Is a Cracked Windscreen an MOT Failure?

Reading Time: 4 minutes

You can fail an MOT for a variety of reasons, with some being more obvious than others. An MOT is designed to test the overall roadworthiness of your vehicle, so it’s not simply limited to checking the condition of your tyres or your engine.

A windscreen chip or crack on your windscreen can, depending on various factors, have an impact on your MOT result. In this article, we’re looking at exactly what a cracked windscreen means for your annual check up, as well as taking a look at how damage to side windows and wing mirrors can have an effect.

Is a Cracked Windscreen an MOT Failure?

Can a cracked windscreen fail an MOT?

Taking a car with a cracked windscreen in for an MOT can quite easily result in a failure. There are two deciding factors when it comes to assessing a cracked windscreen during an MOT:

  • Size of the damage
  • Location of the chip/crack

If the damage is located in the driver’s line of vision, you are likely to fail your MOT. Larger chips and cracks in other areas of the windscreen won’t pass. So, if there is a damage of 40mm in size anywhere on your windscreen, this will cause an immediate MOT failure.

Worried about your cracked windscreen and how it will affect your upcoming MOT?

Cracked windscreen penalty points

For an MOT, your windscreen is divided into zones. These zones have separate regulations for chips and cracks.

Zone A refers to the section of the windscreen directly in front of the driver. The centre of this zone is located above the steering wheel. You will fail your MOT if there are any chips or cracks present in this area measuring over 10mm in diameter.

The rest of the windscreen is labelled as Zone B. As a rule, if there is damage measuring over 40mm in diameter anywhere else on the windscreen, you will fail your MOT. The key difference between the two zones is the location. Small chips in the driver’s line of view can limit visibility, posing a serious driving hazard, which is less of an issue elsewhere on the windscreen.

While chips in Zone B might not constitute a fail, they will be noted by your tester. Even the smallest chips can quickly develop into something more serious, so it’s always recommended to have a small chip or crack repaired as soon as possible.

MOTs and your windscreen

A cracked windscreen isn’t the only thing your tester will be on the lookout for. An MOT also takes into account the condition of your windscreen wipers.

If your wipers have come loose, are damaged, or do not work to an effective standard, then you will fail your MOT.

Windscreen wipers play a vital role in road safety; they keep the windscreen clear from obstruction. If they are unable to do this properly, even the shortest drive can be dangerous to undertake.

One thing that is easy to forget about is your windscreen washer fluid. The washers work with your wipers to keep your windscreen clean and clear from debris. You will fail an MOT if there isn’t enough washer fluid, or if the nozzles are blocked or impeded.

Your wipers and washers will be tested during an MOT, so it’s definitely worth checking both beforehand. They are among the easiest parts of your car to fix yourself, so make sure to have any problems resolved before your MOT. This could be as simple as replacing your wipers or topping up your washer fluid – well worth the minimal time and effort!

How do wing mirrors affect your MOT?

During an MOT test, it is up to the tester to check that all rear-view mirrors – which includes both external side mirrors and your internal rear-view mirrors – offer a clear view of your vehicle and the road behind you. Ultimately, this means that a cracked wing mirror could cause you to fail your MOT, but only if it was so severe that it meant you couldn’t properly see behind you.

With this in mind, if you are at all uncertain whether your wing mirror would fail your MOT, it’s best to be on the safe side and get it fixed before the test! This will save you having to rebook it!

Will a faulty or cracked window fail an MOT?

One of the most important aspects of any MOT inspection is ensuring that the driver has a clear field of view. While the windscreen is certainly the most important area to focus on here, the front side windows are also important sources of visual information for the driver, which is why a heavily cracked or scratched front window could land you with a fail if you’re not careful. In most cases, you will be fine, since these are fairly large windows and the driver doesn’t need to rely on them all that often, but it probably isn’t worth taking the risk, so if you have a crack in either of your front windows, get it fixed beforehand!

Given that the rear side windows don’t really benefit the driver in terms of visual information, the state of these windows won’t have any bearing on your MOT score. It doesn’t hurt to keep them looking nice anyway though!

Checklist to do for your windows and mirrors before your MOT

So, to recap, let’s take a look at some of the things that you need to do about your windows and mirrors before your MOT test.

  • Clear rear-view mirrors that provide an adequate view of what’s behind you are essential for passing your MOT, so make sure that these mirrors have been properly cleaned, or replaced if they’ve become cracked or severely scratched. This goes for your internal rear-view mirror too!
  • Front side windows provide essential visual information for the driver, allowing them to see what’s beside them and behind them. With this in mind, make sure that these windows have been given a good clean, or replaced if they are heavily scratched or cracked.
  • Compared to the windscreen and front side windows, rear side windows aren’t as useful in terms of the information they provide for the driver, so damage to these windows isn’t nearly as big of a problem.

1st Call Windscreens offer a 24 hour windscreen repair service to drivers throughout Maidstone, Sittingbourne & the rest of Kent. Our experienced team are on hand to repair windscreens for all kinds of vehicles, and we can also replace your windscreen if the damage is too significant. To find out more about our windscreen repair services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team today.

Posted by: 1st Call Windscreens

We are proud to be a leading windscreen company covering our local areas of Maidstone, Sittingbourne and the rest of Kent since 1996. Our 25+ years experience in windscreen services includes windscreen repair and replacement for cars, vans, trucks and more! Our expert technicians hold the relevant qualifications so you can rest easy knowing that your windscreen is in safe hands.

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