Getting An MOT

venomx

A few hairline scratches on the windscreen aren't a problem for the MOT are they ?

AdrianC

venomx said:

A few hairline scratches on the windscreen aren't a problem for the MOT are they ?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/3-visibility#section-3-2

"Failure for damage is only justified if the damage significantly affects the driver’s view of the road."

3.2(a) Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured:

(i) but not adversely affecting driver’s view - Minor
(ii) and affecting the driver’s view of the road or of an obligatory external mirror - Major

3.2(c) Windscreen or window:

(i) in an unacceptable condition e.g. due to excessive scratching - Major
(ii) in such a condition that visibility through swept area is seriously affected - Dangerous

Grumpy_chap

venomx said:

A few hairline scratches on the windscreen aren't a problem for the MOT are they ?

Very hard to say on an internet forum, especially without a photo (but it will be very hard to take a photo as well).  

Can you assess against the following requiremenst:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/3-visibility

venomx

Thanks guys
No it doesn't affect the view at all, it's one hairline scratch which I cannot even feel on either side of the windscreen. So hopefully it's ok

venomx

On the GOV website provided above, it says " damage in windscreen zone A more than 10mm in diameter "

Does that mean thickness or the length of the scratch ?

Grumpy_chap

venomx said:

On the GOV website provided above, it says " damage in windscreen zone A more than 10mm in diameter "

Does that mean thickness or the length of the scratch ?

Yes, that is written in the context of a stone chip, so the damage is broadly circular.

Hopefully others can advise how that is interpreted for a scratch.

neilmcl

venomx said:

Passenger side seems fine - 14" blade
Drivers side is a 24" 

Does it matter (  for the drivers side one )  which side is left or right ?? Or can the blade below fit left or right ( on the drivers side )

The two holes either side of the central pin are different sizes, so yes it does matter which way it goes round. In theory there should be a front and back side to the wiper blade.

TimSynths

Nobbie1967 said:

You forgot the bit when the old wiper blade suddenly comes off in your hand leaving the wiper arm to spring back onto the windscreen cracking it. Luckily it was the girlfriends car

Yes! I did this twice in six months 20 years ago. I now lay a flat piece of cardboard across the screen and take extra care. A valuable lesson learnt.

I replace mine every year and get them from-

Home — Windscreen Wipers | Suppliers of Quality Windscreen Wiper Blades

venomx

neilmcl said:

venomx said:

Passenger side seems fine - 14" blade
Drivers side is a 24" 

Does it matter (  for the drivers side one )  which side is left or right ?? Or can the blade below fit left or right ( on the drivers side )

The two holes either side of the central pin are different sizes, so yes it does matter which way it goes round. In theory there should be a front and back side to the wiper blade.

OK thanks. With these blades they come with two attachments ( that then clip onto the wiper arm ) I don't use the pins at all with mine as it uses a traditional " J-Hook  " style.

Either way I cannot for the life of me take them off and switch them round, so I'll ask the mechanic when I get the MOT next week

facade

I had to take the complete wiper arm off last time, there was no way the clip was coming apart with it on the car, it ended up in the vice so I could get some force onto it.

I've been working on cars & bikes for over 40 years now. Rebuild a gearbox and shim the endfloat? easy. Sort the preload and mesh of a diff? I'll do it after lunch, set the valve timing on a 4 cam vee-twin? I'll do it with one hand behind my back, but give me the "most trivial and simplest job" e.g. "just press the catch and the connector pulls apart" or "hold in the clip and the wiper blade will slide off" and I find it impossible, and usually break something