pieces unless its a 1960's car with the original screen.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/30/made

"3) All glass or other transparent material fitted to a motor vehicle shall be maintained in such condition that it does not obscure the vision of the driver while the vehicle is being driven on a road."

Any single area of damage is usually taken to be too big if more than 10 mm across in a certain area directly in front of the driver, and more than 40 mm in the rest of the screen.

And although that's why it's inspected in the MOT test, you don't have permission to leave it until just before the next MOT.

People have been stopped by the police and asked to get the screen repaired or replaced.

UsernameAlreadyExists

A crack doesn't obscure vision.

If it does, then surely heated front screens must be "ILLEGAL" too because they've got lots of feint wavy lines that are impossible to see past.

GlynD

As long as the crack isn't in the line of sight and it's pretty small it's worth calling out a windscreen repair company. They will carry out a procedure which prevents the crack from extending and then fill it with resin so it's as strong as the screen. I've had it done on one car about 10 years ago.

fatbelly

Just about to get a replacement screen under insurance (Halifax) due to a 6-inch crack. One phone call, three day wait for the appointment, mobile service to come to my house on Friday.

There's a £75 excess to pay and I'm told it won't affect NCD.

Hope I've done the right thing as this is a first for me, though I have had repairs for screen chips before.

vaio

doesn't affect NCB but will need to be declared as a claim to future insurers and might affect future premiums

alun4

vaio wrote: »

doesn't affect NCB but will need to be declared as a claim to future insurers and might affect future premiums

I have a crack that is more than 6 inches but (so far) is totally contained within the dark hatched area by the mirror anchor. The last time I had a windscreen repair it sparked the windscreen excess (fair enough) but I had to remember the date and declare for 6 years. I always wondered why this was a requirement if it didn't influence the insurers computer models for the following years!

I'm not sure what to do with the present situation ..... Can it be mended without telling!