Autoglass damaged windscreen but MOT expiring

hermante

There is a crack near the top of my windscreen which is not in the driver's view or in the swept area of the wipers.

The crack appeared 3 weeks ago. I haven't driven since then as not needed to go anywhere in the car and also because of the fuel issue. I think it is still legal to drive but I don't want to risk the crack widening.

I booked a replacement windscreen using my insurers Aviva, who directed me to Autoglass. The earliest appointment was today.

At the appointment Autoglass said the replacement glass they received was damaged, so they could not do the work. They have ordered the glass again.

However, the car's MOT expires soon. The Autoglass employee said he thinks it will still pass the MOT, but he isn't sure as he is not an MOT tester. The car dealership where I have the test booked, understandably won't commit to saying it will pass based on a photo.

Currently Autoglass does not know when the new windscreen will arrive or when they can rebook me in. If they are unable to replace the glass before the MOT expires, I'm not sure what to do. As I see it I have 2 options:

1) I could take it to the booked MOT with the crack, but if it fails it would be illegal for me to drive from the MOT centre to Autoglass

2) I could rebook the MOT for after the glass is replaced, but:

a) after the current MOT expires, it would be illegal for me to store the car on the road (I have no driveway)

b) while it is legal to drive to a pre-booked MOT, not sure if 15 miles on a motorway is acceptable (the car came with a service plan at the dealership)

Also should Aviva help out in some way as their approved agent for glass replacements Autoglass has failed to do what they said they would?

JJ_Egan

Autoglass did not damage the windscreen .

Best check with your insurance company as they may have alternatives .

Personally i would drive to the MOT test asap and ask .

Bigphil1474

You might be better to share the picture so that those in the know can advise.

Don't think Aviva have any skin in the game. Not their fault Autoglass broke the replacement.

Vehicles don't have to be SORN for no MOT - only no tax or no insurance. 

https://www.gov.uk/sorn-statutory-off-road-notification 

facade

Take it to the booked MOT if there is no sign of the replacement before.

It shouldn't fail if it doesn't affect the drivers view, which it won't if it is outside the swept area and doesn't enlarge into it.

If it does fail then you still have the remaining time on the old MOT to keep you legal, although you will obviously need to get another MOT with a new windscreen.

BUT, if the crack enlarges and makes the car unroadworthy (because it affects the drivers vision) then it is illegal to drive it whether to a booked MOT or for any other purpose.

It isn't Aviva's fault that autoglass can't fix it in time.

NSG666

As JJ Egan has said, take it to the MOT garage now and ask them. If they say it will not pass then contact Aviva and see what they say - if Auto Glass cannot get the screen in time they might allow somewhere else to replace it.

Car_54

Bigphil1474 said:

Vehicles don't have to be SORN for no MOT - only no tax or no insurance. 

https://www.gov.uk/sorn-statutory-off-road-notification 

The OP didn't mention SORN, which would have been totally irrelevant.

. He simply said  "... after the current MOT expires, it would be illegal for me to store the car on the road ...", which is correct.

Ant555

According to the autoglass web site, the MOT would only be a problem if it was directly infront of the driver or it is in the sweep area - you say the crack is neither so if this is correct then MOT should be fine on this point.

https://www.autoglass.co.uk/glass-repair-and-replacement/windscreen-repair/mot-windscreen-rules-and-regulations/

• The windscreen is chipped or cracked. The maximum damage size is 10mm in the drivers’ line of vision (a vertical strip 290mm wide centred on the steering wheel), 40mm elsewhere in the rest of the area swept by the wiper blades.

https://www.glassdoctors.co.uk/will-my-windscreen-chip-pass-its-mot/

marlot

I'd ring the car dealer and ask if they can source an official branded screen.  Then I'd push Aviva hard to approve getting the dealership to do it whilst the car is with them.  The dealer probably get a windscreen firm in to do the fitting.

DB1904

hermante said:

There is a crack near the top of my windscreen which is not in the driver's view or in the swept area of the wipers.

The crack appeared 3 weeks ago. I haven't driven since then as not needed to go anywhere in the car and also because of the fuel issue. I think it is still legal to drive but I don't want to risk the crack widening.

I booked a replacement windscreen using my insurers Aviva, who directed me to Autoglass. The earliest appointment was today.

At the appointment Autoglass said the replacement glass they received was damaged, so they could not do the work. They have ordered the glass again.

However, the car's MOT expires soon. The Autoglass employee said he thinks it will still pass the MOT, but he isn't sure as he is not an MOT tester. The car dealership where I have the test booked, understandably won't commit to saying it will pass based on a photo.

Currently Autoglass does not know when the new windscreen will arrive or when they can rebook me in. If they are unable to replace the glass before the MOT expires, I'm not sure what to do. As I see it I have 2 options:

1) I could take it to the booked MOT with the crack, but if it fails it would be illegal for me to drive from the MOT centre to Autoglass

2) I could rebook the MOT for after the glass is replaced, but:

a) after the current MOT expires, it would be illegal for me to store the car on the road (I have no driveway)

b) while it is legal to drive to a pre-booked MOT, not sure if 15 miles on a motorway is acceptable (the car came with a service plan at the dealership)

Also should Aviva help out in some way as their approved agent for glass replacements Autoglass has failed to do what they said they would?

If it fails on the damaged screen it's isn't legal to drive it to the testing station. 

AdrianC

DB1904 said:

If it fails on the damaged screen it's isn't legal to drive it to the testing station. 

Yup, there's nothing magical about having a fail sheet in your hand. It just tells you that the expiry date of your old test still applies, and the car is no more or less legal to drive away than it was to drive there... even if there's a sea of "DANGEROUS" on the sheet...

Grey_Critic

The OP does not say how far off is the MOT expiry date - whilst you can drive a vehicle that has failed an MOT test before the expiry of the current test certificale the question has to be why it failed and can the fault fall under the category of *Driving an unroadworthy car?*